Arizona Chickens

[ChuskaMtns]

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.

I hope they all hatch! The dark brown eggs are Golden Cuckoo Marans, slightly different than the Cuckoo Marans as the main coloring is golden rather than black. Keep us posted on the hatch.

 

[Beckyhsinglsc]

Quote:
We use to have a feral cat that visited our yard. I went out one time to see the cat trapped in the garden and the chickens circling. The cat was terrified of the chickens! I haven't seen it since.

 

[Beckyhsinglsc]

@FeatherPugs Did you say you moved your broody? I'm worried about mine because she is in a small, high nest box. If the chicks take a few days to hatch, I don't know if there will be enough room in there to block her in and I don't want the chicks falling out. I've always heard you shouldn't move a broody, though.
When I gave her chicks before (already hatched) I immediately moved her and she settled down just fine.

 

[AZChiknGoddess]

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!

I know a guy who purposely keeps a feral cat in his layer coop to keep wild birds from eating his chicken feed. I would not worry about a cat with big hens but they might go after chicks, juveniles and bantams.

 

[AZChiknGoddess]

@FeatherPugs
  Did you say you moved your broody?  I'm worried about mine because she is in a small, high nest box.   If the chicks take a few days to hatch, I don't know if there will be enough room in there to block her in and I don't want the chicks falling out.  I've always heard you shouldn't move a broody, though.
When I gave her chicks before (already hatched)  I immediately moved her and she settled down just fine.

Many ground dwelling birds nest in trees and other high places. Little chicks are amazing bouncers and jumping from height is not harmful.

 

[MagicChicken]

Quote:
Anything that kills the bird quickly and humanely works. If I used a hatchet I'd probably chop off my fingers before I managed to get the bird's head off. I usually hang the bird by its feet instead. Then slit the jugular and bleed it out. After scalding the carcass I hang it back up in the same spot to pluck it. Works for me, but I'm usually only doing one or two birds at a time. If I had to process a lot of birds I would probably use cones. Or learn to use a hatchet.

 

[flower]

Oh so good to hear you are doing well,
Oh girl calling me out!! Nice, you are funny.. I am doing tea.. Really my DH says it bad, dehydrates our body at the cellular level.. & wants me to workout.. I have been so tired lately.. I just woke up from a nap.. & I never take naps... I don't know really, I think I am tired of doing stuff, my life is completely FULL.. I have some nice coffee waiting for me.. tomorrow morning.

I do need to eat better, .I think about it.. can't wait to start a nice garden soon
When will you be over this way??
Take 1 1/2 teaspoon coco powder, add pure maple syrup, stir untill it becomes a paste, counter clock wise.. Then add your coffee & heavy whipping cream.. Delish..

Tea, coffee and alcohol are considered diuretics i.e. the make the fluid in your body flush out faster. So drink more water. ???? Moderation, moderation moderation

When will I be down in the valley. No plans just yet. Maybe for first ART Walk beginning of the month. I don't know what is going on down in the valley when is your next party ? I need to socialize.

 

[MrsFitzDarcy]

Anyone else feeling puny? I've had tummy issues (diarrhea) for 5 days now and I'm getting spells of vertigo. No other symptoms ...

 

[FeatherPugs]

@FeatherPugs Did you say you moved your broody? I'm worried about mine because she is in a small, high nest box. If the chicks take a few days to hatch, I don't know if there will be enough room in there to block her in and I don't want the chicks falling out. I've always heard you shouldn't move a broody, though.
When I gave her chicks before (already hatched) I immediately moved her and she settled down just fine.

Yes I moved her - two weeks or so ago - maybe 4 days after I gave her the eggs. I had the very same situation - smaller high nest box and I worried where the chicks would go. I moved her at night. It took about two minutes at most. Moved the whole nest so that the smell and whatever was not disturbed too much. She took to it just fine as she had all night to fix her house. I put her in a large dog crate and she has migrated her nest to the very back of the crate. The crate is large but still not quite big enough for food and water in the crate (unless I go get smaller water/feeder) so it is just outside the crate itself. That might have to change depending on what happens. Now the crate is basically waterproof but the grow out coop is not totally waterproof. So that is my concern right now. Kinda wish I had a little popup tent - that would work pretty well I think!!! Thus my new drawings for a broody coop that will handle all this without the craziness I've felt for a first timer!

 

[Beckyhsinglsc]

Quote:
When I gave her chicks before I just put them in the main coop divided by a dog x-pen. It worked out very well so I'm planning on doing that again. I have a grow-out coop, but integration seemed to work better this way. The chicks were with Mama so all the other chickens left them alone.
Any "early birds" today? Do you hear anything yet?