Arizona Chickens

[kacklinkelly]

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}

I love your family stories! Our girls are always running around our porch leaving little "presents". They like to lay just outside our sliding glass back door and sometimes peck the glass. We often times have to shoo them out of the way in order to walk into the backyard. Your family would freak out at our house. We also hosted Thanksgiving. Everyone is still alive. Keep your great attitude!

 

[MandyFitch]

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.

 

[chicksurreal]

We are about an hour north of Phoenix, it's actually the geographical center of AZ, way out in the boonies! No town in sight.

If you are familiar with the area, are closest to towns like Cordes Lakes, Camp Verde and Mayer, but it takes a while to get to any of them.

 

[parentwarrior]

Question, do chickens molt this time of year? I have one that is loosing Lots of feathers. I see new pin feathers coming in but I worry about her getting cold without her undercoat this time of year. I see no lice or anything. She is eating normally. There is no broken skin or blood. You have to look close to see it but around her butt, under her wings and lower neck that there is no undercoat. You see bare skin. I live in Gilbert so it is not real cold yet.I just worry if this is normal. Will I need to buy her a sweater? LOL

 

[chicksurreal]

Question, do chickens molt this time of year? I have one that is loosing Lots of feathers. I see new pin feathers coming in but I worry about her getting cold without her undercoat this time of year. I see no lice or anything. She is eating normally. There is no broken skin or blood. You have to look close to see it but around her butt, under her wings and lower neck that there is no undercoat. You see bare skin. I live in Gilbert so it is not real cold yet.I just worry if this is normal. Will I need to buy her a sweater? LOL

I keeping reading that it's normal for chickens to molt this time of year.

We only have 15 week old chickens right now that are losing feathers because they're growing, so I don't have personal experience with fully grown chickens and molting, but I do think it's normal.

 

[Gallo del Cielo]

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.

I'm glad you found us. Wow, that would be a task to read this whole thread now!

 

[Gallo del Cielo]

Quote:
Yeah, it's normal. I've had a nearly naked Delaware for a while now and her pin feathers are just starting to grow. It's pretty bad timing with this cold weather. I feel a bit sorry for her.

 

[parentwarrior]

I keeping reading that it's normal for  chickens to molt this time of year.

We only have 15 week old chickens right now that are losing feathers because they're growing, so I don't have personal experience with fully grown chickens and molting, but I do think it's normal.

Thanks, that makes me feel better. It is my first time with molting chickens. My other 4 are not doing it yet. I purchased them all the same time. I thought it was odd since it is winter. I thought the molting would be when it is warmer.I will search for a sweater or something. Maybe add a heat lamp if it gets colder.

 

[Gallo del Cielo]

Hey Everyone! It's been a while.

I've got a broody hen again. I'm torn because I'd like to try getting chicks again, but last time I ended up selling the two chicks I got from Pet Club since one ended up being a cockerel and I decided to just keep them together. The hen never took to them because I tried swapping them out for the eggs she was sitting on way too soon in the process. I think anyways. The other thing is I really just don't have any room for two more birds. I've got eight now and it's pretty tight in the hen house at night.

Option 1: Kick the broody out of the nest.
Option 2: Get chicks again, raise them, sale them or sale some of my laying hens. Maybe trade laying hens for fertile eggs or chicks.

What does everyone think? Anyone willing to help me out with option 2? Other options?

Hey Billiam, what did you decide to do?

 

[Gallo del Cielo]

As a side note, our orange tree is ready now so we've been eating oranges every day. Soon the tangelo will be ready. We have a decent number or oranges this year but I think the tangelo tree got too much water so the tangelos are a little sparse.

What kind of orange do you have? Our three year old Minneola tangelo finally had a good crop this year after freezing back badly a couple winters ago. We've been picking them for the past few weeks and they are so delicious!