Arizona Chickens

[nicollee]

My bubus aren't one for bugs, I did get a few wild toads and lizards hanging out with them this summer, I let them be bc they eat ants, flies and termites, my ant population has died down thanks to the toads

My hens go CRAZY when they can catch a lizard....

 

[DesertChic]

I haven't been seeing any ants inside of my coop or run. I do see ants around other parts of my yard where my Australorp's don't go. They go crazy when I pick up the water pans to clean them out and add fresh water to them, going after all of the crickets and other bugs that like to hide underneath them.

I planted a pasture area for the chickens and the ants carried away most of the seed before it sprouted. My chickens stood guard outside the netting to keep them off the pasture and stole the seed from the ants as they marched out, but never ate the ants. Needless to say I'm waiting until the harvester ants are done preparing for winder before planting those small seeds again.

 

[igorsMistress]

Good morning fellow Arizonans. Hope you all enjoy our weather today! It's nice and cool on the patio. Having coffee and watching the dogs sniff all the places the chickens go in the yard.

@BlueBaby the littles won't go into the coop area of their run so I covered with a box that has one end cut out. Tonight I'm climbing in there after dark and putting them in their coop for bed. They got a suet cage full of greens the other day and gobbled them up. They love mealworms too! I'll email you some updated pics tomorrow. No roos at my friends moms house. She loves those chicks!

 

[Bobby Basham]

Yes, hubby puts it over the spots where the weeds are over the septic, and then waters it to help the salt soak into the ground where any of the roots would be at. If it rains, then that is less water that you have to use from the hose.

I've never heard of it, but I like the idea of pool salt instead of using something like Roundup. My backyard is just dirt, but the weeds are over two feet tall now since I've neglected for over a year.

On a side note, would you folks have any suggestions as what to landscape the rest of this dirt yard with? I have at least 15 feet of space around the entire perimeter. Gravel would be boring, since the whole HOA front/sides are landscaped, laying sod/grass would mean that I would have to invest in a lawn mower...maybe some type of mulch to rake on occasion? Some of you all have amazing setups out there, and maybe some of you designer/practical experts can chime in.

Sorry if I come off as high-jacking, but weed control is a part of landscaping. This is just my back yard, minus the raging weeds and soon to be raised beds around the run. I don't wanna walk around in mud on those rainy days.--BB

 

[Bobby Basham]

Smothered pork chops or steak in the crockpot is great, then use the gravy over your mashed potatoes or rice.

I've done this many times over the years, and you can also smother chicken the same way. Now I'm wrecked, and don't know what to cook today...LOL!

 

[Bobby Basham]

I feed my heavy molt birds raw meat (and their regular soaked/fermented feed) to help them get through it. If you're on a tight budget, go to the "soon to expire" section of the meat department in the grocery store. A little raw meat goes a long way with these birds and with the exception of one girl of mine that literally stayed bald for an entire year (and laid jumbo-sized eggs six days per week), my birds typically sprout feathers within three days of eating the meat.

I like that idea. I've heard of people using canned cat food to help them through the molt, but that "soon to expire" meat sounds great to me. I have a big Ninja food processor duo and a KitchenAid meat grinder attachment for my stand mixer.

Keep those ideas coming in at what's works best for you. I'll say it again, you all don't know how much I appreciate all your information and how it affects others and help the newbies. Arizona Folks rock! --BB

 

[Bobby Basham]

Habitat for Humanity is a great place to donate them...
Not only do you get a write off, but someone who needs them (or a flipper) will be able to reduce their costs on something they really need... many of the items in my house have been purchased from Habitat or Stardust... Thank-you!
plus Habitat is more equiped to deal with appliances

Thank you, Nicollee, I will check with them when it's time to make the upgrade. --BB

 

[BlueBaby]

Good morning fellow Arizonans. Hope you all enjoy our weather today! It's nice and cool on the patio. Having coffee and watching the dogs sniff all the places the chickens go in the yard.

@BlueBaby the littles won't go into the coop area of their run so I covered with a box that has one end cut out. Tonight I'm climbing in there after dark and putting them in their coop for bed. They got a suet cage full of greens the other day and gobbled them up. They love mealworms too! I'll email you some updated pics tomorrow. No roos at my friends moms house. She loves those chicks!

Well, as you seen when you were over here to pick them up, I did have that small box in the back of my brooder for them to go in and out of. They would all run into it if they got frightened of something or other. The adults that I have over here will eat just about everything they can get into their beaks, so I'm not surprised that your chicks are starting up on that, too. Just make sure that they don't have a chance to get their beaks on something that they shouldn't. I'm glad that your friends mom loves her 2 chicks. I have more that are due to hatch on Sunday.

 

[BlueBaby]

I've never heard of it, but I like the idea of pool salt instead of using something like Roundup. My backyard is just dirt, but the weeds are over two feet tall now since I've neglected for over a year.

On a side note, would you folks have any suggestions as what to landscape the rest of this dirt yard with? I have at least 15 feet of space around the entire perimeter. Gravel would be boring, since the whole HOA front/sides are landscaped, laying sod/grass would mean that I would have to invest in a lawn mower...maybe some type of mulch to rake on occasion? Some of you all have amazing setups out there, and maybe some of you designer/practical experts can chime in.

Sorry if I come off as high-jacking, but weed control is a part of landscaping. This is just my back yard, minus the raging weeds and soon to be raised beds around the run. I don't wanna walk around in mud on those rainy days.--BB

Bobby, I have friends that live in an HOA over in Tempe. The grass in the front yard died from something or other, possibly from the husband over watering it. Anyway's, the HOA got on them about it, so they just went out and bought some of that used artificial grass to cover that part of the yard. It looks so much like real grass, that unless you know that it is, you can't tell the difference.

 

[cavemanrich]

I've never heard of it, but I like the idea of pool salt instead of using something like Roundup. My backyard is just dirt, but the weeds are over two feet tall now since I've neglected for over a year.

On a side note, would you folks have any suggestions as what to landscape the rest of this dirt yard with? I have at least 15 feet of space around the entire perimeter. Gravel would be boring, since the whole HOA front/sides are landscaped, laying sod/grass would mean that I would have to invest in a lawn mower...maybe some type of mulch to rake on occasion? Some of you all have amazing setups out there, and maybe some of you designer/practical experts can chime in.

Sorry if I come off as high-jacking, but weed control is a part of landscaping. This is just my back yard, minus the raging weeds and soon to be raised beds around the run. I don't wanna walk around in mud on those rainy days.--BB

Consider this. Make raised beds and plant flowers in them. Raised beds are not exclusive for vegetables. Years ago I used to plant all kind of vegetables. As time passed, I graduated to FLOWERS ONLY.