Arizona Chickens

[BlueBaby]

The other chicks are ok, because I moved them to the other cage that wasn't sitting next to the one that the fire ants were in. There sure was a bumper crop of ant's this year. I had to be at war with them all summer, and they still aren't all gone? I've been patrolling all 3 1/2 acres here!

 

[Michelle Guynn]

I’m so sorry. That is awful.

Yes ants are bad here also. I noticed after all that rain the were gone for about a week. Now slowly retuning. I wonder if flooding helps reduce them?

 

[meetthebubus]

Sorry, I've been so quite today. I've been out in the coop and pen. I discovered that some fire ant's had a mound going in one of my chick grow out pens. 3 chicks in there were dead and covered with those ants. I removed the rest of the chicks from that pen, and put them in the other pen that I used to use for my extra roo's. Now I have to get back in there to take care of those darned ant's!

That is horrible poor babies! So sorry! All the work and effort one puts into them to have them stolen in that way! Ants love to come out in a flurry right before rain, and right after until it gets too cold

 

[DesertChic]

My hens are all between 1.5 and 2 yrs old, and I think they're done for the season...I probably should have been more specific! I guess my question was: When adult laying hens stop laying for the season, about what time of year do they start laying again in this region? I know it varies from one individual to the next, but what would you say is a good "ballpark estimate?" February? March?

Last year I had several birds stop laying in November and resume in January. Egg pickings were getting pretty slim around here in December and I had some very unhappy customers who had to resort to store-bought eggs.

 

[DesertChic]

Sorry, I've been so quite today. I've been out in the coop and pen. I discovered that some fire ant's had a mound going in one of my chick grow out pens. 3 chicks in there were dead and covered with those ants. I removed the rest of the chicks from that pen, and put them in the other pen that I used to use for my extra roo's. Now I have to get back in there to take care of those darned ant's!

OMG! That's awful! That's the kind of stuff my nightmares are made of right there. Dang ants!

 

[DesertChic]

Well, I know this isn't chicken related, but I also know you guys will understand. One week and two days ago, my beloved Schipperke went from being lively and healthy to suddenly not eating (Saturday night). By Sunday morning he didn't even want to move so we drove an hour to take him to the emergency vet and were somewhat unprepared when they told us we had to leave him there. For the past week he fought hard to recover and we drove up there and home every single day to visit with him so he'd know we hadn't abandoned him, but last night his condition took a significant turn for the worse, and this morning we had to have him euthanized. He was my heart, and though he loved my husband and son, we all knew he was MY dog and bonded with me from the moment we met.

Those of you who've loved and lost fur babies know how deeply it hurts. Morgan got me through a lot of really hard times and I miss him terribly. My heart is broken.

This is one of the last photos I took of him, last week on one of his 'good' days.

 

[SonoranChick]

@BlueBaby I'm sorry to hear about your chicks. The ants have really been a nightmare lately. I'll be happy when it's too cold for them to be out. We have been battling the ants that came out with the rains this month. We had a hole pop up in the run. It's so frustrating because I can't do anything to kill them in the run, except stomp on them and pour boiling water down there...but they kept returning everyday. We found an additional hole outside the run and began poising that daily last week, and my husband thinks we finally got the queen because as of yesterday they have all left. I hope you are able to get rid of them all soon!

 

[SonoranChick]

Well, I know this isn't chicken related, but I also know you guys will understand. One week and two days ago, my beloved Schipperke went from being lively and healthy to suddenly not eating (Saturday night). By Sunday morning he didn't even want to move so we drove an hour to take him to the emergency vet and were somewhat unprepared when they told us we had to leave him there. For the past week he fought hard to recover and we drove up there and home every single day to visit with him so he'd know we hadn't abandoned him, but last night his condition took a significant turn for the worse, and this morning we had to have him euthanized. He was my heart, and though he loved my husband and son, we all knew he was MY dog and bonded with me from the moment we met.

Those of you who've loved and lost fur babies know how deeply it hurts. Morgan got me through a lot of really hard times and I miss him terribly. My heart is broken.

This is one of the last photos I took of him, last week on one of his 'good' days.

View attachment 1568438

I am so very sorry to hear this news. I know how bad it hurts your heart. My boy Bentley, who we had to say goodbye to a few weeks ago, will welcome your sweet Morgan on the other side. It is so hard, but try to remember that he is no longer suffering and he knew how much you loved him.
"The soul would have no rainbow if the eyes had no tears" -Minquass

 

[BlueBaby]

Well, I know this isn't chicken related, but I also know you guys will understand. One week and two days ago, my beloved Schipperke went from being lively and healthy to suddenly not eating (Saturday night). By Sunday morning he didn't even want to move so we drove an hour to take him to the emergency vet and were somewhat unprepared when they told us we had to leave him there. For the past week he fought hard to recover and we drove up there and home every single day to visit with him so he'd know we hadn't abandoned him, but last night his condition took a significant turn for the worse, and this morning we had to have him euthanized. He was my heart, and though he loved my husband and son, we all knew he was MY dog and bonded with me from the moment we met.

Those of you who've loved and lost fur babies know how deeply it hurts. Morgan got me through a lot of really hard times and I miss him terribly. My heart is broken.

This is one of the last photos I took of him, last week on one of his 'good' days.

View attachment 1568438

Sorry that you lost your dog. I understand how it feels to have to loose your dog that you have grown so close to over the years. Do you raise Schipperke's?

 

[BlueBaby]

@BlueBaby I'm sorry to hear about your chicks. The ants have really been a nightmare lately. I'll be happy when it's too cold for them to be out. We have been battling the ants that came out with the rains this month. We had a hole pop up in the run. It's so frustrating because I can't do anything to kill them in the run, except stomp on them and pour boiling water down there...but they kept returning everyday. We found an additional hole outside the run and began poising that daily last week, and my husband thinks we finally got the queen because as of yesterday they have all left. I hope you are able to get rid of them all soon!

I can't believe how bad they have been this year! I've been fighting them for month's now. I even got a bunch of them when I seen that they had wing's, and those are the breeder one's! I'll be glad when I can see the end of them! I refuse to use natural repellents for them, because they will come back as soon as the repellent would wear off.

About that hole that you have, put some ant poison down for them, and then block off the spot where the chickens can't get into it.