Arizona Chickens

[kpgoldstar]

What kind of heat lamps do you all have in your coops? My coop only holds two gals so I'm not sure of the wattage. TIA

I agree with most of the others here, that it is not necessary to heat your coop unless you have chicks. In fact, beside the fire danger, you also run the risk of your birds being accustomed to the heat and in case of an outtage or some other unforeseen mishap with your heat source, can be detrimental to the flock as they have not adapted themselves to the cold.

If you are in Mesa as your profile states you should not need any heat source. This week is supposed to be unusually cold, but not like NE or Midwest cold so your two hens will be fine. They will huddle as needed. I only have 4 girls, 10 weeks old and they have been in the coop since about 5 weeks. They roost together already anyway and I am not worried about them in the least. We get crazy cold north winds over here on the river, but the coop is pretty protected from the elements if I shut them in at night.

 

[nwebber]

I agree with most of the others here, that it is not necessary to heat your coop unless you have chicks. In fact, beside the fire danger, you also run the risk of your birds being accustomed to the heat and in case of an outtage or some other unforeseen mishap with your heat source, can be detrimental to the flock as they have not adapted themselves to the cold.

If you are in Mesa as your profile states you should not need any heat source. This week is supposed to be unusually cold, but not like NE or Midwest cold so your two hens will be fine. They will huddle as needed. I only have 4 girls, 10 weeks old and they have been in the coop since about 5 weeks. They roost together already anyway and I am not worried about them in the least. We get crazy cold north winds over here on the river, but the coop is pretty protected from the elements if I shut them in at night.

Wow you guys are truly amazing on here. I guess I've driven all over for nothing today. I never did find the right heat bulb and I guess that's a good thing since no one thinks I really need it. My husband built them a very nice coop simulating a real house with a shingled roof. They have absolutely no wind in there at all. Also they huddle together each night. I love them like my dogs and would be devastated if I stared a fire and it is connected to our home so that would really be horrifying.

Thanks again EVERYONE!!!!

 

[bcluff]

What would be some good ideas for some self sufficiency that me, as a high school student, could start

 

[tsuninight]

That is so cool that you get a egg from your silkie that often.. The silkie we got from redrocketrooster has not layer yet, hope she lays as often as your girl...
Is she really friendly? I forget does she have feathered legs/ feet?

not too many feathers on her feet but a few. She's friendly(ish). She's not cuddly but she's as happy to run up and beg as the rest of them. He's pretty cuddly when she's sleepy though. I adore both Dahlia & Fireys. They're both hilarious! My only cuddly chicken is Peep.

 

[MaddBaggins]

Hey peoples! It's been a little bit. Been busy, but things are good. My oldest daughter and her husband visited for Thanksgiving. That was fun. My little girl had pneumonia a few weeks ago. That sucked.
The girls are doing good. Despite it being cold, Molly is still sleeping outside the coop. I just checked on her and she looks comfy. From everything I've read, 32˚F isn't gonna bother a full grown hen, so I'm not gonna worry about her. If it does bother her, maybe she'll go in tomorrow night.

 

[LadyKotaDoria]

What kind of heat lamps do you all have in your coops? My coop only holds two gals so I'm not sure of the wattage. TIA

I use a heat eliment, as used for reptiles, on e-bay Unser icubators and brooders. It has no light but gives off heat. Run from 75watt to 250watt, and 3 way 75-100-150 watt and so on. At feed/pet stores about $20.00, on E-bay $12-$15+ shipping, a small savings.

I like them because there isn't a light to keep the girls awake. There are also all types of heat tiles and mates made for chicken coops. It seems to aim at keeping it from freezing, therefore protecting the combs and waddles. I talked to a woman in the hospital that had chickens as a kid in Canada, she said her dad cut the combs and waddles off. A little extreme! But, I guess better then dealing with frozen comb. Canada does get cold, the breeds with pea, rose and cushion combs were bread for the cold. Fires are a problem. I'd you do not have electricity it is not much you can do that is not risky. I like Hurricane lamps are great, they are the safest if you are very, very careful and trust noting will disturb it...... But despite the good reputation, it is still a flame, and Russian roulette with a 6 shooter with 4 loaded chambers. Nit Good.

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Ayam Cemani! So that is what it is called. I saw a documentary on YouTub about the French pottery world. They object to American tasteless cheep chickens, only the poor has to eat it American garbage birds. They talked about different regions reviving chickens originally developed. French pride in the French Chicken. At the same time searching the world for other outstanding breeds. The Ayam Cemani was one of them. It was a very big chicken he was. showing off, explain Origen and how the French could improve on chicken breeding . (You know the French) He was very passionate about the wonder of verity, eggs as part of it and that and that there s a chicken for every table to satisfy individual taste. The only chicken he felt should become expect is the American Broiler, even though he did not say it. I would love to have one in my flock.... But I will really have to move, it is like the Yokohama or Phoenix, you have to have the rooster.

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There are several makes of cars that is keyless. My sister has a care with sensors all over it. It had to be programmed so her son could drive it. It has one that focuses on the driver. What he's eye movement, if both hands on the wheel. It will till you that you need to stop and get a cup of coffee or get out and walk around. It will worn you if you are not maintaining a lane and self correct if you don't. It keeps fallowing distances....... It is the car in the chicken commercial.

 

[LadyKotaDoria]

Have to chick these out

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No chickens were harmed, commercial


This one is so funny...........

 

[Demosthine]

Quote:
In terms of purchasing things, start out with stockpiling canning jars. Once you get started canning, which I think is a vital part of self-sufficiency, you will go through lots of jars. And I do mean lots. Stick to the brand name jars like Ball and Kerr. The store brands will not hold up to proper pressure canning, and often fail in a water bath, too. Also, get yourself a good water purifier like a Katadyn. Stock pile matches, lighters, pocket knives and flashlights. All are very important for those times where you are forced to be without power, etc. With those items, you can survive practically anything. Find a good, cheap gas cooking stove and lantern, too. We almost picked up a Coleman white-gas stove for $1.00 at Goodwill and have seen several small propane stoves for under $5.00 a few times. Same with the lanterns. I found a good dual-fuel stove on sale at WalMart for $5.00 that I bought. It uses white gas or regular automotive gasoline. Preparing for emergencies does not have to be expensive.
The most important aspect of self-sufficiency, though, is knowledge. It is the heart and soul of the self-sufficiency movement. You should know at least six ways to start a fire and always (except at school of course), have at least three ways to do it. Hint: pocket knife and flint rod, shoe laces, magnifying glass and matches/lighter are easy everyday carry items. Keep a small penlight with you at all times, too. A small one that fits in the fold of a wallet is fine, but you can keep one in your school backpack, too. They aren't against the rules anywhere that I know of. Look around and see how many windows are in each of your classrooms. I'm assuming not very many, from being inside my daughters' schools.
Constantly look around and find reliable sources of food and water. Start learning what plants are edible and what to avoid. Ironwood, Palo Verde and Mesquite bean pods are edible edamame-style, mesquite beans can be dried and ground for flour, the flowers are edible raw like adding to a salad, pods from the carub tree can be ground down as a nutritious substitute for cocoa powder. The flowers and fruit, called tuna, from the Prickly Pear and Barrel cactus are edible. You can boil the needles of a pine tree to make a tea that is extremely rich in Vitamin C. Finding local sources of these can decrease your dependency on the supermarket. Check out Desert Harvesters for more information on all of these.
Water is among the most crucial sources of survival. For low usage purposes, you can use standard PVC pipe and a water hose to drill down to the water table and create a low-flow well. Think three to five gallons per day. During your routine travels around the neighborhood, watch for other large sources of water. Swimming pools, neighborhood pools or lakes, water retention areas, streams, creeks and canals. You'll have to purify them all, but there are a dozen ways to do that, too. A simple charcoal and sand filter, then boiling will solve a large part of that issue. Stored water will only last about a year, so having other sources is vital.
Rather than relying on commercial purifiers, learn to make your own. A five-gallon pale with some holes drilled in the bottom, filled with a layer of wood ash, followed by a large layer of sand, and then another layer of wood ash makes a quick and easy filter. Boil it afterwards. Similarly, instead of using a bucket, you can use any size and type of pipe, a 55 gallon drum, etc. You get the picture. Learn to make a solar still, which will allow to seemling get water out of thin air. It's also the only easy and safe way to purify urine.
For the long-term plan, start collecting the seeds from all of the fruit and vegetables that your family uses. It may not produce true, meaning red bell pepper seeds may not give you exactly red bell peppers, but anything is better than nothing. It's hard to tell what your result will be. Apples, bell peppers, jalapenos, tomatoes and melons are extremely easy to do. Dry them out and store them in a cool, dry place and they'll keep for several years. Also, start looking around your house and see where you can plant things that will look good and be productive, too. I think lettuce looks pretty good planted by a walkway up to the front door, while comfry can be planted as a small shrub. It has medicinal purposes, like dressing a wound. It's nt edible in large amounts, but an occassional tea is supposed to be good for you. Start some of those apple seeds now, because they take years to grow big enough to start producing. I've heard five to ten years is normal for a good tree. That puts you at 16 to 20 years old, which is time to get your own place. You can keep them in a well designed planter for quite awhile.
You're already well on your way towards the animal aspect of it. Find people in your area that are raising and butchering their own animals. We've raised our own turkeys this year and have two more to process. Chickens come through occassionally off Craig's List and we've started raising rabbits for meat as well. Start learning and watching videos of it all. If you get the money together, you can buy a Rabbit Wringer and Butcher Station to stash away. They work for poultry as well, although they are designed for rabbits.
That's the long answer from an Eagle Scout. Knowledge is definitely power and will get you through anything. Knowing I can step out to my back porch and start a cooking fire if the power goes out means the difference between a calm mind and panic setting in.

 

[City farm]

Hey peoples! It's been a little bit. Been busy, but things are good. My oldest daughter and her husband visited for Thanksgiving. That was fun. My little girl had pneumonia a few weeks ago. That sucked.
The girls are doing good. Despite it being cold, Molly is still sleeping outside the coop. I just checked on her and she looks comfy. From everything I've read, 32˚F isn't gonna bother a full grown hen, so I'm not gonna worry about her. If it does bother her, maybe she'll go in tomorrow night.

Good to her from you...

 

[City farm]

if you have not hear of this wonderful organization here it is.... 60 pounds of fresh reduce for $10.00 locations vary
go onto their web site to sign up for weekly produce location.. Tucson too. e
 
Market on the Move (MOM)
Upcoming Distribution Events / A Million Thanks
Market on the Move - Sat. (12/7)
 
Hello MOMers! Here is our schedule for this weekend, Saturday, Dec. 7th. Distribution time is from 8 to 11 a.m. unless otherwise noted.

PHOENIX
St. Rose Church,
2825 W. Rose Canyon Cir., Anthem
Our Lady Of Guadalupe Church,
20615 E. Ocotillo, Queen Creek
Faith Builders Church (9 a.m. to 1 p.m.),
949 E. Bell Road, Phoenix
Laveen Baptist Church,
5036 W. Dobbins Rd., Laveen
Orangewood School,
7337 N. 19th Ave., Phoenix
St. Pauls Lutheran Church,
6301 W. Indian School Road, Phoenix
Brooks Academy,
3146 E. Wier, Phoenix (Note: This is a new location and we are building up the volunteer base. If you are interested in volunteering, please send an email to [email protected].)
 
TUCSON AND SIERRA VISTA
Pima Community College,
5901 S. Calle Santa Cruz St.
St. Joseph Church,
215 South Craycroft Road
Emmanuel Baptist Church,
1825 N Alvernon Way
Fort Huachuca,
Bldg. 70525 Kelsay Ave., Sierra Vista
(ID required to gain access inside the base)
Saguaro Canyon Church,
10111 E. Old Spanish Trail
For a donation of $10, you can get up to 60 lbs. of produce which you can share with other families.

Varieties include cucumber, yellow, gray and Italian squash, eggplant, grape and regular tomatoes, watermelon, limited amount of bell peppers and green beans. Please note that all these varieties may not be present in one location.

We would appreciate your bringing your extra grocery bags to any of these locations.
   
   

We are also actively seeking donations of disaster relief items for the Typhoon victims in the Philippines, especially personal hygiene and non-perishable items. Please drop them off to any locations and they will be collected.

Lastly, please dress warm as forecast is brrrr cold this Saturday. Many, many thanks MOMers!
   
   
 

A Million Thanks from The 3000 Club
 
It was  indeed an EPIC (Empowering People In the Community) night when so many people have arrived last Saturday, November 16, 2013 to celebrate a year of unprecedented giving and to share the stories of Typhoon Haiyan/Philippines.  Congratulations to our EPIC Awardees:  Ester Havey, Maribel Dillard, Alma & Jun de Garriz, Nick & Tess Bello and Debbie & Nelson Villamor. Thank you:  Jessica Cox (keynote speaker), performances by Bing Navarro, Wunder Gals, Jonathan Gabriel , Filipino American Family Support Team of Arizona,  Liezl Velarde,   DJRJ,  16-year old Nathan Mansur  who put together the Typhoon Haiyan video, videos by Nicco Punzalan and Michael Lewis and our media partners (Filipino American Journal,  ABS CBN/Arizona Filipino Forum and Chikka Magazine)  and lastly our Emcees – Lemuel Carlos, Celina Afenir and Tess Maglanoc.

The event was followed by the Disaster Relief Drive which the community overwhelmingly supported. As a result, we were able to send our first container of disaster relief items on November 26, 2013. This shipment is expected to reach Cebu, Philippines before Christmas time.
 


Our next container is scheduled for December 17, 2013. We are actively seeking donations of  disaster relief items, especially non-perishable and personal hygiene  including monetary to assist us in sending more containers to the Philippines. We will be packing right up until the 15th and can use your help. Please visit our website for more information.

This gargantuan efforts will not be possible without you, our valued donors, supporters and volunteers, to help us in this endeavor. Thank you for all your generous support and although we could not name everyone but those who have registered and if you were there, you know who you are and we thank you!

Sincerely,
Ethel Luzario
a nonprofit charitable organization with 501(c)3 status