Arizona Chickens

[CrazyerThanAverage]

TT! :

Quote:
That is a dove egg/nest. They are the dumbest birds ever when it comes to nest building! It is a wonder the species survives.

I don't know how you can tell just by looking at the nest! She is sitting on it now.​

I guess I have seen enough to recognize them. We have a LOT of doves and they make those stupid looking, scraggly, twig nests in all kinds of silly places.

 

[squeakyballs]

Quote:
Yikes! Just hang in there! If you weren't all the way in Tucson I'd try to do something. Just leave the yard be, it is "wildlife habitat". 26 chickens is a lot to take care of! Good luck to your hubby, I know how hard it is when they are preoccupied with studying.

 

[CrazyerThanAverage]

TT! :

Quote:
Do you wait for the buds to bloom? How big should they be? Would you please share the recipe, it sounds really good

I want the jam recipe also! The fruit is supposed to be very sweet (compared to the beaver-tail -thorned- prickly pear tunas), but we have only eaten the pads (nopales) so far. The kids aren't real fond of them, but there are lots of ways to fix them that the grown-ups like.​

 

[Gallo del Cielo]

Yeah, there's only one bird dumb enough to build a nest like that in that location.

arizonadreamer, thanks for the pic. I have lots of Indian fig cactus in the yard. They're also my favorite green for composting! I guess I'll have to try eating them too.

TT!, My Slytherin will turn your Gryffindor into a toad.

pastrymama, hang in there! Good luck to the DH on his test!

 

[arizonadreamer]

Quote:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/uploads/79997_img_7492.jpg

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/uploads/79997_img_7494.jpg

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/uploads/79997_img_7489.jpg

My DH knows what they are called, I'll ask him when he gets home unless anyone can figure it out by the pics

Definately Indian Fig. (AKA - Thorn-Less Prickly Pear) Nice looking ones at that!

I took a cloth I found out in the yard (must have blown in as my desert yard is immaculate

) and rubbed the paddle smooth; could actually touch the paddle. I also made a small tear in it as the outside feel tough as plastic. Threw it in the pen and they tore it up. I gave some to my breeders this time and they went at it also. I will have to get them so meal worms soon to keep their protein levels up. They don't eat much of the layers (mostly scatter it) and I'm trying to keep them healthy for reproduction reasons. WARNING:: Dont use the same cloth twice to remove the tiny thorns.

I will PM you the recipe as soon as I get a chance to type it out...

 

[rufus]

Quote:
I think we have previously discussed nopales on this thread. They are delicious, especially when sauteed with pork. They used to be in all of the old Mexican barrios. Sometimes, you can see where the buildings have been knocked down, but the the rows of nopales that defined the yard are still there. They come back.

When they bud out, the new leaves called las pencas are young and tender. These are the ones that are eatable. Scrape them down and dice them up. Then saute them in a little oil. I like bacon grease, but that is now frowned upon. A lot of gooey juice will come out as you cook them. When that pretty much goes away, they are done.

When cutting the pencas, handle the plant with old newspaper. The tiny thorns are a pain. If you get some in your hand, rub your hand through your hair, that takes them out. But I don't have any hair left; I am pretty much bald, so I just roll masking tape over my hands. That lifts them out.

The fruit is called las tunas. They are great for making jam. We used to eat them also, but be aware of the spines. They also have seeds in them like unto a large watermelon seed.

The Indians used to use the tunas to make a liquor. It was called tulapai, which is like something the Mexicans make called tisquine. Remember, it used to be a crime and a mortal sin to sell liquor to Indians. Well, they made plenty of it themselves.

It not only made them drunk, it made they crazy. When they started drinking it, it was time to leave. Don't mess with that stuff.

Anyway, nopales and pinto beans are what kept us alive. What I find disturbing is that areas that relied heavily upon nopales also seem to be areas that have lupus clusters. I am afraid it might be the oxalic acid in them.

Rufus

 

[Mandymooligan]

Check out my little runt silkie, isn't it adorable?? The others are growing but not that one. So cute!! It is eating good and running around real good and growing wing feathers.

 

[arizonadreamer]

Quote:
I think we have previously discussed nopales on this thread. They are delicious, especially when sauteed with pork. They used to be in all of the old Mexican barrios. Sometimes, you can see where the buildings have been knocked down, but the the rows of nopales that defined the yard are still there. They come back.

When they bud out, the new leaves called las pencas are young and tender. These are the ones that are eatable. Scrape them down and dice them up. Then saute them in a little oil. I like bacon grease, but that is now frowned upon. A lot of gooey juice will come out as you cook them. When that pretty much goes away, they are done.

When cutting the pencas, handle the plant with old newspaper. The tiny thorns are a pain. If you get some in your hand, rub your hand through your hair, that takes them out. But I don't have any hair left; I am pretty much bald, so I just roll masking tape over my hands. That lifts them out.

The fruit is called las tunas. They are great for making jam. We used to eat them also, but be aware of the spines. They also have seeds in them like unto a large watermelon seed.

The Indians used to use the tunas to make a liquor. It was called tulapai, which is like something the Mexicans make called tisquine. Remember, it used to be a crime and a mortal sin to sell liquor to Indians. Well, they made plenty of it themselves.

It not only made them drunk, it made they crazy. When they started drinking it, it was time to leave. Don't mess with that stuff.

Anyway, nopales and pinto beans are what kept us alive. What I find disturbing is that areas that relied heavily upon nopales also seem to be areas that have lupus clusters. I am afraid it might be the oxalic acid in them.

Rufus

Thanks Rufus, very interesting stuff. My fruit will look like this when I pick it, this has already flowered.
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=1039507&l=1a704332e5&id=1159384798[/url

 

[Gallo del Cielo]

How many hatching eggs should one put under a ~5lb broody BA?

Great pic Mandymooligan!

Thanks for that post Rufus!

 

[tofuranch]

Quote:
Very cute...when you where here did we get all of the birds from the same place or did I have to go into the house to get one...I can't remember..if I had to bring one out of the house you might just have one that is a little bit younger than the others. Also, my females seem to be small.