Arizona Chickens

[Gallo del Cielo]

Interesting suggestion Billiam. I didn't know that AZGF had a mechanism for dealing with urban coyotes. I did think about traps, but concluded that it would be extremely difficult to get a coyote into a live trap and I'd be too concerned about collateral damage with other types of traps, including my own dog. Plus, there are so many coyotes here it would be an endless battle. I do wish I could remove that guilty one though. I think that my best option is to go back to free ranging only under supervision, as much as I hate limiting the ladies' freedom.

 

[pastrymama]

Black spots on the comb and wattles can be a couple different things, but usually it's due to pecking order squabbles. The spots are small scabs from being pecked and seems to be at it's worse in birds about the age of yours too. It usually happens in the context of positioning on the roost at dusk. Another possible cause is fowlpox, a virus vectored by mosquitoes and other biting insects. That seems unlikely given the low numbers of mosquitoes out now. I'm not even sure how common fowlpox is in AZ and I don't recall reading about anyone dealing with it on the thread.

fowlpox is quite common up here in phoenix. once you get it, it runs thru your flock like wildfire unless you vaccinate. i have started vaccinating everything before they go outside, even now. i just saw a mosquito last night. you can order the vaccines from jeffers livestock, either the chick vaccine(which you can do day olds but need to be re-vaccinated in 8 weeks) or the adult and they can be done at 6 weeks old. the mosquitos can carry the fowlpox within them for 2 months and keep passing it to your unvaccinated birds over time. so even quarrantine does zero good. vaccinating is not a big deal, just if you hatch a lot then you would need several vials as they do not keep once opened.

 

[Billiam]

Interesting suggestion Billiam. I didn't know that AZGF had a mechanism for dealing with urban coyotes. I did think about traps, but concluded that it would be extremely difficult to get a coyote into a live trap and I'd be too concerned about collateral damage with other types of traps, including my own dog. Plus, there are so many coyotes here it would be an endless battle. I do wish I could remove that guilty one though. I think that my best option is to go back to free ranging only under supervision, as much as I hate limiting the ladies' freedom.

Limited free-range is better than no free-range. Do you have to put that label on your egg cartons? "Limited-Range Eggs"

 

[Gallo del Cielo]

Quote:
Interesting! I had no idea that it was common in AZ. I would imagine that it would be difficult to keep it from spreading since you'd also have to keep mosquitoes from biting. That stinks that you saw a mosquito last night. I don't think I've seen one in weeks. This summer and early fall they were terrible here for mosquitos.

 

[Gallo del Cielo]

Limited free-range is better than no free-range. Do you have to put that label on your egg cartons? "Limited-Range Eggs"

"We practice Safe Free-ranging"?

 

[Mahonri]

What's up with this weather forecast?

I've got to get the big Christmas lights put around my tomato plants or I will loose them. We are only 3 miles straight north of the airport and we are always 5 degrees cooler than what is forecast.

 

[pastrymama]

What's up with this weather forecast?

I've got to get the big Christmas lights put around my tomato plants or I will loose them. We are only 3 miles straight north of the airport and we are always 5 degrees cooler than what is forecast.

my whole garden was a bust between the weather, late planting, limited free ranging ducks

, i have NOTHING to try and save. and up here in north phoenix in am about 10 degrees colder in the morning than the airport. trying to figure out how to put a few dozen silkies into a kiddie pool in my garage for a few days so i don't lose the fragile things.

 

[Arizonachicken]

I just leave a dedicated window tab up for AZ Chickens all the time.  If I go somewhere else within BYC I open a new tab.  That way all I have to do to see the latest AZ posts is refresh the tab.
I may not have the time to post very often but at least I can keep up this way.

That's exactly what I do! (Great minds think alike! )

 

[Arizonachicken]

Ooooh, I like that Blue Marans!  I think I might have to get one of those.  What are your thoughts on her?  Beautiful flock and the rooster is stunning!

Thanks, Gallo! I like the big, fat, fluffy hens, so I like her. She's grumpy when she's roosting...the other night I went in to the coop to get the rooster and she pecked me! Even the Roo doesn't do that! She's very slow in maturing, which seems to be a common thread in Marans. I have very limited experience with them, but my other FBCM seemed like they took forever to lay, too. I'll post a pic of her eggs, once she lays one.

 

[pastrymama]

just read of another school shooting that happened in CA this morning. Petra, wanna homeschool my kids while you are teaching yours?

i'll watch the baby for you.