Arizona Chickens

[starri33]

Thought that they lived longer than that, my girls are coming up on 3 y.o. been sitting here thinking that I might start raising dual purpose.. especially if I am going to be hatching a lot..

 

[DesertChic]

So sex links don’t live very long my son is gonna be so upset! We have 3 of the black sex links. Big girls and so sweet and great layers. They are almost a year old now. Speaking of going to the store have any of you tried the Walmart buy online and pick up? Omg it is absolutely amazing! I start my cart a week in advance add things as I need them then pick them up. I am saving at least $150/week not buying crap I don’t need! I do not buy my meats or veggies/fruits this way. But definitely a time and money saver!

I have a Black Sex Link that's now 3 years old and healthy as can be. If I let her, I bet she'd live for several more years. She doesn't lay nearly as many eggs now, but she's vibrant and lively, and active and effective hunter, and quite friendly, though not affectionate. This is part of the reason why I don't use supplemental light in 'cool' season. I find that my birds live longer, healthier lives if I allow their bodies to do what needs to be done each season.

Then again, I also butcher chickens for food, so keeping them healthy, even when they stop laying, still provides me with food. I know that's not for everyone. I also know many people who simply prefer an ample supply of eggs all year round. Different strokes for different folks and all that jazz.

 

[DesertChic]

@starri33 I'm in the rural area outside Casa Grande/Eloy - about half way in between. We have an Eloy address/post office. I too can't drink coffee like I used to. Alaska folks drink coffee all day and all night. It was a hard habit to let go of but my body told me NO!!
Lost one of my 6 year old girls - a SexLink - can you believe it - she lived past 6 years!! It was just her time. SexLinks often don't make it past 3 years I have found. So I'm down to 32 chickens now - hahahaha........ I still have molters - they seem to molt one after the other - I can hear them now. "sister, you almost done with the new feather gig? s: ya - time to get started for you now." So while I keep clearing the feathers they just keep coming.
I do need to go and get greens for the chickies but I also have a doctor appointment tomorrow - I'm off to look to see if there are substitutes in my fridge - still too early after that ugly day to go to a store!! Stay well all....

Down to 32 chickens? I so envy you. I'm "DOWN" to 74 chickens. And I've promised my husband that I won't hatch anymore until I'm down to 60 chickens at most.

 

[meetthebubus]

@starri33 I'm in the rural area outside Casa Grande/Eloy - about half way in between. We have an Eloy address/post office. I too can't drink coffee like I used to. Alaska folks drink coffee all day and all night. It was a hard habit to let go of but my body told me NO!!
Lost one of my 6 year old girls - a SexLink - can you believe it - she lived past 6 years!! It was just her time. SexLinks often don't make it past 3 years I have found. So I'm down to 32 chickens now - hahahaha........ I still have molters - they seem to molt one after the other - I can hear them now. "sister, you almost done with the new feather gig? s: ya - time to get started for you now." So while I keep clearing the feathers they just keep coming.
I do need to go and get greens for the chickies but I also have a doctor appointment tomorrow - I'm off to look to see if there are substitutes in my fridge - still too early after that ugly day to go to a store!! Stay well all....

So sorry for your loss! I'm glad she lived so long with you!
Before when you said you lived near Eloy area I figured by eleven mile corner lol

So sex links don’t live very long my son is gonna be so upset! We have 3 of the black sex links. Big girls and so sweet and great layers. They are almost a year old now. Speaking of going to the store have any of you tried the Walmart buy online and pick up? Omg it is absolutely amazing! I start my cart a week in advance add things as I need them then pick them up. I am saving at least $150/week not buying crap I don’t need! I do not buy my meats or veggies/fruits this way. But definitely a time and money saver!

I bet it's bc they are hybrid, the links as to why they may not live long
I haven't tried it, the pickup in either Wal-Mart or frys I was tempted before due to time, but I felt weird doing it for some reason, but I bet you are right not picking up extras bc they look,good... lol

 

[meetthebubus]

So I hope you all see this post, I was reading in another thread on byc, and someone mentions
Spirulina as a supplement to help prevent heat stress I think, I'm going yo do more research on it as I am always a cynic and a critic first lol

now like help spirulina is a good source of essential vitamins and minerals thatchickens need and. ... the study showed that chickens. fed spirulina. and vitamin E who are actually able to combat heat stress better than chickens that warrant.Jun 5, 2016


http://spirulinafoodandfeed.com/?page_id=230

 

[Michelle Guynn]

Come to Waddell

We are looking there also!

 

[Michelle Guynn]

So what is the first thing Matilda does when I let her out this morning.....roll in the dirt. She was so pretty and smelled good for the show. Oh well back to being a chicken.

 

[FeatherPugs]

@meetthebubus - I AM off 11 mile corner road - about 3 miles'ish from the fairgrounds! Spot on. I'm going to look at the Walmart thing - and see if it works to keep adding as I go. I like that idea. Keep checking on the spirulina thing. Maybe @DesertChic has done some research too. 74 chickens! Girl - I agree (kinda) with your hubby - that's too much work for just you to do. Well it would be for me!
Now back to those Sex Links. Almost always I've found they pass away after they reach the 3 year old mark. I don't know why - they look healthy and happy but just pass on. Like I said my golden that just passed was a 6 year old. The one before that was a black girl who was 4. That's generally the way it goes. I have two reds that are just passing 3 and they have become very chatty and clingy. Not generally their behavior. I noticed that with the golden too. Just observations here at my yard. Not for everybody's yard. Interesting I think. I've made up a chicken starter gruel with high amounts of oregano and other vitamins - it won't hurt any of them to eat it.

 

[Suzyqschickens]

We are looking there also!

We could be neighbors!!!

 

[BlueBaby]

So true.. for a while after leaving the work force, I would go to bed late, wake up at 3 or 4, took me over a year to remember I wasn't working anymore..lol. Nothing like jumping out of bed, thinking your running late and then going well hell, I'm no longer working. As long as the cats are not using the bed for a race track or my belly for bouncing.. I can generally sleep till 5 or 6 now.

Yes, and it's so hard at first trying to get your body to get used to your change in schedule for a night time job, but it's even harder to un-train your body afterward's it seems.