Arizona Chickens

[aviddamy]

They are barred rocks correct? I think I've read that the bars are one way to tell male from female. The males look lighter because the bars are wider. And I agree, the top looks like a pullet and the bottom one like a cockerel.

 

[Beckyhsinglsc]

They are barred rocks correct? I think I've read that the bars are one way to tell male from female. The males look lighter because the bars are wider. And I agree, the top looks like a pullet and the bottom one like a cockerel.

I'm going to disagree and say they are both cockerels. I have a 1 wk old barred rock pullet right now and she doesn't have any comb yet. I could tell better with a full body picture, though.
For the future, there are a few tricks(besides comb) to picking BR pullets.
As little chicks pullets tend to have black on the front of their legs and are darker black. The white spot on the head is supposed to be a little more defined in pullets but I have a hard time seeing the difference in this one.
In the first 6 weeks or so, the cockerels don't feather out on the shoulders and tail as quickly as the pullet. Also, the cockerels tend to be lighter than the pullets.

 

[City farm]

I have two Americaunas from idealpoultry.com that are 27+ weeks and not laying yet. One has been squatting for 3-4 weeks and the other is not. Do they mature more slowly? My flock (first flock ever) are all the same age though spread across 6 breeds. Five of my nine are laying this far. Still waiting on my silver laced Wyandotte, the two Americaunas, and my red sexlink or gold sexlink... Not sure which isn't paying rent yet.

I'm surprised your sex link's are not laying. do you have a light on them after they put themselves to bed? I like the Murray website for all kinds of information. Egg size, color, and what not. They have the Info all lined up for ya. Try that and or adding light.

 

[City farm]

Does anyone cook the whole chicken carcass like this.


http://wellnessmama.com/5888/how-to-make-bone-broth/

Yes, I do!  I use the feet, but not the head (I feed that to my dogs).  I usually freeze the bones from several birds until I have enough for a large stock pot.  I usually buy chicken feet (Food City sells them) and will use 10 or more so for a large pot.  I add four bay leaves and a half cup of oregano, a quarter cup of apple cider vinegar.  Add enough filtered water to at least cover all the bones and let it simmer for a minimum of 24 hours. You will need to add more filtered water as it simmers.  The bones should be very soft when it's done and you can smash them in your fingers.  I strain out everything solid and feed the spent bones and the little bit of meat to my dogs. The resulting broth will gel nicely once it's cool if you used enough bones and feet. Think of it as home-made glucosamine!  Store bone broth in the fridge and use within a week and a half or freeze it. Great for starting soups or stews but I like to just drink a mug of it most days.

It used to be that people used the entire bird but we have become a culture of boneless, skinless chicken breasts and highly processed junk for food.  What a waste of nutrients when we don't use what nature provides.

Our flock is eating up everything that they can.. Someday I would love to grow oregano..

Skinless, boneless has no real flavor.. Wait till you taste our grilled chicken, skin on bone in..

 

[City farm]

When I make broth I usually use the whole chicken, not just bones.  Mostly because I am cooking older birds and they need to be simmered for several hours before the meat is tender enough to use.  Usually I cook the bird until the meat falls off the bones.  Sometimes longer. It usually takes 4-6 hours before an older bird is tender enough to eat. Then I separate the meat from the bones & veggies.  I package the meat in 1-2 cup packets to freeze for later use, and I freeze the broth in 2-4 cup containers. 

If I heated with a woodstove I'd probably simmer the broth for a day or two on the back of the stove.  But I don't heat with wood.  And I try not to use the gas stove more than necessary. 

We only use gas, we bought this really cool copper pot for cooking over fires. Once our front yard patio is done, that fireplace will be easy to use for the container. Still waiting to hear from someone there in Tucson. I think we might be able to swing by or if you can meet us at @a little chiken
It will be fun to see ya all

 

[desertmarcy]

Guess our chicks came over in the same boat....... That's how old my Americauna is, but I think she's just an EE and 2 RSL. No eggs for me yet and they are 27 weeks. Not even squatting. I'm a newbie too and these are my first 3. I just bought 3, 1 week old Americaunas that are different colors, as Pictured above, so I think they are EE's.......... not sure if anyone actually has true blue Americaunas.

If you are talking about commercial hatcheries, you are probably correct however there are plenty of private breeders who raise pure bred Ameraucanas. I have a small flock of blue Ameraucanas I'm working with. The hatcheries have contributed to the misinformation about the true breed by selling mixed breeds (EEs) as Ameraucana and they also spell it wrong, there is no "i" in Ameraucana.

 

[rhondita55]

If you are talking about commercial hatcheries, you are probably correct however there are plenty of private breeders who raise pure bred Ameraucanas. I have a small flock of blue Ameraucanas I'm working with. The hatcheries have contributed to the misinformation about the true breed by selling mixed breeds (EEs) as Ameraucana and they also spell it wrong, there is no "i" in Ameraucana.

Sorry for the miss spelling. that was my bad. But we were talking about us newbies, and we know nothing about Private Breeders. Only what we see online and in the Feed Stores.
Just not so patiently waiting for that very first egg............ Some times I think that you experienced breeders forget just how darn Egg-citing it is to see your very first Egg from your very first chicken.

the other day I was laughing saying I had to clean up after all the pets, that this cat was Daughters, the dog was DH's, the other cat was, GD and the lizard was GD, but I didn't have a pet. The GD, 11yrs old, patted me on the shoulder and said "but Grandma, you have 3 chickens, those are your pets"...... LOL and then we went and bought 3 more little chicks.........

 

[flower]

I find if I have a crack egg, usually it's it's my fault and I still go eat it anyway, but boy does it sure makes me mad

at myself lol!
.....I put way too much energy and money into their organic feed for those chickies of mine just to let an egg that I cracked go to waste!


Did you and Sill have fun going to Tucson? !? I'd love to go with you 2 next time!

I second that as I have never been to Tucson. But it will be a two day trip on the way down. Almost 200 miles to Phoenix and then the rest of the way the next day. But I would love to visit the Tucson BYC ers. Maybe February ?

 

[MrsFitzDarcy]

Wouldn't this be adorable for nesting boxes? $50 craigslist tucson

 

[DesertChic]

Wouldn't this be adorable for nesting boxes? $50 craigslist tucson

It really would be!