Arizona Chickens

[Gallo del Cielo]

Gallo, inside the coop!! that is wild!! Really glad my encounter wasn't up close and personal. Did you chase him out or let him finish his meal??

I let it eat for a while, then the sun started setting and the ladies didn't want to go into the coop so I ended up helping it out. The design on my run is not favorable to wild birds that get inside. The doors are so much lower than the top of the run that they have a hard time escaping when their tendency is to want to fly up. It's really surprising how small and light they are. It seemed rather indignant when I set it on the ground outside the coop. It immediately flew up and sat on the roof of the house watching, but wouldn't take the remainder of the dove when I offered it. I actually hope it stays around. I suspect it's the same one that has been spending a lot of time here in the past couple weeks. It seems there is no end to the doves for it to eat.

 

[Gallo del Cielo]

Mikey and Mama Hen Chris, I have vivid memories from my early childhood of the women from the polish side of my family gathering to make pierogies. I loved them.

But I haven't had them since I was a kid. Maybe I'll have to learn to make them!

 

[SherrieT]

I sure hope you are right. My home temperatures are very stable.

I should have researched more on sellers before shelling (pun intended) this much for eggs. I'm such a sucker for dark eggs

Disclaimer - I am a noob & have never incubated eggs as of yet.

I think you're still OK. The way I understand it is the eggs do not start gestating until they are in the incubator (Or under a broody hen) & they are OK outside it for a week or two.

Just leave them at room temperature until the 'bator is there and set up and they should be fine...

 

[pastrymama]

gallo, the fireman got out the camera and took some zoomed pics of the hawk. it was up in the next door neighbor's tree. he said it was HUGE but with the zoom on, it was hard to tell the markings on it, but most definately a big birdie, reddish in color. the hennies will be staying in their covered run for now, besides i have a cat that keeps sitting on top of one of my coops and starring down at them thru the netting. i hate cats. the 5 year old was out there the other day pretending to shoot it with his pop gun.

 

[Mama Hen Chris]

Chris, you always have the best pictures! I'm green (and it ain't my thumb!)

I love taking pics. I have great subjects. This was taken in San Carlos went hubby and I went diving.



The Rock Squirrel at work. She used to come to the door every day and want her almonds. She had us trained well.





This is Jack. Our male swan where I work
.
Great Horned owl mama with dinner.

Youngster

 

[Mama Hen Chris]

Mikey and Mama Hen Chris, I have vivid memories from my early childhood of the women from the polish side of my family gathering to make pierogies. I loved them.

But I haven't had them since I was a kid. Maybe I'll have to learn to make them!

Mikey is going to have to set up a cooking class for us.

 

[Gallo del Cielo]

Mama Hen Chris, the photographs are amazing, as usual.

Mikey, you teach cooking too?

 

[Memphisjourney2seramas]

SherrieT- the eggs start to loose fertibility after 7 days. I would get them in an incubator asap. It is usually better to get a few practice runs in with a new incubator before putting expensive eggs in there....don't loose hope. I think"The critter place" is in Tucson and i know that she has incubated before. We have all done it so don't feel bad. I got eggs once when I knew full well I didn't have any room in the incubator!!

 

[viejo loco]

gallo, the fireman got out the camera and took some zoomed pics of the hawk. it was up in the next door neighbor's tree. he said it was HUGE but with the zoom on, it was hard to tell the markings on it, but most definately a big birdie, reddish in color. the hennies will be staying in their covered run for now, besides i have a cat that keeps sitting on top of one of my coops and starring down at them thru the netting. i hate cats. the 5 year old was out there the other day pretending to shoot it with his pop gun.

Pastrymama, and Gallo too, let me offer a non-lethal method for dealng with your cats and hawks.. Hawks are migratory birds, and you can not harm them.. The FWS dis approves of it, and can issue fines, but if they are not harmed, you can chase them away.. I use a wrist rocket and paintballs.. Make sure you get the water soluable paintballs, ( you will wear a few before you get the hang of it).. I never try to get a direct hit, because the splatter of the paint seems to do the job.. I have had a few hawks wear a flourescent green butt a time or two.. The first rain washes off the paint, so it's not permanent...

Gallo, that looks like a Coopers hawk, and they usually only prey on doves and small birds.. If you have full size hens, they will usually not bother them, because they are too big of a prey.. NOTE: I said USUALLY a lot of times, because everything is +/- 20%.. The whole world is built on a sliding scale... Will...

 

[Smiles-N-Sunshine]

Thank you Bryan.

So far I guess my only questions would be:

1. Has anyone here ever been sickened by their birds? from handling, eating, eating eggs? What caused it and what was the remedy?
2. Have you ever lost a chick due to handling? Specifically children handling them.

I have my kids wash their hands very good after handling the birds to try to avoid any sicknesses. I really want the hens to be comfortable with my girls when the girls start caring for the coop and run. I worry though that the chicks will get sick or my kids will get sick. I've only had the chicks since Saturday. I do have them in my living room to make sure they are safe and warm.

I am starting to think that what I was told were New Hamp. Reds may actually be Buff Orphington's. Does anyone have pictures of 2-3 week old chicks so I can tell the difference? I have what I believe are RIR as well and they have brownish patterned wing feathers while the other three that I think are Buff have only blonde, no patterns in their wings and a just a tad bid darker blonde on the back.

Oh, and I am just LOVING...totally LOVING... watching the little chicks do their thing. Last night one of them was doing what I'd consider 'Dusting' at only 12 days old I was quite surprised to see this. At first I thought she might be in trouble as it appeared she was flailing about. After one of her 'sisters' walked over the top of her and made her stand up she got back to work with the wing flapping as if to try and bury herself. I couldn't help but laugh as she was covered in saw dust.

Another of mine, that I am hoping is not a roo, tends to act either like the big sister or the watcher. She's one of the Barred Rocks. She stands to sleep and when she finally collapses on top of the other sleeping chicks, all of the chicks stand up and then she stands back up. They all lay back down but her, go to sleep and the cycle repeats.

The sweetest natured in the bunch so far is the Ameraucana, named Parmesan. I am waiting to name the others as I have yet to be able to differentiate them.

I know I am just rambling but they are just so darn cute.

~Selina

You're SUPPOSED to ramble here, Selina! That's what this thread is for!

Yes, enjoy your Chicken Zen! I say I have chickens for meat and eggs, but it's really for mental health reasons. There's no better therapy than watching chickens be chickens. Like human babies, they won't stay little for long, so enjoy them while you can!

It sounds like your one rooster-ish chick has taken the role of alpha female, and in the absence of a roo, those duties include watching for predators. I'm curious, do the other little ones follow her around?

I can't say there's absolutely no chance of your kids and chicks passing diseases, but it would be very surprising. As you said, a thorough hand washing, or at least a good squirt of antibacterial lotion, is the best prevention. Germs like E. Coli and Salmonella have a difficult time surviving in dry conditions, so keeping the brooder dry is important. As far as I know, the main way humans transfer diseases to birds is by contact with other birds - especially walking around where another flock has been, and coming home with poopy shoes. (My "farm shoes" never leave our property.)