Arizona Chickens

Msndy I think that sometimes chickens and other "animals" need to be taught new tricks. I say put those birds up on the roost for a few nights until they learn to get up there by themselves. I can remember a few times needing to teach a silkie how to climb the ladder up into the elevated coop.
 
Thanks Flower. I finally caved and moved them up top. I had never touched sleeping chickens before. It was pretty funny. If I neglected to put them down carefully on their feet they'd just flop over like little drunks.They were none too pleased with me but no one bolted. Are they just blind at night or is something else at work as well?

I know I'll sleep better now, except I have this obnoxious desire to get dressed again to make sure they're still all up there! It's POURING.
 
Chicken Math strikes again!!

You guys may recall I rehomed an Ameracauna last week due to a problematic crop. Well that left room in the brooder! Soooo, I picked up a 2nd salmon. favarolle from CL that is the same age as my 2 red stars. I am amazed to see the difference in their size....mine are huge compared to hers! I had gotten a welsummer from her back in June that turned out to be a rooster & she agreed to exchange him for a pullet from the same shipment. The hen was tiny compared to my other birds. She is finally larger than my Warvek & favarolle which are the smallest in my flock. I think its because she keeps them cooped & mine free range. I will post pix of my new girl tomorrow!

That is interesting, flower had commented on how big my girls are when she was last down here. Mine have the run of my back yard that is nor garden. I do not know if that would make them bigger. I think mine are just fluffy, under the feathers smaller. :lol:
 
There is so many of us that want the same thing, it is to bad it is not feasible. We all have influences that makes it so. Jobs, family, schools (kids), and so on.

It would be nice to think about it. Buying land as a co-operative unit. At lest 10 acres, or 2 acres per family min. Each has their own home, pool a X% of the land for garden and pasture for a couple of cows goats, and what ever. A nice Jersey, Guernsey, or Brown Swiss for cheese and butter, a couple of Dexter cows for meat and milk, the same with goats. The thing is work as a group, and when someone goes on vacation or visits family there is always people to care for our chickens.

A large garden with verity enough that we would not be eating a few different vegetables. If you want verity you give up quantity to can. With a large garden there would be enough to can. There was a time when community's would get to gather and can at a community center. We could do our own canning and possessing.

It would take communication and some structure. We have lost that in our. DNA of the 21st Century. But there are groups that are doing just that. To the point of setting up their own home schools for their kids. It is hard to picture a group of all ages, and all stages of life doing that.

:idunno It is a thought........ Or a wish.
 
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Is anybody up to answer a quick question? My chickens haven't learned to sleep on the roosts yet. At ten weeks they all still sleep in a pile, or just spread out in the hay. Now it's pouring rain and the dummies are still just sitting there when they could easily migrate to the second floor or at least to a couple of roosts.

Should I pick them up and put them in the second floor or will they just freak out. They do not like to be handled.

Added: I don't think they're getting wet directly - there's a roof over their heads but only hardware cloth all around. No walls on the first floor.

Mine do the same thing. At night they pile up on the floor and during the day they go up on the roosts in the coop. I tried to tell them they are backwards but they looked at me like I was the weird one.
 
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Alright, alright, you've convinced me to come down there, Marcia. I'd like to claim six Narragansett poults. I've become very partial to the Bronze this year and think they are absolutely beautiful, but from the breeds you have, the Narragansett is one I was initially looking to purchase last spring when I found the Bronze at the Stock Shop. Are yours reaching the upper end of the weight range? Most websites seem to say 18 pounds for a Hen or 33 pounds for a Tom and breed true, which is what I'd like. I plan to keep process them at 12 to 18 months like you had mentioned, so they aren't a quick six-month meal. I'll message you so we can talk details. I do especially like the local comment, although you aren't quite local. It'll run me about $75 in gas to come down there, so we'll have to make a trip, maybe even a weekend out of it. Take the family to the Biosphere, plus I think my wife would enjoy the Tucson Botanical Garden and the Native Seeds store. We can bring up orders for anyone else in the Phoenix area who would like us to pick them up, too.
 
 
I understand not giving out actual addresses to those who haven't paid, but a map with approximate major intersections would help people figure out if there are any in their area.

I did go on the Tour and it was pretty interesting. If you want to know if any are in your neighborhood...ask your mail carrier. I have a good relationship with ours and while I was doing some yard work on a Saturday she noticed one of my chickens peeking out under our back gate. She instantly asked about them and let me know she had 3 other people on her route in the neighborhood that had chickens. Wouldn't tell me who exactly but gave me a general location. I was surprised that 3 other's in our neighborhood had them.


When we first got chickens we were out front and the mail carrier told us as well where the neighbors were on the other side
of McClintock.. A few of us were going to go for a walk & check out what breed of chickens they had..
They supposedly are out free ranging on the block.. On the list of things to do... :weee
Also ask your block watch cordinator, they are good at knowing most neighbors..
 
Our first 3-egg day! Blackie is our rockstar - she has laid 18 eggs in 19 days. The two "Leghorns" are evidently Leghorn Mutts and started laying over the weekend. I was hoping for white eggs from at least one of them, but I guess they are both mixed breed. Now, if Big Red, our 7-1/2 month old EE would start....... (and please lay something besides tan!!!)
Love your photo & discription...
 

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