Arizona Chickens

[kacklinkelly]

Hi Everyone,
I will be new to chickens. I have been doing research, reading books and dropping in here for the last year...yes, I have been waiting THAT long! We are closing on a house at the end of the month which is on half an acre in Mesa, AZ and the first thing I want to do is bring home some chicks.
I already have coop plans and am purchasing materials to get it made.

My questions are:
1. I am considering Brahma, Ameraucana, Delaware, Naked Neck, & Buff Orpinton's. I am looking for good layers that are heat hardy and will be docile and calm with my 5 children....am I headed in the right direction?
2. I would much rather buy from a breeder than a hatchery and was looking for recommendations in the phoenix area (I would be willing to travel 1+ hours).

Anything else I should know?
Thanks!!!

Welcome and Congratulations on all the exciting news.

I would like to suggest Black Australorp as an excellent layer, heat hardy and calm bird. I researched chicken breeds before getting ours because "I was getting them for our
grandson". Needless to say, I am the proud and loving owner of my 3 backyard chickens and my grandson is less than impressed after 10 months. Unless they do something crazy to catch his
attention. I am experiencing the same with our so called "americauna" which actually turned out to be an olive egger. Started panting when the temps hit about 85 and hasn't
stopped. Has a great disposition but only layed 5 pullet eggs total and then stopped. Hasn't layed another egg in several months. But appears healthy in all other areas. (very strange)
I also love our RIR - great layer, heat tolerant and very patient with our grandson when he chooses to pick her up. However, she is VERY vocal.

Am sure you will be pleased with whatever you choose. Can't help but love and laugh at those chickens. (their owners are pretty funny too)

 

[mom-to-5]

Thanks for the reply DesertMarcy. I may have to think twice about the Brahma. Everything I read said they were heat hardy but that makes since with them being so big that they may have a hard time with the crazy heat we get. I want happy chicken

I was also thinking that Aug/Sept would probably be the best time to get chicks so they have feathers to keep warm in the winter time and are well adjusted for their first summer....am I on the right track?
Thanks again!

 

[Diggidy]

Figs...I have never eaten a fresh fig. I wouldn't even know how, do you peel them, eat 'em like an apple, cook them, raw.....? My FIL has figs trees from Spain. I don't know what kind they are, but they're really old and he propagates them. He wanted to give me one last year, but I was afraid I'd kill it so i didn't take him up on it. Maybe this year i will. When can i transplant safely?

Fresh figs are awesome. You can peel or eat them whole, however the skin may make your mouth raw if you are allergic.

 

[flower]

Thanks for the reply DesertMarcy. I may have to think twice about the Brahma. Everything I read said they were heat hardy but that makes since with them being so big that they may have a hard time with the crazy heat we get. I want happy chicken

I was also thinking that Aug/Sept would probably be the best time to get chicks so they have feathers to keep warm in the winter time and are well adjusted for their first summer....am I on the right track?
Thanks again!

Over the years I have had many different breeds of chickens including Brahma. For general purpose I prefer the NN because they are good foragers, layers, both heat and cold tolerant and are about the most quite breed. Since they have much less feathers should be easy to pluck when that time comes. I have a few pure Ameraucanas and they are not my favorite. Althought they are good layers, I prefer mixed breeds as in Easter Eggers and Olive Eggers. One of my Marans is a good brood mother. Australops have a very good all around reputation. My Welsummer is beautiful and hardy but very vocal which I do not like. Breeds that I would not keep include Orpington due to a high feed to egg ratio and I will never raise another Ameraucana.

It seems that most people start their chicks in the springtime but they are influenced by the abundance of chicks in the hatcheries and feed stores. I am starting some at this time due to having some hens that are wanting to be mothers and the tieming seems great to me becuase as you said by next spring they will be getting ready to produce eggs.

 

[flower]

Oh another favorite chicken of mine is the Hamburg. But they are medium size and lay a medium egg. I like them because they are quite good foragers and very hardy. I just hatched one chick from a Gold Spangeled Hamburg under a Legbar Rooster. Since the Legbar is a blue egger, this chick which is officially an Easter Egger should lay green eggs. My Legbar Hen is very sweet and quite also and her egg is blue and almost round.

 

[Easter eggers]

Oh he is so cute. unfortunately you are to far away for me. I am in Surprise. I wouldn't be able to kill him either. I would just get him a mate to keep him happy. I am looking for a female for my crested blue polish. his gal was snatched from him by a coyote. That will never happen again. My dog will make sure of that. Good luck homing the little guy. He is too cute so I am sure you will find someone who wants him.

there is a blue polish on pheonix craigslist i saw it today

 

[Sonoran Silkies]

Quote: That sounds about the right size. Not big, but much larger than japanese beetles. As the blog at the link pointed out, common names can vary a lot from place to place. I have a bunch of plants that in some places are called spider plants and in others airplane plants; and there are several different plants that go by the name asparagus fern.

 

[Sonoran Silkies]

Quote: I have to disagree with your assessment of brahmas. I've never had a problem with them in the heat any more than any other breed, and of the breeds listed, they are hands down the best ones of for being docile and calm with children, yet still having a personality. Bantam brahmas are an option as well; they are a nice medium sized bird (largest bantam breed).

 

[Sonoran Silkies]

Quote: I don't have any experience with ameraucanas, but I never had problems with araucanas and the heat. Breedwise, my least heat tolerant-birds are my wyandottes. We first got chickens they were for the kids; needless to say, they are mine now, (except for my granddaughter's, and she would claim the whole flock if I let her. )

 

[Phottoman]

Nice signs Skip! That's some talent there.

Thank you, and ....

Those signs are awesome, Skip!

Thank you.

I try.

Now we are trying to come up with a company name and motto, and knowing Jamie, we'll have both shortly.

Skip