Arizona Chickens

[MagicChicken]

Been working on the new hoop coop this week. Got to hurry - the chicks will be out of the brooder in another week. This is what it looks like so far. The hoops are cattle panels, covered in 1/2" hardware cloth. It's 8' wide by a little over 12' long. I used 3 cattle panels. It's tall enough for me to walk through the door frame comfortably. (I'm 5' 6".) And I should still be able to walk inside when there's 5 or 6 inches of deep litter in the thing. So far, so good...

 

[pimachickens]

Hi AZ peeps! Newbie from East Tucson. Got our first chicks this week. We're totally new at this, but have been thinking about it for a while. We're pretty excited to raise our flock and get some fresh, happy eggs.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/740783/look-who-arrived-today

And started the coop/run today
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/741410/the-green-dragon-roost

Glad to have you here!

 

[Gallo del Cielo]

Hi AZ peeps! Newbie from East Tucson. Got our first chicks this week. We're totally new at this, but have been thinking about it for a while. We're pretty excited to raise our flock and get some fresh, happy eggs.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/740783/look-who-arrived-today

And started the coop/run today
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/741410/the-green-dragon-roost

Greetings from central Tucson! Great start on the coop. FYI, we LOVE pictures here.

 

[Gallo del Cielo]

A couple of years ago, I went to Tropica Mango and bought a Arizona Sweet orange tree as a Christmas present for my husband. We planted it. We fertilized it at the proper times. We watered it. The first year, I dutifully picked off all of the blossoms. More water. More fertilizer. The second year, we let it set a few fruit. I painted over the tear when a branch with three oranges on was ripped off during a windstorm. I covered it when we got a hard freeze this year. I worried when it got nipped by cold in spite of my best efforts.

Then, came the day I had dreamed of for years. My oranges were ripe. They were a bit large for an orange, but not freakishly so, given that they were the only two oranges on the tree. I sat down, and started to peel the first one. The skin was a bit thick, as I'd expected. Then, freed from its skin, I beheld the naked orange. I split it in half, ready to pull off a section. I noticed that it was pink. This was.....not what I'd expected. I thought, clinging desperately to hope "Maybe its one of those fancy Cara-Cara navels". I separated a small section, raised it to my mouth, and bit down. My orange tree is a grapefruit. A juicy, tasty, pink grapefruit, but still a grapefruit.

There is, I have no doubt, some deep and profound lesson about life to be learned from this experience. And I will learn it. Once I get finished being totally and completely vexed. Because grapefruit.

 

[Gallo del Cielo]

Been working on the new hoop coop this week. Got to hurry - the chicks will be out of the brooder in another week. This is what it looks like so far. The hoops are cattle panels, covered in 1/2" hardware cloth. It's 8' wide by a little over 12' long. I used 3 cattle panels. It's tall enough for me to walk through the door frame comfortably. (I'm 5' 6".) And I should still be able to walk inside when there's 5 or 6 inches of deep litter in the thing. So far, so good...

FANTASTIC!!!

It's a thing of beauty and functionality already. I can't wait to see the progress you make on it.

 

[City farm]

Can't wait to catch up on the Fourm. We had a leak her at our home.. Now a professor from Australia is here.. We are going to
Dim sum.. Yum! Then to the top of south mountain... I'm off to work first.. Busy, busy, day.. Hope to catch up by tomorrow.
Hope everyone is well

 

[kamperkate]

Hello,
I was just hoping someone could tell me how long fertile eggs can sit before hey have to go into the incubator. I have one hen laying fertile eggs and I prefer not to put one into the incubator each day- so, how long can I hold them aside before putting them in? They are going to be out of my turken hen and silkie roo so I'm expecting show girl chicks! I know people either love them or find them ugly- I personally find them adorable.

Also wondering what this little chicken is- both breed and sex- I was told she was probably a wyandotte hen but I am doubting that now- at 17 weeks old she stands only about 4.5" tall. She is the one on the left- I'll try to get a better pic up later.





Thank you for any info!

 

[pdx2phx]

Hello,
I was just hoping someone could tell me how long fertile eggs can sit before hey have to go into the incubator. I have one hen laying fertile eggs and I prefer not to put one into the incubator each day- so, how long can I hold them aside before putting them in? They are going to be out of my turken hen and silkie roo so I'm expecting show girl chicks! I know people either love them or find them ugly- I personally find them adorable.

Also wondering what this little chicken is- both breed and sex- I was told she was probably a wyandotte hen but I am doubting that now- at 17 weeks old she stands only about 4.5" tall. She is the one on the left- I'll try to get a better pic up later.





Thank you for any info!

I can't really help you with either of your Q's other than to say she's probably not a Wyandotte

I have one and she's a big lady, and has a rose comb. Your little ones are CUTE....and it looks like nap time

 

[flower]

Can not help you on the "guess" of chicken breed. But saving eggs with pointed side down for a week or two or maybe three should be fine. Temperature between in mid to low fifties. But I heard stories of refrigerate eggs Trader Joe's and eggs up to a month being on the countertop being incubated successfully.

Did you know that the NN/silkie cross will result in birds carring the silkie gene and only 25% of will have naked necks. Of that percentage, they will need to be mated to make the third generation into maybe a SG

 

[desertmarcy]

Hello,
I was just hoping someone could tell me how long fertile eggs can sit before hey have to go into the incubator. I have one hen laying fertile eggs and I prefer not to put one into the incubator each day- so, how long can I hold them aside before putting them in? They are going to be out of my turken hen and silkie roo so I'm expecting show girl chicks! I know people either love them or find them ugly- I personally find them adorable.

Also wondering what this little chicken is- both breed and sex- I was told she was probably a wyandotte hen but I am doubting that now- at 17 weeks old she stands only about 4.5" tall. She is the one on the left- I'll try to get a better pic up later.





Thank you for any info!

You can hold them at least 10 days, probably longer, but I normally set mine every 7-10 days and get good hatch rates. I think after 2 weeks your hatch rate will decrease. It is best if they are held lower than room temp., 50-55 degrees is ideal. Not mandatory, but it does help. We don't heat our house, so it is in the 60's most of the time, and that is working for me right now, but if it is warmer, I put an ice pack or two in a styrofoam box with the eggs (eggs in cartons). And don't forget to rotate the eggs twice a day. I just tilt the cartons up one way, then tilt them the other way to rotate. Works for me. Good luck with your hatch.