Arizona Chickens

[maryhysong]

That is so sad; you can get fined for having chickens in your yard but it's ****** hard to catch the loose dogs and fine their owners. I live about 90 miles from Phoenix itself and am lucky to live in an unincorporated area so can have all the animals I want. But soooo many people let their dogs run loose and in the past I have lost a lot of chickens to dogs. Now I just keep the .22 handy; most of them don't make it out alive....

 

[maryhysong]

oops forgot to introduce myself on this thread! I'm Mary and live in Globe-Miami area, about 90 miles east of Phoenix proper. I have Buff Orpingtons, (4 pullets getting ready to start laying and an older rooster), 3 barred rock banties, older girls that are molting real bad right now. 3 hens and a rooster that are Welsummers, about 4 years old that were given to me. 4 poults that are the offspring of the Welsummer hens and an Americana (or perhaps EE) rooster. Though their feathering certainly looks like what you would expect from an Americana/Welsummer cross. No indication of sexes on them yet.

I also have 16 muscovy ducks, about 3-4 months old, several of those drakes are destined for dinner. 3 mixed breed ducks, part runner, crested and Welsh Harlequin. And a beautiful WH drake. I'll be picking up one or two girls to go with him.

I'm not sure the Welsummer rooster is doing the rooster thing; at least I haven't seen him after any of the hens. they are also molting but at least one of the hens is still laying and I have 7 eggs in the incubator now. But if it turns out they aren't fertile I'll be looking to pick up some more Wellies. I also would love some Black Copper Marans; they are so pretty and so are their eggs.

I'm intending to pick up an incubator before spring (using a borrowed one for right now) to hatch off more chicken eggs. There is at least a small local market for chicks around here, especially later in the summer when the feed store doesn't have any.

 

[Sonoran Silkies]

Quote: I'm betting that you are spot on

 

[beehappy4ever]

I promised pictures and here they are....so at current counts of the 11 eggs that went into the hatcher 8 have hatched! 2 are pipped and 1 I believe is a dud (I candled before putting into hatcher and it was smaller than the rest). The eggs from my flock where mixes since I had two roosters at the time and didn't know which rooster would be the daddy but it became very apparent after a couple hatched that Jack (RIP) a lavender Orpington was the daddy since none of the Ameraucana hen eggs are pure. Which I am happy about since Jack was a good bird and now I will carry on his legacy even if it is with some mutt chickens. The other eggs are Rhode Island Red Hens covered by a Black Cochin Rooster that I bought in Gilbert. A couple have feathered legs and one is black with black feather on its legs















So as soon as these dry up and get fluffy they will go in with the day old chicks I got at the feedbarn yesterday.

Blue Cochin - I bought 2 but I wish I had gotten more, they are sooooooo cute


Cuckoo Maran - I bought 5


So that will be 15 possible 17 in the brooder for this age group.

I have in another brooder 5 birds from my 8/28 hatch, there are two pure ameraucana; 1 ameraucana x partridge hen; and 1 ameraucana x black australorp. They will be 4 weeks old on Tuesday and are starting to hit a really really ugly stage



These are the two Ameraucana's one is white and the other is looking like barred and brown (not sure correct term)


I have another 30 eggs in the incubator but only about 5 are developing. (Mental note shipping eggs to Phoenix not a good idea, not only because of the heat but because my mail carrier is retarded) I opened a few of the eggs up and they are scrambled. They were suppose to be Black French Copper Marans, Welsummers, Barnvelders, and Olive Eggers....So I am very bummed about that. I will try and order some more once it cools down again and hopefully have better luck if I pick them up at the post office.

Now I need to start preparing for how I am going to eventually transition all of these to the coop when the time comes.

 

[Fuzzybird]

oops forgot to introduce myself on this thread! I'm Mary and live in Globe-Miami area, about 90 miles east of Phoenix proper. I have Buff Orpingtons, (4 pullets getting ready to start laying and an older rooster), 3 barred rock banties, older girls that are molting real bad right now. 3 hens and a rooster that are Welsummers, about 4 years old that were given to me. 4 poults that are the offspring of the Welsummer hens and an Americana (or perhaps EE) rooster. Though their feathering certainly looks like what you would expect from an Americana/Welsummer cross. No indication of sexes on them yet.

I also have 16 muscovy ducks, about 3-4 months old, several of those drakes are destined for dinner. 3 mixed breed ducks, part runner, crested and Welsh Harlequin. And a beautiful WH drake. I'll be picking up one or two girls to go with him.

I'm not sure the Welsummer rooster is doing the rooster thing; at least I haven't seen him after any of the hens. they are also molting but at least one of the hens is still laying and I have 7 eggs in the incubator now. But if it turns out they aren't fertile I'll be looking to pick up some more Wellies. I also would love some Black Copper Marans; they are so pretty and so are their eggs.

I'm intending to pick up an incubator before spring (using a borrowed one for right now) to hatch off more chicken eggs. There is at least a small local market for chicks around here, especially later in the summer when the feed store doesn't have any.

Welcome, Did you do that cat rock painting? I do Turtles.

 

[AnotherKim]

oops forgot to introduce myself on this thread! I'm Mary and live in Globe-Miami area, about 90 miles east of Phoenix proper. I have Buff Orpingtons, (4 pullets getting ready to start laying and an older rooster), 3 barred rock banties, older girls that are molting real bad right now. 3 hens and a rooster that are Welsummers, about 4 years old that were given to me. 4 poults that are the offspring of the Welsummer hens and an Americana (or perhaps EE) rooster. Though their feathering certainly looks like what you would expect from an Americana/Welsummer cross. No indication of sexes on them yet.

I also have 16 muscovy ducks, about 3-4 months old, several of those drakes are destined for dinner. 3 mixed breed ducks, part runner, crested and Welsh Harlequin. And a beautiful WH drake. I'll be picking up one or two girls to go with him.

I'm not sure the Welsummer rooster is doing the rooster thing; at least I haven't seen him after any of the hens. they are also molting but at least one of the hens is still laying and I have 7 eggs in the incubator now. But if it turns out they aren't fertile I'll be looking to pick up some more Wellies. I also would love some Black Copper Marans; they are so pretty and so are their eggs.

I'm intending to pick up an incubator before spring (using a borrowed one for right now) to hatch off more chicken eggs. There is at least a small local market for chicks around here, especially later in the summer when the feed store doesn't have any.

Welcome Mary! I have an Aunt and cousins in Globe. My cousin Marion is the librarian in Globe.

 

[MagicChicken]

oops forgot to introduce myself on this thread! I'm Mary and live in Globe-Miami area, about 90 miles east of Phoenix proper. I have Buff Orpingtons, (4 pullets getting ready to start laying and an older rooster), 3 barred rock banties, older girls that are molting real bad right now. 3 hens and a rooster that are Welsummers, about 4 years old that were given to me. 4 poults that are the offspring of the Welsummer hens and an Americana (or perhaps EE) rooster. Though their feathering certainly looks like what you would expect from an Americana/Welsummer cross. No indication of sexes on them yet.

I also have 16 muscovy ducks, about 3-4 months old, several of those drakes are destined for dinner. 3 mixed breed ducks, part runner, crested and Welsh Harlequin. And a beautiful WH drake. I'll be picking up one or two girls to go with him.

I'm not sure the Welsummer rooster is doing the rooster thing; at least I haven't seen him after any of the hens. they are also molting but at least one of the hens is still laying and I have 7 eggs in the incubator now. But if it turns out they aren't fertile I'll be looking to pick up some more Wellies. I also would love some Black Copper Marans; they are so pretty and so are their eggs.

I'm intending to pick up an incubator before spring (using a borrowed one for right now) to hatch off more chicken eggs. There is at least a small local market for chicks around here, especially later in the summer when the feed store doesn't have any.

 

[City farm]

Hey there,
Does anyone have any suggestions on
our red silkie... She started a day ago..
Possibly neurological issues or something??
It seems .. For instance, she shook her head
then gave it a scratch. After that she seemed
as though she had to get her wit's about herself..
She took a quadruple look with her head??
I did put her in a coop with younger girls..
Also this evening, when I was out with them
I did not notice any other chickens messing
with her.. No pecking..
she ate, followed & seemed fine. It is sporadic..
Help! Any suggestions??

anyone have anything ?
It happens mostly when she shakes her head...

 

[City farm]

Welcome to the best chicken forum ...
ENJOY...

 

[City farm]

So, someone was asking about the price of grapevines in Tucson in the last week or so and I think the prices I gave were too high.  I was at MVG today and they now have all of the 2012 grapevines and trees out for sale.  They have smaller vines for under $12, medium vines for $19 and the larger >4' vines for $35.   I also saw a very interesting grape vine native to Arizona, called the Canyon Grape (Vitis arizonica).  They are found in riparian areas around AZ and produce smaller, but edible fruits.  The leaves are also edible.  They are very cute vines with much smaller leaves than the domesticated varieties.  

Our friend just finished our side gate for the girls.. We had him put
two half circle smilie face rebar from post to post..
.. It is above the fence.. We will be planting
the grape vines soon... By next summer we hope to have some!!
Thanks for all of your detailed information..