Arizona Chickens

[Beckyhsinglsc]

Gallo del Cielo: My fig tree just won't grow. I planted it a couple of years ago and it just barely holds on. What is your secret?
It was supposed to be a black mission, but the pathetic figs it gets look more like a turkey. They don't ripen, just fall off the tree. It's only about 3' high at this point.
My citrus is doing great, though!

NoSkiveez: The chicks sound like fun. I want to hatch chicks as soon as I figure out what to do with the roosters!



ca: I use fine pine shavings that I get at the feed store. about $9/bag

 

[Gallo del Cielo]

Tucson Tofu: What? Are you telling me butternut squash and sweet potato pancakes are simple carbs? Dang, maybe that's my problem.

Here's the brute in flagrante delicto :

I guess a bird's gotta eat.

 

[Gallo del Cielo]

Quote:
Mine is a Black Mission too. Do you water your fig regularly? I have an auto drip on daily and I flood it once a week. I realized this summer how important watering is to mine. My fig production was directly proportional to the water I gave it. Having said that about watering, it really likes to dry out between waterings. We planted it two springs ago and now it's about 8' X 8'. Last year (the first) we got only about 12 figs and it was mandatory that we ALL had to be standing there to share every fig that was picked. We had a large crop early this year and we were able to dry a bunch (we love them chopped up in oatmeal). This next crop is huge (from our limited experience)

My favorite memory so far of the fig happened early this spring. I was looking out the dining room window and saw all 6 of my chickens jumping up and down under the fig tree. They had just discovered how much they liked them and were jumping for the low hanging fruit. The frantic jumping went on for a long while. We were laughing so hard, they looked like giant balls of pop corn bouncing up and down. Figs are now, hands down, their favorite treat.

 

[a2ms4chickens]

Well, my DH woke me up at 11:15pm last night and told me to go check on the chickens. They were kickin' up a fuss, and when he turned on the outside light, he saw a bobcat on top of my Rubbermaid shed. By the time he got out there, it took off over my 6ft chain link fence.

The chickens were fine, a little shaken and fussed for another 10 minutes or so. My DH was amazed at how loud those chickens can get when they sense a predator- we have 35 layers/roosters, and about 18 showbirds and chicks. We turned on a light in the stable for the rest of the night, so I'm sure the chickens will be tired today, as they don't sleep well with the light on.

When I went out earlier to give them some leftover mashed potatoes, I heard an owl in my neighbor's tree, so I was kinda worried about that. I told my dog (outside dog) to keep an eye on the chickens last night, but my DH said he didn't even move until I walked out the door. He is a pit/boxer mix, definately not a guard dog.

I don't know if I posted it or not, but last week, my neighbor came over and told me we had 10-12 buzzards in my tree in my backyard. We walked out the door and sure enough the tree was loaded! They took off and flew down the road, but it sure was an eerie sight.

I have not had any problems with predators until this year, and I have had chickens for 4 years. Don't know what is going on, but I don't like it!

Angie

 

[a2ms4chickens]

Quote:
Mine is a Black Mission too. Do you water your fig regularly? I have an auto drip on daily and I flood it once a week. I realized this summer how important watering is to mine. My fig production was directly proportional to the water I gave it. Having said that about watering, it really likes to dry out between waterings. We planted it two springs ago and now it's about 8' X 8'. Last year (the first) we got only about 12 figs and it was mandatory that we ALL had to be standing there to share every fig that was picked. We had a large crop early this year and we were able to dry a bunch (we love them chopped up in oatmeal). This next crop is huge (from our limited experience)

My favorite memory so far of the fig happened early this spring. I was looking out the dining room window and saw all 6 of my chickens jumping up and down under the fig tree. They had just discovered how much they liked them and were jumping for the low hanging fruit. The frantic jumping went on for a long while. We were laughing so hard, they looked like giant balls of pop corn bouncing up and down. Figs are now, hands down, their favorite treat.

The picture in my head of the chickens jumping for the figs, made me laugh out loud, and I'm at work. My co-worker kinda looked at me funny. Chickens do look funny when they jump.

Angie

 

[gckiddhouse]

Quote:
I have resorted to just the dirt to which I add food grade DE. I got really tired of all the bedding ending up in my landscape rocks and it took a lot of laborious hours to dig it out. It came up in big flakes and there was my landscape rock underneath. I am so much happier now that I have landscaping right up to the chicken coop. I just rake it out and it always looks clean. If it gets muddy this winter, I will add wood chips, but will rake them out when not needed. Just not worth it. They are enough work without having to relandscape around them, too.

 

[NoSkiveez]

I wake up all night long, but I know what wakes me up. I have 3 kids under 18 months. I can't complain tho, I they are sleeping much better than they have in the past.

I got up to a problem this morning. A roo cpuldnt open his eyes. Hubby thought it was puss but it cleaned out and looked like cotton (we live in a cotton field so it wouldn't be surprising) I cleaned him up and gave him some meds and pulled him out of the coop. I'm not sure if there is a real problem or if it was just that he had garbage in his eyes from the tractors kicking cotton up everywhere but I don't want to risk it if there is another real issue.

Our final chick count is 1 B/BWA, 1 Olive Egger, 4 Silkies, 5 Marans and 5 Wyandottes. I had several other pip but die before making it out. They were fully formed, yolks absorbed perfect chicks. The fertility rate is great showing fertility in nearly all and this hatch was the best one in a while. I'm quite pleased.

Anyone need chicks for a broody? I have silver laaced Wyandottes and Silkies. The Silkies are buff colored (the roo was buff the hens are white), so they may not be the proper Coloration (I can send pics of them and pics of a few older ones to show what the older ones look like now.

Bob - I have a very neat assortment of eggs for you. Phoenix, silkie, Wyandottes, olive eggers, Frizzle, and a few "Surprise" eggs that I forgot to mark what coop they came out of. I also packed up a container of gro gel for you. Just add a bit of water after they hatch.

 

[constance]

Hello AZ,

I've lurked for the last year, but not posted (e-shy, I guess

). I have reluctantly come the the possible conclusion that my ladies may have scaly leg mites. They don't look anywhere near as bad as most of the pictures I have seen, but their scales are starting to lift on 3 of 4 hens, and the look like they are thickening. So, ugh, I guess I need to treat the ladies and the coop. Any advice? I have read several of the threads on the buggers on BYC, and am thinking of starting with gently scrubbing their legs with mild soap and tea tree oil, then coating them with mineral oil and tea tree oil. A scrubbing, bedding change, and liberal DE for the coop. Is there any hope?

Thanks!

 

[gckiddhouse]

I got a brown fart egg today.

I am waiting for a BWA, WA x Polish, and 3 Polish girls to start laying. They should all lay blue or white, right??? So this fart egg COULDN'T be a first egg from any of them, right? Do laying hens, who are laying large eggs, just lay one of these micro eggs every now and then? I have only seen them as a first egg. Somebody reassure me, please!

 

[gckiddhouse]

Quote:

constance!! I haven't dealt with this one, but several folks on this thread have. Someone will be able to help you soon. Hope your ladies get better soon.