Arizona Chickens

[desertmarcy]

Now that's a blast from the past! Mr. Blosl was a kind hearted man and so giving with his information. I had a few of his RIRs and he was always ready and willing to answer my many questions. He also helped me with my RIWs. Big loss to the poultry world.

Yes, it sure was. I have the EW Reese, aka "Mohawk" line of Rhode Island Reds that he had and always talked about.

 

[desertmarcy]

Here in Tucson, we are not on a major wild bird flyway plus no ponds around my area to attract migrating waterfowl, so bird flu is not a major concern for me but I still keep my pens with either shade cloth or smaller mesh wire which excludes wild birds from getting in. If nothing else, I don't want them thieving my expensive organic feed.

 

[City farm]

Look at this brat waiting for a bird to drop on in

 

[Rhapsody1]

This week is supposed to be very hot. Is there anything that you do for you chickens to cool them off, or just provide plenty of fresh water and shade and hope?

 

[City farm]

This week is supposed to be very hot. Is there anything that you do for you chickens to cool them off, or just provide plenty of fresh water and shade and hope?

when it gets over 115 or so we get ice blocks and ice. Frozen treats with fruit and veggies inside, misters & a fan.. they already have shade.

 

[lacymorgan]

This week is supposed to be very hot. Is there anything that you do for you chickens to cool them off, or just provide plenty of fresh water and shade and hope?

I have been saving up 2 litter bottles to freeze water in for them

 

[ChuskaMtns]

yes!! Buying local is great! It's fun getting some from Desertmarcy in Marana! Nice sized birds and beautiful.
@ChuskaMtns you sell heritage breed birds as well, correct? Not hatchery or production birds.

on a side note, I still quarantine my new birds, usually for a period of atleast 4 weeks before putting them out with my established flock.

Thanks for the mention! I raise English Orpingtons, though I still keep my American Buffs. I have Gold Laced, Buff Columbian, BBS, Chocolate, Chocolate Cuckoo and White.

 

[notinoz2007]

Hi everyone, we're on a roadtrip and while my husband has been driving the past 10 hours, I have finally caught up on this thread. Yea, it's been that long, I'm ashamed.
So much has been going on, but I am glad to see that I am not the only one who needs a support group for hatching. The last few months I've helped hatches at 3 schools and had a broody hen do her thing so I'm currently overrun with various ages of chicks. All fathered by my Optimus Prime.
@dofnup if you can, consider keeping your Brahma, in my experience they don't crow near as loud as other breeds and are just fascinating. I'd take yours, but I'm sure I'm raising at least 12 cockerels already.
@City farm I have discovered I have 2 duck pairs. One pekin the other pair is something smaller and brown. They were all purchased as pekin but I also bought 4 buff Orpington from that feed store and 3 grew up to be new Hampshire red, so...
I planted my first fruit tree at the new place, an Anna Apple from A&P, I'm pretty excited about this. It's such better quality than the HD trees I bought for my old house.
I'm hoping I'll stay caught up on the thread while I'm off work this summer!

 

[moms3cuties]

yes!! Buying local is great! It's fun getting some from Desertmarcy in Marana! Nice sized birds and beautiful.
@ChuskaMtns you sell heritage breed birds as well, correct? Not hatchery or production birds.

on a side note, I still quarantine my new birds, usually for a period of atleast 4 weeks before putting them out with my established flock.

Thanks for the mention! I raise English Orpingtons, though I still keep my American Buffs. I have Gold Laced, Buff Columbian, BBS, Chocolate, Chocolate Cuckoo and White.

not to sound dumb, but what is BBS? I'm assuming these cuties are all orphingtons! I know you have some gorgeous birds!
Do you sell chick's, teenagers or adult birds? You say you have cuckoo orphingtons or is it cuckoo marans also?
Hope you don't mind me asking! I have some new neighbors a block or two away and fortunately for me I found out they've got their own little chicken farm and enjoy their chickens about as much as I enjoy mine! so I'd love to be the neighborhood go to, for where to find great resources & breeders for quality heritage birds.

 

[DesertChic]

This week is supposed to be very hot. Is there anything that you do for you chickens to cool them off, or just provide plenty of fresh water and shade and hope?

I just bought a mobile swamp cooler/fan for my chicken cabin, and misters for the runs, plus more shade cloth. I also give them ice in their water, freeze water in bottles for them to lay around, hose down the earth so they have cool places to dig into, keep a small "pool" of cool water for them to soak their feet in...or for me to soak their feet in if they seem overheated, and feed them frozen veggies and chilled watermelon. I'm utterly paranoid that I'll lose some of my beloved feathered friends this coming week...especially my Bielefelders, which seem to be really struggling with the heat.