Arizona Chickens

[Sill]

In 2012 I put a turkey carkus out in the run for them to pick-A-part. I checked with them about 2 hours later to see a wild cat eating the turkey.. Cats can get into the run, none have bothered them as of yet.. Oh & one was sleeping in one neting box for about 4-5 days.. Now I go check at night. "These chickens & ducks re running my life" like @cyborg said..

I have a feral that loves my chickens. She never has bothered them. Now I don't leave her alone with small chicks - that just is not fair to either of us.

I guess I'll quit worrying about the feral cat bothering the chickens then. I sure hope she doesn't start going into the chickens' run!

 

[Sill]

Can you reach the kittens if you can trap the mom?

They are so far under the tank there is no way I could reach them. Their eyes have to be open by now so they would know I'm a monster out to eat them and not their momma and will probably move as far away as possible.

Found "girlfriend's" little stash today.

Now that doesn't look cozy at all! Funny girls!

I just put 13 eggs on day 18 into my hatcher. I made this incubator out of an Omaha Steaks box. So we are officially on lock down. It is sitting at 99.5 degrees and 65% humidity. Since these were shipped eggs I am hatching them in egg cartons. I shipped the 40 eggs from Missouri, and there are 17 guinea eggs that will go into lock down Sunday. Unless of course there are quitters. But I have had amazing development on these eggs. I set 18 chicken eggs and 13 have made it to lock down. We will see how we hatch. I sure hope something hatches...

 

[City farm]

I see your Delaware ..

Found "girlfriend's" little stash today.

That does not look like a comfortable spot.

 

[moms3cuties]

How do you trap feral kittens?

.......it's relatively easy, you need to make sure that the tap works well so once they step on the trigger floor to get the smelly wet cat food then the spring loaded trap door closes behind them once they're inside the trap. Then you need to be monitoring the trap maybe every half hour or so, give or take and make sure to see if any Cat or kitten is caught. Once you've got the kitten trapped, then you take the trap with the kitten it carefully, and I
usually have it covered so they're more calm and bring them inside to a bathroom. And usually I will wash them with Baby Shampoo mixed with a tsp. of apple cider vinegar all over them,,(I heard the apple cider helps to kill bugs so don't put that too close to their eyes nose or mouth though) except in their eyeballs, nose and lips. I Massage it in for about 5 MINUTES so that way they stay comfortable while they're all wet/cold with soap on them, & massaging them keeps them Warmer while waiting the 5 minutes to drown any fleas or bugs. Next I rinse them in the warm water and I have towel or 2 already to dry them off. By bathing them you remove fleas from their fur and the possibility of the Fleas coming into the house or in on you. Last I will blow dry them a little bit to make them less damp on a low heat with their heads covered in the towel,and feed them ASAP. keep in mind they might freak out with this,, so it is optional, but its just what I prefer to do so they're not so cold.
*the reason I do this is so that way I can make them adoptable and I start petting and playing with them and feeding them formula if they're young enough or just water and some good quality cat food. I usually place them inside the tub or large container with chicken wire over it,to prevent them from escaping while they're in quarantine. A good Quarantine is for at least maybe about 4 days.do some calling around to see how big or old they need to be before they can fix them.

As the days pass the kitten becomes friendlier and friendlier, as I feed them play with them with the string or toilet paper roll and pet them to help them purr. ☆That is one way from keeping them becoming a feral cat!. fYI, I did help with Kitten Rescue about 17 years ago & I used to bottle feed kittens and help them to be adopted out by some of the rescue groups,for fun.

canned cat food works pretty good.the traps usually have suggestions. Only buy live traps though.

......the trap I bought is what they call a humane trap, from Harbor freight. I know other places have other traps and online but the cost will vary.maybe one of BYC advertisers sell a humane trap as well!

 

[moms3cuties]

I just put 13 eggs on day 18 into my hatcher. I made this incubator out of an Omaha Steaks box. So we are officially on lock down. It is sitting at 99.5 degrees and 65% humidity. Since these were shipped eggs I am hatching them in egg cartons. I shipped the 40 eggs from Missouri, and there are 17 guinea eggs that will go into lock down Sunday. Unless of course there are quitters. But I have had amazing development on these eggs. I set 18 chicken eggs and 13 have made it to lock down. We will see how we hatch. I sure hope something hatches...

It just opened up and poured rain like crazy for 15minutes!  Geez don't they know its time for babies?  Momma got a little wet as her cover blew off - but I believe all is well.  Didn't take me long to go out and check to see what the wind did just before it poured!  So I believe we will still see babies come Wednesday - fingers and toes crossed!

Girl we are right there with you.. I am hoping for at least 3 out of 7.. Some were duds.. Tihs next hatch is under Cheryl the silkie, her 3rd or 4th time this year. I can't keep track

I didn't know what to look at either until I found this:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/...g-candling-pics-progression-though-incubation

Really good pictures of what to expect.

good luck everyone with your soon to be new babies!! Very Eggciting!:yiipchick

 

[K9Dave]

good luck everyone with your soon to be new babies!! Very Eggciting!:yiipchick

I put some under our broody little feral Black Tailed Japanese Bantam hen. I guess she's doing everything right. I had to clean one egg she busted up but that was really my fault. I opened her coop door too fast and she freaked. She's very flighty. I think I put a couple Cuckoo Marans and maybe and EE or 2. I was putting food just outside her coop est door but she wasn't eating it. Now in the evening I crack the door, she creaps out and I put some food near where she lays on the eggs. I see her eating it when she goes back in so that's good. I'm glad she's eating as I've heard they won't sometimes right? Now that's she's in solitary confinement, the nesting box is being used finally and the eggs are clean.

@City farm hopefully this processing class is coming quick. I've got an itchy Hatchet finger right now. A couple of these roosters are begging for it. Too much testosterone.

 

[MagicChicken]

Quote:
This is a pretty good thread on processing chickens: https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/...-eviscerating-cutting-up-your-chicken-graphic They do mean graphic, so if you are faint of heart don't look.

 

[K9Dave]

This is a pretty good thread on processing chickens:  https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/...-eviscerating-cutting-up-your-chicken-graphic  They do mean graphic, so if you are faint of heart don't look.

Never used a cone. Chopping block and hatchet was all we ever used for ducks or chickens. Rabbits was a hatchet handle to the back of the head behind the ears. Are these methods not liked anymore?

 

[maryhysong]

Never used a cone. Chopping block and hatchet was all we ever used for ducks or chickens. Rabbits was a hatchet handle to the back of the head behind the ears. Are these methods not liked anymore?

I used to wring necks then hang and bleed. Then I made a cone out of a big bleach bottle; a little hard to get a big combed rooster through the smallish hole but oh my, so much easier and less mess that way; don't think I'll go back to the old way for chickens at all. A friend just made me a wringer and hanger for rabbits & chickens but I haven't had a chance to try them out yet

 

[Timskins]

Never used a cone. Chopping block and hatchet was all we ever used for ducks or chickens. Rabbits was a hatchet handle to the back of the head behind the ears. Are these methods not liked anymore?

Not that they are not liked. In theory there are better ways now. The hang upside down and slit the throat theory is the idea that the chicken will pump its blood out and just fall asleep. You get a cleaner process this way and there is less stress and lactic acid buildup that can ruin meat.