Arizona Chickens

[City farm]

Roosevelt was all up in my business while I was trying to play on the iPad out back. Super curious girl.

He is pretty..

 

[City farm]

Anybody remember Earl? my pretty EE boy? In the summer I set some eggs from him and a half sister, because Earl has a pretty grey chest with lacing and his sisters are a beautiful soft grey with gold partridge pattern. I want more girls like them. So these chicks hatched out But only two were pullets, they are the two girls hiding towards the back. One nearly white and one red & white. Apparently I don't have any more recent pics of them, will try and get some this next week. because they have all grown up now. And one of them laid the tiny blue egg in the center here. It is smaller than a silkie egg, which it's next to. Around 22 weeks of age.

Wow he is georgous !! He looks a bit like Fiona that we got from you.. Is he possibly the dad? Can't wait to see what the new chicks look like..

 

[City farm]

We have CHICKIES!!!! e Well one at least. Day 23. It pipped this morning, but when I got home tonight, it hadn't made any progress. Its beak was sticking through, but it was really struggling. It had a saddle shaped air cell that went really far down the egg. It pipped below the air cell and didn't appear to be able to rotate. I know everyone says not to help, but given the location and it had been all day without any progress, I decided to try to help a bit.

I got a pair of tweezers and slowly chipped away at the egg around the beak. I was careful not to get the membrane, but did take note of the fact that there were no blood vessels. I know that is a good sign. Anyway, I cleared away a large enough area to make room for its head. I pulled the membrane back a little as it was really drying out. I moistend it with warm water, then I cranked up the shower to up the humidity and left it. It took an hour or so, but when I went to check it last time, I walked in right as it burst from the shell!!! Yay, I am a momma hen!

There is still the other egg left and I was getting concerened as it is day 23 and no sign of anything. I figured I would try to candle it to see if it had an internal pip, but could not see anything. I held it to my ear and I heard peeping and little pecks. I hope it is not going to pip below the air cell too because it has an even worse saddle shapped air cell. Also, this egg is much smaller. Doesn't seem to be a whole lot of room for a chick. The peeps sounded really vigorous, but I am still a bit worried. How long should I wait before I try to help by pipping it? I don't want to lose it because it isn't able to position itself correctly.

I started with six eggs and three were not fertile. The fouth was a late quitter, around day 14 I think. They are Lavender Orpington eggs and I really want the last egg to hatch! I am so excited!!!

That is so eggciting.. Congradulations

 

[City farm]

hi to all my fellow zonies...

we are in Palominas...near Sierra Vista/Bisbee area....and are planning to start our chicken adventure this spring. Which breeds are successful in our climate. Our goal is to have lots of eggs (like everyone) and a breed that is also good to eat once their laying days are done. I'm open to advice/suggestions and doing lots of research.

Thanks for all the great posts...

 CatieScarlett

I have never lost a chicken from the heat.. Don't worry about that just have all the extra's durring the hottest months.
Ice, misters, frozen fruit for a treats, fans & tons of shade.. Don't forget to have the sides of your coop ventilated..

 

[City farm]

Welcome to all the new peeps. Congrats on the hatching peeps. Pics of my Peeps. They were flapping crazy today . My EE's are beginning to lay again after their molt. Pretty blueish egg. BCM roolet..almost 4 months old Daisy come a runnin. She caught me off guard so not very focused. 5 smaller eggs are from my silkies Barbarino- Blue Silkie roo 7 months old Vincenzo- Splash Silkie roo- 7 months old BCM roolet Eliza- EE- will be 2 yrs old in February Clara- Welsummer- 3 years old

Yeah those were some happy, busy chicks!! Always love your photos Chris..

 

[City farm]

I know summer is still a ways away but I want to be prepared as to how to help the chickens through the 110-120 degree weather. Their run is already half covered with shade cloth so they can get out of the direct sun. What else should I do?

Misters, fans, frozen treats, ventilation, ice in their water.. And tons of shade..
I did a block of ice a few times last year. They loved it..
It did last longer than the ice cubes.. I also use plant bottoms for catching water...adobe
They like to put their feet in the shallow water.. Hope this helps..

 

[Mama Hen Chris]

A couple chicken related things. Not sure who laid this large egg but someone must need a sitz bath! Put up a bird feeder and this is what came to visit this morning.

 

[maryhysong]

Wow he is georgous !! He looks a bit like Fiona that we got from you.. Is he possibly the dad? Can't wait to see what the new chicks look like..

Hi City; no all the pullets I have been selling were from my other EE boy which I sold to a lady down in Mammoth. The two pullets that just started laying are the only daughters of Earl that I have right now.

 

[LadyKotaDoria]

A couple chicken related things. Not sure who laid this large egg but someone must need a sitz bath! Put up a bird feeder and this is what came to visit this morning.

Whaawwwooo how cool is that. Put up some love bird boxes, maybe they might move in. And that egg! Just whaaaooooo

Samples of what they like. Maybe you will have love birds too

 

[Twinklin]

What kind of feed did you use to get the peach face love birds to come? I have been trying to get them with no luck. I took my bird feeders down a while back for biosecurity for the chickens because people had me paranoid but I've gotten a grip on reality when it comes to that and I might put them back up at least on the side of the yard where the chickens don't go. I had regular wild bird mix in one feeder and Nyger in another in 2 style feeders and never got any love birds. I've only seen them once since I moved to AZ. I saw one when I was jogging on a path off Mountain View near Hayden by my old apt complex.

Here was today's project that my bf and I worked on.

Before:



After:



At night:



We didn't want to spend much and found this at home depot for cheap. It had to be put off center for the hottub lid to open all the way but we think it turned out pretty. We'll be getting some little lanterns or something to decorate it up a bit more.

Tomorrow I paint my craftroom/ guest bedroom PURPLE!!!!!