Arizona Chickens

[MagicChicken]

Quote:

I have had production reds do this. Most of my standard-bred birds molt small portions over a longer time. Personally I do not like this type of extreme molt, and would breed to get rid of that trait. I agree it does not seem to be a healthy thing to do. Feathers protect the birds from cold in the winter, and from heat in the summer.

Edited to add: I would not use a "chicken sweater." Too much opportunity to damage the incoming pinfeathers. Feathers are delicate at that stage, and damaging pinfeathers can hurt the bird.

 

[DesertChic]

I have had production reds do this. Most of my standard-bred birds molt small portions over a longer time. Personally I do not like this type of extreme molt, and would breed to get rid of that trait. I agree it does not seem to be a healthy thing to do. Feathers protect the birds from cold in the winter, and from heat in the summer.

Edited to add: I would not use a "chicken sweater." Too much opportunity to damage the incoming pinfeathers. Feathers are delicate at that stage, and damaging pinfeathers can hurt the bird.

Ironically, my birds who've molted the hardest have also been the best layers. Those that have undergone a 'smaller' molt stopped laying completely for 6+ weeks...some now going on over 3 months. This kind of hard molt looks awful, but I'm actually finding greater productivity and vitality in my hard molters.

 

[theback40]

Yeah, I forgot to mention the coons too - glad you brought that up. When we moved here from PA a while back I never thought there'd be coons out here in the desert. I still can't figure out how they even got here. Well, we're only about 100 yards from Skunk Creek which is dry most of the year, but I've seen many coons and track/sign around my yard so I put locks on all the entrances to my coops, runs, nest boxes, etc. I used to trap a lot of coons in PA and I'm assuming these guys out here are just as smart. Back east I found out keyed locks was the only sure thing; it wouldn't surprise me if they could figure out the combination on combination locks so I went with keyed locks. But anyway I'm not trying to scare you but they are some seriously crafty critters so I figure it's better to be safe than sorry. If coons were any bigger there wouldn't be any people.

oh, yes,, crafty indeed, those coons!! i fully plan to lock up!!!

(i think they'd even be better at using a smartphone than me...

) we used to allow the trapping of ground hogs n coons at our old place back east, as we were overrun w them.. come to find out the woman who bought our old place now rescues them... ugh.

 

[Banaynaychicken]

Quote: Merc is looking a little scragly still, but Bowie looked amazing yesterday when I visted them all.

He has filled out nicely and I believe Nathaniel is going to show him.

a little rivalry between chicken freaks.

we will see who's boy does better, mine or his. (He has claimed Bowie as his now, lol i think he is attatched)

 

[Banaynaychicken]

Quote: What a beautiful cattle dog you have!
my Baily dog looks EXACLY like that , even the face markings, but she is a Red instead of a Blue!

 

[nicollee]

What a beautiful cattle dog you have!
my Baily dog looks EXACLY like that , even the face markings, but she is a Red instead of a Blue!

thank-you ,
Jack is a good looking dog!
and occasionally has a bit of patience.

 

[nicollee]

Yeah, treat motivated here too. My Dane doesn't like having them on his butt, etc. My little ones have had them crawl over them right until I pull out the phone then it's done. My dogs are taught the birds are babies & off limits. So much so that they didn't fight back when a cockerel attacked my chi. Though now, inside if I say something about a bird slipped inside & it needs to go out they start chasing it. Need to revisit that for training. I know it's due to the attack & my telling the Dane to get the cockerel cause I was on the other side of the house & the bird followed my chi inside attacking him. I'm thinking it's their protecting as no move then or now to eat it or the like.

When I was a kid we had a min schnauzer, She was taught not to go after the chickens and the ducks, till the drake started relentlessly attacking her, and my dad had to teach her it was ok to defend herself.... Amazing what our four legged friends will do for us!

 

[MagicChicken]

Quote:
I don't think that's ironic at all. I think it's a result of breeding for egg production, at the expense of survivability traits for free-range birds.

 

[bunsnpupsnchick]

Merc is looking a little scragly still, but Bowie looked amazing yesterday when I visted them all.

He has filled out nicely and I believe Nathaniel is going to show him.

a little rivalry between chicken freaks.

we will see who's boy does better, mine or his. (He has claimed Bowie as his now, lol i think he is attatched)

Lol sounds like it. If I'm remembering right Merc had the crazy crest to start with. Watch, he'll go thru molt & end up stunning.

Are you showing soon?

 

[bunsnpupsnchick]

When I was a kid we had a min schnauzer,  She was taught not to go after the chickens and the ducks, till the drake started relentlessly attacking her, and my dad had to teach her it was ok to defend herself.... Amazing what our four legged friends will do for us!    

Yep. I started teaching my chiweenie to collect eggs til I caught her trying to sneak one & eat it. That ended my grand plan. Give her credit, she brought it inside, etc without breaking it. Just failed to deliver it to me. Lol lil stinker.