Arizona Chickens

[MagicChicken]

Quote:

Oooh, nice! And I'm not usually a big jewelry fan. Well done!

 

[Trixy318]

Well I still have some EE pullets for sale and got three pretty eggs from their pen today; just wish the camera would actually show the real color; these are more turquoise green than the pic shows {wow that was amazing! The spell checker is finally working!{|} City Farms are those girls laying for you yet? Looking at how pink the combs are I am thinking that the girls that came from a true blue egg will probably be the last to lay.

Well I still have some EE pullets for sale and got three pretty eggs from their pen today; just wish the camera would actually show the real color; these are more turquoise green than the pic shows {wow that was amazing! The spell checker is finally working!{|} City Farms are those girls laying for you yet? Looking at how pink the combs are I am thinking that the girls that came from a true blue egg will probably be the last to lay.

 

[mckenzy]

Yay Buttercups!

 

[AZKat]

Mystique, my Blue Marans has gone broody. Again. She lays a nice dark egg, when she is laying. *When* she is laying, since this is her second time going broody since she started laying in May. Anyway, kicking her off of the nest isn't working, and I'm too much of a softie to do anything else. So, does anyone have hatching eggs? Easter Egger or Olive Egger would be ideal.

 

[Arizonachicken]

ZKAT: you and I are in the same boat. My blue Marans is broody, too. She just got through raising a brood, layed a few eggs, and she broody again! I got eggs from Maryhysong. She sent me BCM, EE, and Welsummer x EE, so olive eggers. I bet she has more!

 

[maryhysong]

AZKAT: you and I are in the same boat. My blue Marans is broody, too. She just got through raising a brood, layed a few eggs, and she broody again! I got eggs from Maryhysong. She sent me BCM, EE, and Welsummer x EE, so olive eggers. I bet she has more!

Yes I do; I have mostly EExEE and EExWelsummer BCMxEE right now; my Marans have quit laying, get one of the lighter colored ones about every three days is all. I have a load of pullet eggs tho, 9 BO girls that just started laying and still laying smalls and of course all the EE & OE that hatched in April are just starting up.

I have a broody BOxBR girl; she has been very determined to set so I've thought about giving her just 3-5 eggs and see how she does. My foster silkie is also broody and is fighting with a Muscovy girl over the nest box. Mean little bugger, and she is only about a fourth the size of the duck!

 

[City farm]

Yay...New Peeps.

Sorry folks, It seems like I can't post where I wanna be.  I get sent to the general "where am I etc." instead of specifically Arizona Chickens, so I'll try again.



I don't know if it's a good thing or not, but ACE Hardware out here on Houghton south of Valencia (Rita Ranch) has been selling baby chicks for about six months now. It's been awhile since I been there, but I was pleasantly surprised. I live close to the new Taco Bell/Subway/ Travel Center accross from TTT truckstop, so I do my shopping over in the Rita Ranch area.

They have a dedicated aisle for ALL the supplies you would ever need, minus getting a coop. Chick feed, layer mash, pine chips, waterers, feeders etc. They even have a mini library section on chickens and gardening.

I know places like UPC discourages places like Agway and such for selling chicks in their stores because of improper treatment and neglect.

This particular ACE only gets a small batch of 25 sexed chicks every week from Privett Hatchery and they looked very well cared for. The chicks were all very calm and would come up to investigate a finger tip at the edge of their enclosure. They are on a deep shelf about chest height in a locked wood case enclosed with hardware cloth and a clear 4-inch tall plexiglass around the lower border so they can't reach probing fingers at that height, especially obnoxious kids. Those that don't sell and grow bigger, they offer deals like a two-for-one sale to move them out for the next batch coming in. There is a heat lamp and they keep the brooder very clean.

I'm glad they keep the order small so that you don't have hundreds of chicks crowded and stepping on each other and suffocating, and the clerks say that they are really selling quickly and alot of customers were looking at them and making plans.

The chicks seemed very content and a few were hopping around while others were napping. They didn't act skiddish at all. They drink from water nipples and have a /\ shaped step ladder to run up and down. I think the employees give them plenty attention every chance they get, and that human interaction probably contributes to their calmness.

Oh, right now they only carry Ameraucanas and Delawares @ $4.99 each, and, I didn't inquire further, but they probably would do special orders.

This will be my project when I retire, but I'm holding back because of the health insurance issues. I will eventually buy a coop and enclose it in a dog run of some sort, since I live in an HOA. I also need to do some serious landscaping in my blank canvas back yard.

I can retire in 8 days, but it ain't happening right now. Need to finish up some other projects, before tackling the chicken thang.

If my post is old news, I apologize. Been so busy with other stuff and haven't kept up with all the postings. --BB

Bobby Basham
Tucson, Arizona


Edited by Bobby Basham - 9/23/13 at 5:56pm

Glad you figured out where to post.. It has been a while since you were on.. Good to hear from ya.. Most of the people we know
that retire, really never retire...

 

[City farm]

I'm new to this site also & have chosen to compost in my coop. When I have time...about once a week, I go and 'stir' the ground with my cultivator (garden claw), and once a month I put down some shavings, & we regularly throw in yard trimmings. I throw out scraps of produce for them to shred up & eat at also! I got my 1st egg today!

WELCOME! You will love this site...
& CONGRADULATIONS

 

[City farm]

What is your technique for making sculptures for walls ?

I'm a polymer clay sculptor. Typically I sculpt stuff like leaves and flowers. Like these. I was hoping to make a sculpture for the wall using the autumn leaf theme. Similar to the ones I make for my jewelry on a larger scale. I roll large sheets of clay out. I cut out the leaf shape using stencils that I draw up, then I mold and shape the leaves and detail them with veins, then I paint them with mica pigments and bake them. When they're cool, I use a mixture of varnish and mica pigments or paint and paint them to give a more natural look and then a final seal. Since he's kind of set on this geometric theme for the living room I was thinking of making some sort of black metal grid pattern and attaching leaves in some way, that way we have the best of both worlds. Maybe I'll weave some branches through the grid and have the leaves on the branches. Not sure yet. I've been pretty busy with my Etsy store so I haven't made anything for the house since Christmas.

Oooh, nice! And I'm not usually a big jewelry fan. Well done!

X2.

 

[City farm]

Oh boy, tonight there is a game at A.S.U. The dogs are going crazy for the fireworks.. At least they can be brought in..
Not our new hens.. Poor girls.. They are probably totally freaked out..