Arizona Chickens

[Tonopah Pati]

Chrystal, So sorry about your sting. I got stung a week ago, on the side of my foot by my little toe. It is a good thing that it was not a Bark type, they are the real bad boy. I looked it up on the net for treatment. I have ractions to different things that bite, so it always scares me. Those scorpions can get in any place. I had to seal all around my place. I got a house cat. They kill and eat them. I turn my chickens out each morning, the first place they go is up to the house, around and under all the shrubs. Takes care of snakes also. Anyhow I hope it stops hurting. Prayers.

Sending you a photo of my Abby. Thank you for sending yours.





Not the best photos I had, I did some computer house keeping and got rid of lots of stuff. I needed free space. LOL! The other dog is Honey Boy Bear, he is a ridge back, Saluki mix.

 

[LarryPQ]

Pati- I want to flop those ears. So very cute!

Chrystal--YOOOOWWCH! I got stung by a bark's scorpion 6 times on one arm once (it was under my pillow) so I feel your pain! Did you swig some children's benedryl?

They are probably coming inside because you killed off all the bugs immediately outside

You could try putting DE in little bowls under each bed leg. Then get rid of all the bed skirts. Then at least you won't wake up to a sting.

Also- I know it is harassment, but there are other factors involved. She gets a little slack because I suspect she is a little more old and crazy than she is mean. I think being the neighborhood busybody keeps her busy and gives her a sense of "control" over her life. Here is the thread on my neighbors, the Axis of Evil:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=217225

but to update the above thread, she put in a water feature so all the water is moving fast now.

Some sad news: They put in a Dunkin Donuts 200 yards from my house. My bum is expanding at an exponential rate. I could resist the donuts...but they keep giving away free iced/hot coffee...I brought in 8 for my department today. So gooooood.

 

[Tonopah Pati]

Wow $20.00 bucks is a little pricey for me. I may wait and order some babys. There are a couple of places that I can order 2-5, or I will just keep looking. Maybe some of the AZ. folks will have some to sell. Closer to home.

Abby's ears are like silk. Oh how they get dirty. It is a good thing that she loves her bath. Lots of grooming for her. She loves to roll in ANYTHING! and I do mean ANYTHING!. She cleans up real nice. I use Adams flea & tick shampoo on her and my chickens. Great stuff. I also use a furminator a great grooming tool. My cat loves that tool also. It sure removes lots of underneath hair.

 

[DM]

Quote:
I did not know cats killed scorpions. Do dogs get them too? Nice info thanks.

 

[Tonopah Pati]

Both cats and dogs kill and eat them. My dogs get into a fight some times, both trying to get the same one. The chickens really go after them.

They are so funny to watch. They chase one another trying to get it away from each other. The chase is on. While running they swallow it right down.

ENJayToo, yes please pm me the links. thank you.

Got to head out now for the PT treatment. Ouch! Talk more later. It is very hard to get away from BYC.

 

[ChrystalGail]

Thank you Pati & Larissa! No, I could only take Advil, because I'm still breast feeding the baby... Sigh...

The pain is almost gone now. But my whole arm is numb and so are my thumb and index finger. This is one experience I NEVER want to relive!!!

Pati, my favorite cochins are the partridge. I had some a few years back. They are stunning birds! I think mine were ordered from Privett through Coolidge feed. Good luck! Abby is adorable! I will find some more recient pictures of Shirly for you...

DM, Yeah, cat's love them. My cats usually find them for me, but not last night! He was sleeping with me instead of hunting! Lazy furball! I've also heard duck are the best bug hunters in AZ.

Have a great day everyone!

 

[CheerfulHeart2]

Quote:
My production goes down when heat goes up. What kind of hens do you have that are powerhouse layers during the heat?

I wonderf if something inside the coup is bugging them.

 

[Tonopah Pati]

Good morning all. What a nice 65 this morning around 5:30. Mr. Peep and Willie Boy were crowing up a storm. Little tiny crack of daylight peeping out. They were still up on the roosts. as soon as I walked up to the Pen, they jumped down. I opened the gate and out they came. I started to walk around the yard with the dogs, low and behold the chickens were all following me.

I felt like the Pied Piper.

My egg production has gone down also. It is strange that in the hot, hot, everybody is laying a egg a day. Now it cools off some what and I have some quitters. What is up with that?

Thank you for the links. The first one has large Birds only. I like the second ad better. I will look into it. Better price also. I am also looking for Blue/Violet shades. So many different wonderful colors to choose from. This is really hard.

 

[rufus]

Chrystal, always shake out your shoes and shake down your clothes before you put them on. Scorpions are an ugly fact of life in the desert.

Palm trees are loaded with them. Keep brush and trash away from the house.

Scorpions love old adobes. That is something to think about when house hunting.

We used to have the custom of burning off the bermuda grass lawns after the first frost. That kept the scorpions to a minimum. Now days, we don't have frost, and we would probably have problems with the law if we burned the lawns.

There is something called "Chinese Chalk" that keeps them out of the house. It is sold in Chinese markets. You draw a line across the threshold. Any bug or insect that crosses the line dies.

At first I thought this was bogus, but we bought some and tried it. I fed my wife's cats and then drew a circle around the dish. The black ants made a mad dash for the food and died!

When I saw that, I became kind of concerned about the safety of the product. Don't touch it. Use a plastic bag over your hand. Then when done with it, just invert it over the chalk.

Things sure were easier when we had DDT.

Rufus

 

[HippieChickens]

Here I go being a wet blanket.

Environmental Protection Agency: Illegal Pesticide Products: Insecticide Chalk

Illegal Insecticide Chalk, also known as "Miraculous Chalk" or "Chinese Chalk." You may have seen the chalk in a neighborhood store or sold on the street for about $1 a box. It is mostly imported illegally from China and often bears a label in both English and Chinese. Sometimes, like on the label we show here, the manufacturer makes claims that the chalk is "harmless to human beings and animals" and "safe to use." These claims are untrue and dangerous. Because insecticide chalk looks just like regular chalk, children often take it in their hands, write with it and put it in their mouths. The active ingredient in Insecticide Chalk is a chemical called deltamethrin, which is one of the most toxic pesticides of its kind. Insecticide chalk should be avoided at all times.

EPA is particularly concerned about insecticide chalk because children may mistake the insecticide for blackboard chalk. Overexposure to some chemicals found in samples of insecticide chalk can provoke serious health effects, including vomiting, stomach pains, convulsions, tremors, and loss of consciousness. Serious allergic reactions are also possible. Several children have been hospitalized after eating insecticide chalk.

Dispose of any supplies of insecticide chalk safely — either return the product to the retailer where it was purchased, or contact a local hazardous waste facility to arrange for disposal.

Glue traps and DE are legal and safe approaches to scorpion control.​