Arizona Chickens

[Gallo del Cielo]

Quote: 8'!!!

That is awesome! I agree that it very well could be a chiltepine. I also have them all over the yard, mostly in shady places under trees which get watered, albeit infrequently. They're bird dispersed, much to my chagrin and delight. I hate it that I have to collect them every morning as they ripen to beat the birds to them, but I also like the idea that they're probably popping up all over my neighborhood. We eat every one we can collect. My FIL loves them dried and turned into pepper flakes. He's a hardcore capsicum fanatic. We like them in moderation in a variety of dishes, but they principally provide the heat to our salsa (of which we eat a lot). They are wickedly hot, with an average of about 100,000 (+/-) scoville units.

As an aside, chiltepines are native to much of the US/Mexico border region and they're considered the Capsicum annum from which all other C. annums were derived, including the large green sweet bell pepper most folks know.

 

[AZKat]

It looks like lantana to me. Wild birds love the seeds, and it isn't unusual to have it come up randomly. If it is lantana, and it is in a good spot for a bush, groundcover plant, I'd leave it alone and maybe occasionally throw some water at it.

 

[Gallo del Cielo]

Lantana? IDK, the leaves look a bit smooth and glossy to me. I love a good botanical mystery! Arizonachicken, keep us updated on what happens to this plant. Hopefully, it will flower soon and you'll be able to find out for sure.

 

[Sonoran Silkies]

Officially a female chicken is called a pullet until one year of age. Being broody means that the hens system has an increase in hormones which causes the hen to sit on eggs for three weeks until she can hatch them and become a mother. While sitting on eggs, she does not lay eggs, get off the eggs once a day to eat,drink and poop. If you do not want your chickens to become mothers because you already have enough chichens and just want her to lay eggs, you need to try tricks to change her.

So a broody hen is called a broody for short. Male chickens are cocks until one year of age and then they are called roosters. We all do not want or need many roosters, so if you plan on keeping chickens be prepared to "harvest" or process young male birds and/or old hens who do not lay any longer. This is only practical since feed is expensive. In my opinion once you buy animals, you are responsible for them.

Males under a year are cockerels; over a year they are cocks or roosters.

 

[flower]

Males under a year are cockerels; over a year they are cocks or roosters.

sorry, you are the third person to correct this !

 

[flower]

Can anyone help me identify this weed/plant? It popped up in my front yard.

Sort of reminds me of mint. Is it fragrant ?

 

[Sonoran Silkies]

Quote: Egg colour will not change, but the intensity of the colour will devolve as the bird goes through her laying cycle. When she stops laying for a molt or broodiness the colour can be quite washed out, but once she starts laying again, the colour should be back in full intensity.

 

[cbnovick]

What do you all think about this little one. I do know it has silkie in it as it has the 5 toes and black skin. I was told the daddy is a Polish. I think it has Serama in it? It is still a little thing.

Looks like a "SILKIE-RAMA" to me

 

[Sonoran Silkies]

so it seems I need to go buy some padlocks for my pens today. when you all of a sudden you have mystery deaths of a few animals, then discover in the morning the gate is open to the pen(a few times) it is no longer a mystery of what happened to your animals. some people are just sick and cruel and absolute cowards.

That is disgusting. Do you have a video camera that can be turned on in surveillance mode?

 

[Sonoran Silkies]

Quote: Personally I would turn it over to the police and animal welfare. Let them pay the LEGAL penalty.