Arizona Chickens

[chicksurreal]

The five goats behind me are MUCH, MUCH, MUCH louder than my MANY roosters!

My MIL raises goats (20-30 at any given time) and lives about a 1/4 mile away from us, we hear them ALL the time, she does have a rooster that we can hear if the wind is blowing right. We have 14 pullets (including a very vocal cockerel) and she says she can't hear them at all.

My FIL (who lives about the same distance away, but not in the same residence) has chickens and we can never hear them.

 

[Demosthine]

What is Bt? I attempted to grow sweet corn for the first time last year. I had very poor pollination so I attempted to help it along. However I also experienced the silks showing up with very little pollen available at that time. All the stalks produced at least 2 ears struggling to grow. I will give it another shot this year and will amend the soil with the new "rabbit pellets" I have to add this year.

I've been reading Dave the Garden Guy's book, Extreme Gardening, which is written towards growing here in Arizona, but more specifically Phoenix. For corn, he lists the corn borer and earworms as the two pests you have to worry about. Later in the book, he has organic pest control options. For the borers, he recommends planting chives, garlic and onions as companion plants to repel them. The earworms an be controlled by placing a drop or two of canola or olive oil on the tip of each ear of corn, where the silk is coming out. Mother Earth News also recommends letting your chickens in to clean out the larvae prior to planting. It Zone 6 and Southward, they say the larvae will burrow to pupate for anywhere from 2 weeks to 6 months over winter.


Now, take all that with a grain of salt, because I've never grown much and haven't dealt with anything before. But from the organic, non-pesticide philosophy I'm hoping to follow, that's what I found this morning. There's still plenty more reading to do, though! With Monsanto being linked to the Colony Collapse Disorder with their RoundUp pesticides, despite their resounding assurance that they are completely safe, I am doing my absolute best to avoid any type of chemicals. Especially if I manage to convince my wife we need a bee hive, I don't want anything like that around.

To be fair, Scott's is listing the BT as very safe for bees, earthworms, etc.

 

[Gallo del Cielo]

I grow organically. Just for clarity, Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) a natural enemy of some insects, is considered organic and is probably the best defense against lepidopteran pests we have. Some formulations also work on some beetle larvae and mosquito larvae. The great thing is it's harmless to pretty much everything else. The oil-on-silk method is very effective against pests entering the ear, but the concern there is timing. If you put it on too soon you'll interfere with pollination/fertilization--wait until the silk starts to turn brown. I have not done this, but from what I read a very effective way to deal with them is mix Bt with the oil before applying. If I were to grow corn again, I would do that.

 

[Demosthine]

I just heard great news! Arizona Senate Bill 1151 passed with a vote of 29 to 1! It'll move on to the next stage with a great weight towards passing. That's exellent news for all you in restricted areas.

Congratulations!

 

[City farm]

Broodies do get off their nests daily and go about their business.  Many, but not all of mine get off the nest in the morning.  They will sometimes stay off for a full hour, but some only for a few minutes.

The eggs were cold so I took them.. Later that day she was still out and about.. As of yesterday/ today she is back on.. New eggs of course..
We shall see..

 

[Gallo del Cielo]

I just heard great news! Arizona Senate Bill 1151 passed with a vote of 29 to 1! It'll move on to the next stage with a great weight towards passing. That's exellent news for all you in restricted areas.

Congratulations!

WOOHOO!!!

That's awesome news.

 

[Mahonri]

Just talked to my new neighbor the other day. Asked him if I could put in a small chicken coop under my Grapefruit Tree.... he said 'Yes"... but I told him I have to have permission from his wife too! Developing...

 

[kpgoldstar]

WOOOOHOOOOO!
First egg!! I think it was probably Lemon as she has been fully squatting more the last few days. Leticia squats too, but she was a couple days behind Lemon. Snoop's comb grew about a half inch since 2 days ago and is super red, but she doesn't squat yet.

Dottie on the other hand has started pecking on everyone's legs, like an attack chicken. She has the smallest comb and wattles of anyone and still quite pale. Is she mad that she isn't progressing like the others? She gets scolded and swatted every time she pecks but she is persistent and follows waiting for the opportunity. My best friend and #1 babysitter is starting to fear her!

Back to my egg!!

Here it was just waiting for us!

So pretty and really small!!

Broke it into the skillet and WHAT? a double yolker first time out of the gate??

Look at the super dark orange yolk oozing out! Seriously a drop to your knees flavor reminiscent of my childhood raising chickens! What an awesome feeling today! We figured mid-March when we first got our chicks, thinking about 25 weeks. They just turned 20 weeks on Tuesday and we just can't believe we have an egg already!

 

[City farm]

I don't actually live in Arizona, but my flock does and I'm trying to locate their whereabouts. The only info I have is the name Greg and a cell number that originates in Holbrook. He has a farm that's off the beaten path and requires a 4-wheel drive vehicle to reach it. My birds would have arrived there around November 20, 2013. I know it's a long shot, but does anyone know of this person? I'm trying to arrange a pick-up this weekend, while I'm on vacation, but haven't heard from him for over a week.

I don't know him, but I hope you can track him down.  I don't think we've had anyone from the Holbrook area on the thread in some time.

Yeah don't know,, x2

 

[City farm]

So sorry to hear about the losses.  I have a question - does anyone know if its OK to feed my meat rabbits weeds I'm pulling up in my yard.  No pesticides. 

Oh yeah our flock loves them... Yum... We had a wild rabbit that ran threw our neighborhood.. We heard different stories on who's it
could of been.. Living by A.S.U. Students have left a numerous variety of animals.. I hoping for a flck of peacocks.. e
This cute rabbt would come by one of my dearest friends house and play with her braty, brat of a cat... It would eat their weeds
plus I am sure others in the neighborhood... Our friends did find him/her dead under their carport one day.. I do believe he ran wild for
about 3-4 years, maybe more...