Arizona Chickens

[Sill]

I think these are the black solder fly.. I would love to have some.. We had them take over our un maintained compost one year, forever ago, when I had no idea what they were.. SO, one day it started to rain, I had to put up a huge tarp over our shop, I climbed up the 6 foot wall to attach, no shoes on, of course,.. Jumped down to find my shoes, in the dark with the rain coming down.. Could not find my shoe, so off I go to dump the container.. ON MY WAY, those gross, creepy things, literally came alive out from the compost and were slowly moving on the ground, up the walls, in the trees, up my legs.. YES, yuck. Totally freaked me out.. So I stopped doing compost.. but now that I have chickens & ducks, I know to just say the word "treat" or "bug" & they come running.. & they eat fly larva.. So if you have extra will you save me some.?

"Build it, and they will come."

Saw that in a movie once! (Field of Dreams).

@City farm I can give you some. They are just starting to produce well now that it's cooled down some. @cyborg is right, if you build a something to house them with appropriate media to grow the larvae the BSF females will seek it out and lay their eggs in it so their offspring can grow there. They will be able to smell the media. The media can be kitchen scraps, old meat, wet yard waste, left over fermented feed, grass clippings, coffee grounds, soaked alfalfa pellets, etc. There are as many types of containers you can make as there are people, and there is at least one you can buy that is ready to use but it's too expensive for my budget. All have a way for the mature larvae to leave the wet/damp media in search of a dry place to pupate and they climb to do this so if you incorporate a ramp that ends in a container to collect them they self harvest at maturity. Here are a few of examples.

Below is the one you can buy, it's called a bio-pod

 

[City farm]

 

@Gallo del Cielo
      (did you know that there is another Gallodelcielo without spaces?  I almost tagged the wrong person)
[/quote


Black soldier fly larvae

Yeah, bummed that someone took my username

Dude, you are in the KNOW. Everyone copies you!! You are so inspiring!!
I laugh every time I here, "you are so inspiring" what is so funny about that is; another story tonight;
We were around our BON fire here in our front yard, when some new neighbors pop on over for a drink.. This STONER DUDE was talking with one of our boy's. He starts asking them questions about what school do yo go to and Blablabla" you get the idea.. WELL, by the end of their conversation the STONER says, " dude, you are so inspiring" my kid was like huh???? We still laugh till this day... I don't think he was "high" he just had a boring life... Our boy was about 13 years old, this dude was 20 years old... Gallo so many of us dig what you do!!

 

[City farm]

Just a drive-by posting here. Loved the stories and pictures of the giant tortoise, the Tucson Banded gecko and the Navajo Curro sheep. I did not know that we have a native gecko. We went to the fine city of Mesa last weekend for the first youth rock climbing competition of the season. My daughter took first place! Here's a pic of her at the last minute on the finish hold of the route that won her the competition. It was very exciting!

That is so fun.. Another bucket list item... Rock climbing gym membership.. Congradulations

 

[City farm]

I think these are the black solder fly.. I would love to have some.. We had them take over our un maintained compost one year, forever ago, when I had no idea what they were.. SO, one day it started to rain, I had to put up a huge tarp over our shop, I climbed up the 6 foot wall to attach, no shoes on, of course,.. Jumped down to find my shoes, in the dark with the rain coming down.. Could not find my shoe, so off I go to dump the container.. ON MY WAY, those gross, creepy things, literally came alive out from the compost and were slowly moving on the ground, up the walls, in the trees, up my legs.. YES, yuck. Totally freaked me out.. So I stopped doing compost.. but now that I have chickens

"Build it, and they will come."

 Saw that in a movie once! (Field of Dreams).

We have a rotating bin.. Don't use it much, between chciken's, ducks, dogs,cats, kids, hubby, work, school, volenteering and on...... Oh and kombucha, kefir grains, & boy let me tell ya, it is like having another pet those grains are.. I do have plans to build a compost bin.. Out of wood.. I want to put it in the chicken run.. Just a small one, on that long list.. I would rather hang out by the BON fire with our friends & neighbor's at the end of the day.. So we are working a frontyard patio around the fire pit..

 

[cyborg]

@City farm I can give you some. They are just starting to produce well now that it's cooled down some. @cyborg is right, if you build a something to house them with appropriate media to grow the larvae the BSF females will seek it out and lay their eggs in it so their offspring can grow there. They will be able to smell the media. The media can be kitchen scraps, old meat, wet yard waste, left over fermented feed, grass clippings, coffee grounds, soaked alfalfa pellets, etc. There are as many types of containers you can make as there are people, and there is at least one you can buy that is ready to use but it's too expensive for my budget. All have a way for the mature larvae to leave the wet/damp media in search of a dry place to pupate and they climb to do this so if you incorporate a ramp that ends in a container to collect them they self harvest at maturity. Here are a few of examples.

Below is the one you can buy, it's called a bio-pod

Another advantage to growing your own soldier flies is that they put out a pheromone that tends to keep other flies away.

 

[moms3cuties]

Oh My, who has the seed box? ... I forgot to meet up with one of our members to pick it up today I believe; near the 101 freeway. Yikes! !


-@city Farm
..... I love your idea for a "dine and coop event"!!! ♡

Yes we have the seed box. I can leave it on the front patio if you want to come and get it..

If we dine & coop, someone will need to give someone the address & locations of the coop de tour event.. I will no today to go to it.. Or are you talking about the progressive coop party between us here on B.Y.C.

.....I was talking about the suggested," progressive coop party between us here on B.Y.C."

what ideas did you have a dine & coop for the coop de tour or event? If any yet?

 

[Stynch]

At the film screening they mentioned the locations.. If I can recall. Like 10 in central phx area, 3-5 in Tempe, 3 or so in Scottsdale & 1-2 in chandler Gilbert. Don't quote me.. There was no address given out, just a few of the chickens owners. They spoke & did a question/answer segment.. Oh & one dude said to use corn meal for the ants. It explodes in their stomach.. Plus it will not harm our animals.. I kind of knew that from a long time ago.. I really need to be able to recall information, lack of sleep...

or I need a vacation..

Well, I am disappointed! We were excited about going on the tour, thinking that we would get to meet a bunch of people from this forum. But, to drive an hour and spend $40 and not even know where we will be going sounds a bit ludicrous to me!! Once again, the powers that be in Phoenix don't even acknowledge that there are more than a few people that actually live west of the I-17 (and even west of the 101 and the 303 - oh my!!!).

 

[City farm]

[COLOR=333333]We are holding at 99-100F and 65% humidity. One of the bowls of water has paper towels ... the other has tampons ... LOL. They're absorbant, right? I put the tampon bowl under the little round vent so I can stick a straw through it and refill if necessary. A thick straw from a water bottle fits perfectly. [/COLOR]

[COLOR=333333]How long should the water/humidity last before I need to add? Day 21 is Sunday.[/COLOR]

There is a thred all about incubation.. And some people don't add water till later.. I really don't like using one.. We had way to many hens go broody, they did the job.. This last season for them was not a good one.. I think it was to hot & our eggs were not all fertile.. Keep us posted..

 

[City farm]

At the film screening they mentioned the locations.. If I can recall. Like 10 in central phx area, 3-5 in Tempe, 3 or so in Scottsdale

Well, I am disappointed!  We were excited about going on the tour, thinking that we would get to meet a bunch of people from this forum.  But, to drive an hour and spend $40 and not even know where we will be going sounds a bit ludicrous to me!!  Once again, the powers that be in Phoenix don't even acknowledge that there are more than a few people that actually live west of the I-17 (and even west of the 101 and the 303 - oh my!!!).

Yes this is disappointing.. $40.00 wow, that is a lot.. Between all of us on here we can do our own and talk chicken.. Plus it is free.. So many people have chickens that are not on here. Just in our 3 block radius we have 5 of us.. The progressive coop party would be best if there was one in east Phoenix, Tempe then Mesa or vice a versa.. If ya all want to do it, say so and we will have to see who is willing to host. We don't mind hosting.. I wont be able to do it untill our frontyard patio is done.. since this will take 3-4 hours it should be a potluck.. Put the $40.00 towards some good old home cooking... I will ask our neighbors if they want to open their coops up to us...

 

[K9Dave]

Well, I am disappointed!  We were excited about going on the tour, thinking that we would get to meet a bunch of people from this forum.  But, to drive an hour and spend $40 and not even know where we will be going sounds a bit ludicrous to me!!  Once again, the powers that be in Phoenix don't even acknowledge that there are more than a few people that actually live west of the I-17 (and even west of the 101 and the 303 - oh my!!!).

There were only 3 coops west of the 17 that even submitted coops if I remember right. They're just deciding which coops are what the tour wants to show. I vetted a coop and IMO it shouldn't be on the tour because the place was cluttered and dangerous but I bet it will be just because of geography.