Arizona Chickens

[MagicChicken]

Quote:
Hi Mikey,
I killed mine too. I tried sprouting it in a bag like was recommended. I'd like to try again and try sprouting in dirt this time.

Don't feel too bad about killing the moringas. I've been reading up on them. Most of what I'm seeing is telling me they will do well in semi-arid conditions. That means they probably prefer more humidity than we have here. They're also supposed to be sensitive to frost and freezes, which means they probably won't do well in my yard. Some folks may have the ideal spot for them. I get hard freezes here almost every winter, and they usually come on the one night when I'm not able to get back to cover plants in time. I wouldn't mind trying one, though, just to see how it does. I am curious.

 

[Gallo del Cielo]

Don't feel too bad about killing the moringas. I've been reading up on them. Most of what I'm seeing is telling me they will do well in semi-arid conditions. That means they probably prefer more humidity than we have here. They're also supposed to be sensitive to frost and freezes, which means they probably won't do well in my yard. Some folks may have the ideal spot for them. I get hard freezes here almost every winter, and they usually come on the one night when I'm not able to get back to cover plants in time. I wouldn't mind trying one, though, just to see how it does. I am curious.

I have some that I can share with you.

 

[bcluff]

Will you buy them?? I will totally sell them to you!

 

[Beckyhsinglsc]

Quote:
Hi Mikey,
I killed mine too. I tried sprouting it in a bag like was recommended. I'd like to try again and try sprouting in dirt this time.

Don't feel too bad about killing the moringas. I've been reading up on them. Most of what I'm seeing is telling me they will do well in semi-arid conditions. That means they probably prefer more humidity than we have here. They're also supposed to be sensitive to frost and freezes, which means they probably won't do well in my yard. Some folks may have the ideal spot for them. I get hard freezes here almost every winter, and they usually come on the one night when I'm not able to get back to cover plants in time. I wouldn't mind trying one, though, just to see how it does. I am curious.

Well, I'm in Phoenix so it's warmer here and mine died before they even made it outside. I think I let the sprout stay in the bag too long before putting it in dirt.
Does anyone in the East Valley of Phoenix have seeds? Otherwise, maybe I could get some from you, Gallo, next time I'm in Tucson?

 

[Fuzzybird]

I have a Moringa that is now 7 month old and safely planted in the ground. It is about 3 feet high. I should measure it. I planted 2 more seeds in a pot and both came up in 3 days! I just put the pot outside.They are now 1 month old and about 6 inches tall. I water the seedlings everyday moderatly and the one in the ground every other day. When it gets cooler I will water every 3rd day.

 

[Demosthine]

They're news bulletins, obtained from the future through a wormhole.

They're a reminder of what this thread used to be. We used to post things that made you laugh. Nearly every day you could look forward to a snort-your-beverage-through-your-nose laugh. Gosh, I miss that.

Oh, well that solves it all! I hate those wormholes. That Houdini Chicken would have drove me insane sneaking through his wormhole in to the other yard! But yeah, I love those hysterical groups where there is so much humor you go on the page just to get your days worth of laughs. My Super Magna Forum was like that, but the old timers are leaving and we have all the new, young, hot-stuff bikers that get butt hurt if you make fun of anything.


I picked up the aquarium ($13.99), wheat bran ($1.94), and a 500 count container of mealworms ($6.99) today. They are all put together now ($22.92), so that colony is started. The bran was 43c a pound at WinCo, so I don't think I could have touched that price at the big box stores. I threw in some extra groats I had sitting in my desert cellar (extra large coat closet) to give them a wider diet. The potatoes and carrots come here in a few minutes. It looks like I have a good selection of dead worms, though. Bummer there, but there are a few small beatles, too. I'll pick up another container from WalMart when I go. Maybe worms from completely different sides of town will ensure a good colony.

Now I am headed to the shop to make a couple of roosts for the chicks. I added one today, since several people said I need at least three for a flock. As soon as Jed gets out of the hospital, he gets to choose the fourth. They are getting along great so far. And yes, my wife is already working with chicken math. It was strictly two at first, then she immediately agreed to add a third when I explained your guys' comments and promised Jed he could choose his own. I may need a larger plot of land by year's end!

 

[Demosthine]

Demosthine: When you see people talking about hens 'only laying for 2 years', what they are really talking about is the typical drop off in production that happens after the first two years of a hen's life. This drop off in production is most severe with the high production, commercial breeds, and the high production hybrids. Also, somewhere between 18 and 24 months, chickens go through a molt, and stop laying for a month or so. If you have a commercial operation, it isn't worthwhile to feed a hen that isn't producing eggs, or who is "only" laying 2 or 3 eggs a week rather than 5 or 6 eggs a week. Many people have observed that chickens that lay fewer eggs are often more consistent producers, over their lifetime.
As a side note, when I've integrated new birds into the flock, or taken birds out of the flock, the stress of the social upheaval tends to reduce the number of eggs for awhile, and I've had fairly 'easy' flock integrations.

As far as getting a broody to take chicks goes, a week is too old. Ideally, you want chicks no more than two or three days old. And honestly, if you're willing to use the cockerels for meat, you'd be just as well off putting fertile eggs under her. Of course, this assumes that you get a broody hen to start with. Some breeds are more likely to go broody than others, but there are plenty of stories of hens from breeds that typically go broody as soon as they see an egg that never go broody. And on the other side of it, you get birds like my Emma, who is a Cali White, which people will tell you never, ever go broody, and she took off on her own and hatched 3 chicks. Of course, she may never do it again, so who knows.

It looks like I'll be doing the egg thing next time. The Stock Shop primarily carries Barred Rocks and Production Reds. He wants a paid order of 25 of the specialty breeds to even order them. I'd only take three. Guess I'll be figuring that out later this year, since I really want at least one Black Copper Maran in the flock. The Barred Rocks will be a close enough swap for the Silver Laced Wyandotte I wanted, to big deal there. Otherwise, I'm game for whatever else comes up.

 

[Gallo del Cielo]

Well, I'm in Phoenix so it's warmer here and mine died before they even made it outside. I think I let the sprout stay in the bag too long before putting it in dirt.
Does anyone in the East Valley of Phoenix have seeds? Otherwise, maybe I could get some from you, Gallo, next time I'm in Tucson?

I was waiting for the last frost to plant them, then I forgot until late summer.

I probably would have killed mine off too. I think I'll try planting them directly into the ground where I want them to grow. Seems like there might be less chance for disaster that way. You are absolutely welcome to some of the seeds I have. Hopefully, the germination rate will still be good.

 

[MagicChicken]

Quote:
I'll trade you some zinna and squash seeds for them. Will give you a call next time I'm headed that direction.

 

[Mama Hen Chris]

It looks like I'll be doing the egg thing next time. The Stock Shop primarily carries Barred Rocks and Production Reds. He wants a paid order of 25 of the specialty breeds to even order them. I'd only take three. Guess I'll be figuring that out later this year, since I really want at least one Black Copper Maran in the flock. The Barred Rocks will be a close enough swap for the Silver Laced Wyandotte I wanted, to big deal there. Otherwise, I'm game for whatever else comes up.

Check with the Western Ranchman...they are supposed to start getting chicks in October. They usually have a weekly calendar of what breeds they are getting in. Pratt's also has different breeds as well.