Arizona Chickens

[MagicChicken]

Quote:
When I was asking for a certain feed at the Fort Lowell store they said they didn't have it in stock but their Vail store carried it. That's all I know. I didn't drive to Vail to get whatever it was and I don't know where the store is.

 

[countrygirl74]

It's amazing how much I miss on here after being busy for a few days!!

Good news! I was able to successfully re-home 2 of my roosters. They were just being too hard on my girls and getting quite noisy with their incessant crowing. However, I did keep them a few days longer than I really had to just because the neighbor was being a total jerk again. Don't know if I shared on here but my husband finally told him off because he actually climbed his trailer on the other side of the privacy fence and was leaning over it to hand me papers on the ordinances trying to force me into getting rid of my chickens and ducks. He doesn't know what he is talking about because he didn't even have the correct information - lol. I didn't tell him I was re-homing any of the roosters... I just let him have his fit.

Anyway, I really do miss my one big roo but he is probably much happier in a bigger run with 9 girls to himself! My little silkie roo went to another home where he is being a daddy to 6 new baby bantam cochins. Things are much quieter around here with just one rooster and my girls are so much more relaxed without having 3 roosters ganging up on them all day.

Great news!! It's official! Daisy has been accepted into the flock!

I noticed this morning there's no more pecking. She follows Rosco and Boss Hogg around all the time now. Rosco taught Daisy how the dust bathe this morning (which Boss Hogg hasn't even figured out yet). It was so cute to see Rosco literally taking Daisy under her wing to show her. They all eat and drink together now, and they share treats with her.

Also, Happy Mother's Day to all you moms out there! I'm a mom only to dogs and chickens, and neither got me anything this morning, lol. But I went out to breakfast with my running group this morning. My friend organizes it and once a month we get together to run and then leave a big tip at breakfast for a single working mother. Since it's mother's day, we went the extra mile to get our biggest tip ever, $1250. So hopefully a good day for her today too.

We usually never see what happens afterwards because we just hand them an envelope on the way out the door. But the manager took a video for us so we could see. I've attached that below too...

Yay for Daisy!!

Also, that is so cool what you do! I was a single mom for 5 years and I know how hard it can be to make ends meet. My husband left me for another woman when I was pregnant with our third child. It was devastating... but I have been so blessed to have my wonderful husband 7 years now!

BAH!!!

RANT RANT RANT!!!

UGH!!!

City of Phoenix made me get rid of my 2 BEAUTIFUL roosters that I have had for years.

Its SO hard to have chickens when you cant have a roo. I so used to look forward to and LOVED being surprised by a hen greeting me in the morning with her new "secret" brood.

My chickens free range and have lots of hiding places. I guess I will never have that again.

I don't know why they (the city) picked on me as many of my neighbors down the street have ROOS and They still have theirs, even tho the "inspector" comes into our neighborhood at least 2-3 times a week. ANYONE OUT THERE KNOW HOW TO "HIDE" A ROO ????

Sorry my first post in a LONG time was so negative . On a nicer note : HAPPY MOTHERS DAY!!!

Oh so sorry!! We put our roos in cock boxes at night and let them out at 8a.m. as a courtesy for our neighbors, but there is still no way to keep them from crowing the rest of the day so I don't think there's any way to hide them, unfortunately. Did you mention that a bunch of people down the street also have roos and find out why you are the only one who had to get rid of them?

Hi Arizona! I'm in Southeast Michigan and will most likely be moving to Phoenix for my husbands job. We currently have 16 chickens. We would love to keep a few hens when we move. Friends have recommended Surprise as a good place. I see their ordinance allows chickens but they have to be 80 feet from where people live, eat or sleep. Looking around online it doesn't seem like there are any yards big enough to accommodate that. Also, looks like most neighborhoods have HOAs and I'm guessing they frown upon poultry keeping? I'm glad to see there is a lively and friendly chicken community out there. Any suggestions or information on both family and chicken friendly neighborhoods would be greatly appreciated.

Welcome to Arizona!! I live in Northern Arizona so don't know much about the ordinances down South, but there are lots of people on here who can help!

And Amp

Cute! Glad she's still enjoying them so much!

Alright folks, I sadly claim the title for "Earliest Loss of Summer." The other night, we had some horrible winds and a slight touch of rain, so I moved the broilers under the porch and in to a different coop. They were in the yard in a large dog kennel so I could do controlled free-ranging. You know, like the Salatin Method? Under the great advise of my wife, I had been keeping a sheet over it for shade. When I moved it out Friday morning in rush to leave for work, I forgot the sheet. The poor things baked to death! It was a horrible, horrible mistake that I won't make again. Once Sommer's Speckled Sussex are back in her capable hands, I'll try again and keep the broilers under the porch in the brooder. They'll be much happier there anyway, I think. Oh, and I was about half-way to slaughter, too, so they were getting pretty hefty.


On other notes, the rest of my clan are doing well. It has been so nice with the nine older ones cooping themselves in the new coop. I still have to move my wife's Silkies and the four new Americaunas, but we've only had those last four for a week. I don't think her Silkies are ever going to learn, though. We're back to a constant three eggs from our three layers, too. And with four more ready to lay any time in the next two to six weeks, we should be sitting very nicely by summers end.

Today's goal? Getting the garden walls sewn and installed for my wife. It's been a month since I started the first half of that project and the chickens ate every last leaf off of the four plants we have in there. We forgot to put the milk crates back over them after watering one night. Oops!!!

Sorry to hear about your meaties...it's possible some would have baked even with the sheet - they're not the most resilient birds. We lost a couple to heat as well, but due to a toddler. My sister is raising them right now - we are going to help with the processing. She has a 2-year-old who put the lid on their brooder and they didn't realize it until it was too late. They were hot and suffocating in there and thankfully she found it in time to save all but 2.

By the way, I'd never heard that sunflower seeds could be used for a de-worming application. Do you know how/why?

It's pumpkin seeds... works best if they are ground up. Also, best used as a preventative for worms, not an actual cure. Just add some to their run or feed on occasion.
Apparently, pumpkin seeds have a coating on them that paralyzes the worm and then the worm can be expelled by the digestive action of the gut. Giving them garlic once in a while is also a good preventative. I also use UnPACV in their water which just helps maintain a healthy digestive system.

Az backyard chicken ppl I need your input........when you hatch out chicks, do you vaccinate? If yes, for what? What contagious/ infectious poultry diseases have you dealt with? What is common in the valley, and how can I best protect my flock and my customers from diseases? I ask because I am 6 months into my own hobby, and am becoming amazingly successful in the short time I've been doing it. My hens that I grew from hatchery chicks have all sold (25 of them) no excess roosters, all sold or are going in the freezer. I have been hatching and selling my barnyard mixes, and am working on an aloha flock. My only setback has been a case of brooder pneumonia that was caused by fungus in the feed. Had necropsy ($$$ouch$$) performed, and was diagnosed. I was so alarmed at the contagious diseases that I discovered, that I'd like to know what is reasonable to vaccinate for, in order to minimize disease. I say this because a lot of people have purchased my chickens, and I want to grow my little farm responsibly, without affecting others by my being relatively inexperienced. So what besides mareks do YOU vaccinate for, and what other preventatives can you suggest besides the usual poultry dust, clean water and food, and clean living space.....?

I don't plan to but I try to employ all the natural things I can do to ensure the healthiest upbringing I can... I'm interested to see how many others comment as to whether or not they vaccinate. I think that chicks raised by a mom will receive great immunities on their own. If I am raising in a brooder, I always give them a scoop of fresh dirt from my yard to expose them early - usually at about 1 week. I also give all my birds UnPACV in the water and sometimes I will give brand new chicks some Poly-Vi-Sol just to give them a good headstart with some extra vitamins, especially if they were shipped.

Alright folks, step on up! Step on up! The hole is dug and the planter is planted. The wood ash has been added and the clan is ready for community bathing!

Umm, I mean to say that the bath area for the flock has been added. I dug a hole and put a large plastic planter buried halfway deep, adding a bucket of wood ash to the inside. It gives the girls a nice area for them to take their baths and it's easy to maintain. It's amazing how such a large pile of wood gets burned down to such a small pile of ash. It was three fires worth of wood and barely puts a dent in the bottom of the planter. I figure I have six more fires to go before I'll have the amount of ash I need. Oh, and I need a large planter base to use as a lid for foul weather. I'm not sure where I'm going to find a base that will cover my 24" diameter planter, though. I may end up just having to go use garbage lid and weight it down somehow.

How else do you all have your bath areas set up? I'm curious to see some photos.

​

I don't currently have any photos as I am out of wood ash right now! But, what I did before was use an old rubbermaid bin - the kind that is short in height, like the "under bed" bins. That way it's not too deep to get in and out of, but has room for several to bathe together. I just covered with an old piece of plywood when it stormed.

 

[countrygirl74]

I might have missed some newbies.. If so welcome.. With our sons surgery on Thursday morning I have been busy
with scheduling... The surgery is about an hour & a half long..
Just need to reattach his muscle, tendons and ligaments to his bone..
Will you keep our family the doctor and his staff in your prayers? Thank you.

In our prayers!!!

 

[notinoz2007]

many pages back someone mentioned a local person who made the chicken saddles or aprons. i have only 5 hens between my 2 roos and they are all completely barebacked now so i thought i would give those a try. *plus i am getting more hens

would you repost that link or contact info? please and thank you.

all you who raise chicks without a broody, where do you buy your heat lamp bulbs? or am i the only person around who still uses those? (i would like an ecoglow but no extra resources at the moment) RANT - - i used to buy lights at the pet store for $10-12, but they dont last long at all, and i am buying the right wattage for my lamp too, i've double and triple checked that. my friend bought some at the restore for $1.99!! and gave me one, but i loaned it out *sigh. i went to turn the light on in the brooder this morning because i had babies in the incubator but it wouldnt work, so had to use a white light, until i got home from work and went to THREE stores looking for heat lights!! finally gave up and bought red flood lights at ace. i know its not the right kind, but i have my thermometer in there and i just hope it gives off the warmth they need.

another random RANT - blast frys supermarket for carrying fresh sushi now. i cannot leave that store without buying at least $20 in sushi, and i can go to a sushi bar and spend less than that!! i cant shop at frys more than twice a month now because of my horrible lack of self control! arrggghhhh.

those of you fermenting feed in az, do you have it outside in the heat? i let mine get all gross and stopped but i only have 1 week of school left and plan to get back into it. if i have to i'll clean out a spot under the kitchen sink. what about mealworms, how do they do in the heat?

 

[LadyKotaDoria]

I might have missed some newbies.. If so welcome.. With our sons surgery on Thursday morning I have been busy
with scheduling... The surgery is about an hour & a half long..
Just need to reattach his muscle, tendons and ligaments to his bone..
Will you keep our family the doctor and his staff in your prayers? Thank you.

You will be in my prayers, we have group family prayers every night.

 

[desertmarcy]

all you who raise chicks without a broody, where do you buy your heat lamp bulbs? or am i the only person around who still uses those? (i would like an ecoglow but no extra resources at the moment) RANT - - i used to buy lights at the pet store for $10-12, but they dont last long at all, and i am buying the right wattage for my lamp too, i've double and triple checked that. my friend bought some at the restore for $1.99!! and gave me one, but i loaned it out *sigh. i went to turn the light on in the brooder this morning because i had babies in the incubator but it wouldnt work, so had to use a white light, until i got home from work and went to THREE stores looking for heat lights!! finally gave up and bought red flood lights at ace. i know its not the right kind, but i have my thermometer in there and i just hope it gives off the warmth they need.

I order my heat lamps from Jeffers Livestock Supply on line. Their 250 watt red bulbs are reasonably priced. If you spend a minimum, shipping is free. There is always something I can find in their catalog that I can use to make a minimum

They also have 150 watt heat bulbs, but they are white light. I use them anyway and haven't seen a problem. The 250 watt bulbs are too hot for my inside brooding bins but great for my outside brooder. I wish they made a 100 watt red heat bulb.

 

[Mama Hen Chris]

many pages back someone mentioned a local person who made the chicken saddles or aprons. i have only 5 hens between my 2 roos and they are all completely barebacked now so i thought i would give those a try. *plus i am getting more hens

would you repost that link or contact info? please and thank you.

all you who raise chicks without a broody, where do you buy your heat lamp bulbs? or am i the only person around who still uses those? (i would like an ecoglow but no extra resources at the moment) RANT - - i used to buy lights at the pet store for $10-12, but they dont last long at all, and i am buying the right wattage for my lamp too, i've double and triple checked that. my friend bought some at the restore for $1.99!! and gave me one, but i loaned it out *sigh. i went to turn the light on in the brooder this morning because i had babies in the incubator but it wouldnt work, so had to use a white light, until i got home from work and went to THREE stores looking for heat lights!! finally gave up and bought red flood lights at ace. i know its not the right kind, but i have my thermometer in there and i just hope it gives off the warmth they need.

another random RANT - blast frys supermarket for carrying fresh sushi now. i cannot leave that store without buying at least $20 in sushi, and i can go to a sushi bar and spend less than that!! i cant shop at frys more than twice a month now because of my horrible lack of self control! arrggghhhh.

those of you fermenting feed in az, do you have it outside in the heat? i let mine get all gross and stopped but i only have 1 week of school left and plan to get back into it. if i have to i'll clean out a spot under the kitchen sink. what about mealworms, how do they do in the heat?

I was just in Gold Canyon visiting my sister on Saturday. That would have been perfect time to let you borrow my ceramic heat lamp with bulb.

 

[520farmer]

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/713334/growing-fodder-for-chickens/1960
good thread about growing your own fodder, thought with our lack of greenery some people may be interested in this, Im not sure what type of seed we should be sprouting out here with our high heat most of the year but just thought id pass along something that I found interesting....

 

[MaddBaggins]

Alright folks, step on up! Step on up! The hole is dug and the planter is planted. The wood ash has been added and the clan is ready for community bathing!

Umm, I mean to say that the bath area for the flock has been added. I dug a hole and put a large plastic planter buried halfway deep, adding a bucket of wood ash to the inside. It gives the girls a nice area for them to take their baths and it's easy to maintain. It's amazing how such a large pile of wood gets burned down to such a small pile of ash. It was three fires worth of wood and barely puts a dent in the bottom of the planter. I figure I have six more fires to go before I'll have the amount of ash I need. Oh, and I need a large planter base to use as a lid for foul weather. I'm not sure where I'm going to find a base that will cover my 24" diameter planter, though. I may end up just having to go use garbage lid and weight it down somehow.

How else do you all have your bath areas set up? I'm curious to see some photos.

​

​

So, now I have to put together an ash bath for them besides the DE I toss into their coop. is that what you're telling me?

 

[MaddBaggins]

I might have missed some newbies.. If so welcome.. With our sons surgery on Thursday morning I have been busy
with scheduling... The surgery is about an hour & a half long..
Just need to reattach his muscle, tendons and ligaments to his bone..
Will you keep our family the doctor and his staff in your prayers? Thank you.

Sending good vibes!