Arizona Chickens

[pipemum]

I have a Wonderful, and it is wonderful. I've trimmed it into a kind of multi-branched tree. The past two years have been disappointing--last year, the fruit was overtaken with some sort of sapsucker invasion, and this year, many fruit but they've all split. The splitting is usually due to watering irregularities. I'm going to fill my yard with pomegranates eventually, I love the drought tolerance, the versatility, and of course, the fruit.

aloha, sorry about the theft! Those sussex you posted are gorgeous! And very cute chicks!

Everything is good here in my chicken world. Remember my garden bench/sink/processing station? Well, the bottom half is now a part time brooder, part time garden storage. I'm not quite finished with the brooder. I wanted everything to be free, but I ran out of scraps. I need 4 hinges, 8 joiners, and a couple of 1x4 boards. STill hoping to keep the cost under $20. I'll post picts when I'm done. Looks like the meaties will have to spend some time in a cardboard box.

Oh, speaking of cardboard brooders--when I was looking for plastic cardboard, I came across this brooder, the Backyard Brooder Box. http://www.amazon.com/High-Country-Back-Yard-Brooder/dp/B00A2YU5SG I bought it, based on the thought that it was waxed cardboard. I have no idea why I thought this, on further reading there is no mention of it. It's not, it's just plain cardboard--don't even bother wasting your money-- even though I got it for 50% off, shipping was $$. With all of the boxes I've gotten from online xmas ordering, I'm such a fool!!!!!

Also ordered and received the brinsea ecoglow heater. Huge weight off my mind--no worries that I'm going to burn the house down heating those broiler chicks. Got a big of Big Sky broiler starter fermenting. I think I'll all ready for their delivery at the end of the week.

 

[Demosthine]

Oh, speaking of cardboard brooders--when I was looking for plastic cardboard, I came across this brooder, the Backyard Brooder Box.  http://www.amazon.com/High-Country-Back-Yard-Brooder/dp/B00A2YU5SG   I bought it, based on the thought that it was waxed cardboard.   I have no idea why I thought this, on further reading there is no mention of it.  It's not, it's just plain cardboard--don't even bother wasting your money-- even though I got it for 50% off, shipping was $$.  With all of the boxes I've gotten from online xmas ordering, I'm such a fool!!!!!

Probably because the description on Amazon says Plastic! I would demand a full refund if it isn't. That's false advertising and Amazon is better than that. I can't imagine paying that much money for a cardboard box. Insane!

That photo even looks like cardboard.

 

[MagicChicken]

Quote:
$250 would buy a lot of new chickens! I can see why that would be cost prohibitive. My cockatiel's necropsy was around $35 if I remember correctly, but that was 15 years ago. Times have changed.

If one is just trying to confirm or rule out Marek's, there may be a less expensive test.

 

[Beckyhsinglsc]

Quote:
$250 would buy a lot of new chickens! I can see why that would be cost prohibitive. My cockatiel's necropsy was around $35 if I remember correctly, but that was 15 years ago. Times have changed.

If one is just trying to confirm or rule out Marek's, there may be a less expensive test.

Maybe try the vets in your area? My "chicken" vet up here does a full necropsy for about $80.

 

[wondertwinpower]

Does anyone in Tucson have a "chicken vet"? Something in the $80 range would be worth it to me, but I wonder if they would charge me to become an "established patient" etc etc?

I have a message in to the University of Arizona's Veterinary Diagnostic Lab (as suggested earlier) and I located a more recent website for them that has prices for the necropsies http://cals.arizona.edu/vdl/website_content/UserGuide_2013.pdf which does confirm $265.50 for "small animal" necropsy (specifically calling out avian), or $155.50 for "domestic livestock, under 100 lbs" - so I'm hoping my pullet would fall under the latter. I have inquired and will let you know what I find out.

I've been doing tons of research on Marek's Disease (since she became sick and is not just bouncing back, like I would expect if it were a simple injury) and I'm to the point that I think I do want to know FOR SURE if I have it in my flock. If I do, I'm not sure what my next step will be.... the majority of my flock was not vaccinated against Marek's since I'm trying to do the no-antibiotic, natural, organically fed thing.

 

[MandyFitch]

Said goodbye to my Lavender Ameraucanas today. A really cool lady from the Arizona Backyard Farmers group on FB took them. Now all my girls are on my patio looking for them!

I've twice managed to give away my boys on the FB group, in case anyone is having trouble rehoming theirs...

 

[LadyKotaDoria]

That is very strange. It is more common stealing game cocks, or mistaking Phoenix as fighting cocks. I have cox security, 2 camera's outside. I have thought of a 3rd on the coop. Or a drop cam like my mom has. I do not have a computer to support it recording, very low on my priority list.

maybe a game cam that just takes stills? That way if anything ever happened  you could at least upload the pics from the card to the PC.  I'm thinking of one so I can see what else is stalking my birds besides the fox

that is a lot cheaper. The drop cam need a computer to record. The need thing is you can view it live viea smart phone. And voice application.

NECROPSY: I used to live near the Minnesota University Veterinary School. They did them free as class projects. I had to wait on one because there was not a class that could use it. They must have kept it on ice for a month. It was looked at as a donation. I left with the bird a stamped envelope. I always got a name and sent it to that person. Getting results was more of a curtsey by the teacher. Did you speak to a teacher at the school, or to the management staff? Try getting a name of one of the teaching vets, that might make a difference. You may still be paying shipping or taking it there to insure arriving in good condition.

They may be getting all they need ealse ware, that would explain the high price. My contact at the U of M was a teacher. The school was not interested the first time I called.



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[LadyKotaDoria]

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Said goodbye to my Lavender Ameraucanas today.  A really cool lady from the Arizona Backyard Farmers group on FB took them.  Now all my girls are on my patio looking for them!

I've twice managed to give away my boys on the FB group, in case anyone is having trouble rehoming theirs...

OMG! Chickens! THAT CLOSE!
Both my sister and nephew have told me NO ONE let's chickens on their porches.... NEVER - NEVER in the house....... Never close enough to sneak in.

That is why I can not fix food at my house and bring it to mom's. All of my food is thrown out because it is contaminated by proximity to chickens!
All you chicken keepers that do not exist and are still alive to tell the tail.
{yes! she dose not know anyone with chickens other then me..... Or she just doesn't know she knows any one....... Don't ask ~ Don't know}

 

[MandyFitch]

OMG! Chickens! THAT CLOSE!

Both my sister and nephew have told me NO ONE let's chickens on their porches.... NEVER - NEVER in the house....... Never close enough to sneak in.

That is why I can not fix food at my house and bring it to mom's. All of my food is thrown out because it is contaminated by proximity to chickens!

All you chicken keepers that do not exist

and are still alive to tell the tail.

{yes! she dose not know anyone with chickens other then me..... Or she just doesn't know she knows any one....... Don't ask ~ Don't know}

HAHA You are so funny! My chicks' brooder was the master bathtub until I bought a parrot cage for them so they could spend days outside and nights in my bedroom. Now days they come peck on my back door or the sliding glass doors to our bedroom when they're hungry because I often close the coop doors while they free range so the pigeons won't eat all their food. Nobody has died yet and we hosted Thanksgiving! hahaha

 

[chicksurreal]

Hi everyone!

I'm new to BYC and chicken keeping and was recently directed to this thread. I'm glad to know that there are so many chicken lovers out there!

BYC has been an incredible help to us and I'm so happy to be part of such a great forum. I'm starting at the beginning of this thread and reading it through, but I thought I'd better say hi before finishing it since it's so long.