Arizona Chickens

[BlueBaby]

Hi everyone! Sorry I’ve been out of the loop lately, I went back to my tutoring job and have been super busy. Hope you’re all doing well! We have started offering Cora lots of solid foods and I’m happy to say that she loves eggs Nothing better than fresh eggs for breakfast. Now that we are down to 8 hens who are getting older, egg production is down. Some have started molting already for the season too. We want to add to the flock soon. I feel like it would be easiest to just wait for Waffles the BO to go broody again and have her hatch out some babies, but I have a few questions because I’ve never done this before. If the hatch is successful and we end up with little chickies, will the other hens be accepting of them as part of the flock? Will Waffles protect them from the other full grown hens? Or do I need to keep mama hen and her babies separated from the others until they’re bigger? And what is the best time of year to have a hatch? I’m assuming spring but our seasons are so abnormal here...what do you guys think?

Nice to have you pop in here again to let us know how you are doing! We all have time's that thing's may keep us busy for a while. I'm glad that Cora love's eggs, and it will help her to grow up appreciating that those egg's come from your own chicken's. As far as adding to the flock by hatching out egg's later, keep in mind that 1/2 of the chick's that hatch out will be boy's. You might do better off in trying to find some started pullet's. You don't need rooster's that could be a potential danger to Cora.

 

[SonoranChick]

Nice to have you pop in here again to let us know how you are doing! We all have time's that thing's may keep us busy for a while. I'm glad that Cora love's eggs, and it will help her to grow up appreciating that those egg's come from your own chicken's. As far as adding to the flock by hatching out egg's later, keep in mind that 1/2 of the chick's that hatch out will be boy's. You might do better off in trying to find some started pullet's. You don't need rooster's that could be a potential danger to Cora.

Yes this is definitely an issue, as we don’t want any roosters and they are difficult to get rid of. My husband said he would send them to freezer camp...he’s never processed a chicken though so it’s one of those “easier said than done” things. What we need to do is invent a breed that can be sexed by the egg shell! Haha

 

[igorsMistress]

Yes this is definitely an issue, as we don’t want any roosters and they are difficult to get rid of. My husband said he would send them to freezer camp...he’s never processed a chicken though so it’s one of those “easier said than done” things. What we need to do is invent a breed that can be sexed by the egg shell! Haha

It's not difficult. We made a cone out of a 5 gallon bucket, hubs uses a filet knife to cut off the heads and I use a canner to scald. There are tons of videos on youtube that will show you how to do it.

 

[BlueBaby]

Yes this is definitely an issue, as we don’t want any roosters and they are difficult to get rid of. My husband said he would send them to freezer camp...he’s never processed a chicken though so it’s one of those “easier said than done” things. What we need to do is invent a breed that can be sexed by the egg shell! Haha

I think there is a way to DNA sex them by the egg shell, but it cost's money to have it done. You could always get those sex link one's, and/or cull any male chick's.

 

[SonoranChick]

I think there is a way to DNA sex them by the egg shell, but it cost's money to have it done. You could always get those sex link one's, and/or cull any male chick's.

You know me, I’m too big of a softie to cull a chick unless it had a physical problem or something Now if that chick grows up and turns out to be a male, and my husband is willing to put in the effort to process it...well, winner winner chicken dinner!

 

[BlueBaby]

You know me, I’m too big of a softie to cull a chick unless it had a physical problem or something Now if that chick grows up and turns out to be a male, and my husband is willing to put in the effort to process it...well, winner winner chicken dinner!

Rooster Fettuccine Alfredo.

 

[SonoranChick]

More questions for you all...I’m looking online and it says that having fertile eggs sent through the mail can be very tricky because even one degree of temperature change can cause the eggs to be infertile. I know some of you have had luck with getting a healthy hatch from eggs in the mail. I suppose it all depends on how they’re packed and shipped? I’m also nervous because since we moved, we use a different post office. We have already had SO MANY issues with this new post office...they are completely incompetent. I’m afraid they would just forget to call me when my eggs arrive. I wonder if I can get them shipped to my doorstep instead.

 

[BlueBaby]

More questions for you all...I’m looking online and it says that having fertile eggs sent through the mail can be very tricky because even one degree of temperature change can cause the eggs to be infertile. I know some of you have had luck with getting a healthy hatch from eggs in the mail. I suppose it all depends on how they’re packed and shipped? I’m also nervous because since we moved, we use a different post office. We have already had SO MANY issues with this new post office...they are completely incompetent. I’m afraid they would just forget to call me when my eggs arrive. I wonder if I can get them shipped to my doorstep instead.

Sorry, but all shipped egg's go through the Post Office. If you don't want to trust your Post Office or how they will be packed, then do not get shipped egg's. Maybe you can find someone near you that has fertile egg's that you can buy, and then just go there and pick them up yourself. You can control the amount of bounce and the temp inside of your own vehicle.

 

[SonoranChick]

Sorry, but all shipped egg's go through the Post Office. If you don't want to trust your Post Office or how they will be packed, then do not get shipped egg's. Maybe you can find someone near you that has fertile egg's that you can buy, and then just go there and pick them up yourself. You can control the amount of bounce and the temp inside of your own vehicle.

Ok good to know. Thank you @BlueBaby !

 

[BlueBaby]

Ok good to know. Thank you @BlueBaby !

Your welcome! I have had too many failed hatches with shipped egg's. Most of the time they arrive scrambled. If you choose to go the route of fertile hatching egg's, go and pick them up yourself. Save yourself the heartache and the shipping cost of scrambled egg's!