Arizona Chickens

[Bob's Henhouse]

ChrystalGail, I understand your predicament. I was awakened this morning to hear my rooters 'alarming' and running around, found the neighbor's dog from about 1/4 mile away had gotten the door to their makeshift house open and was chasing them around. Doesn't look like it got anyone, but, darn it, neither did I. One was playing dead, I was surprised. I guess the coyote traps go back up tonight.

update, Fluffy is missing. He was a silver/blue cochin. He must have been the silver/blue babies dad.

 

[Beckyhsinglsc]

I went out the other day to find that the chickens(5) had trapped a feral cat in the garden.
The garden is fenced so the chickens couldn't get in, but the cat didn't want to come out.
When I went out there he ran past me instead of the chickens and the chickens chased him out of the yard.
They seemed so proud of themselves!
I guess that'll keep him away from the chicks.

 

[Mahonri]

Coop is swept and mopped, roosts and nests boxes sprayed, trench along the run dug out and buried in the garden, yard swept, patio swept, hair cut, cleaned the pool and deck and now I'm sitting out back with my laptop on the little dinner table next to my bar b que waiting for my filet minon and salmon to cook. Productive morning... DS#4 will mow the front lawn and tend his younger siblings while we go to Mesa and then after to my son's play. Our friends from Casa Grande dropped their little boy off to play with our kids so the younger kids chores in the house are not getting done... :-( Just found out my niece is getting married on the 15th of this month... now to look for flights.

3 eggs so far today. 2 FBCMs and 1 little Ameraucana pullet egg.

 

[ChrystalGail]

It has been the day for animals in need... I found a cute little Chihuahua in the closed nursery next door. She is super sweet & cute. I just hope I can find her owners. She has fleas and two small holes in her hip that look like she got attacked by another dog. When I found her she pushed her her head into my hand as hard as she could & closed her eyes. It just kills me to think someone is missing such a sweet pup.... :'(

 

[mclevinson]

It's been a great day. DH and I built and filled 2 raised beds for the garden. Am researching coops and plotting to get 6 chickens. I think I will get some 5 month ready to lay in February. That gives me months to scrounge for coop materials and convince DH we need chickens

. Tired but happy in Gilbert.

 

[ChrystalGail]

Quote:
Congratulations! And welcome!

 

[Gallo del Cielo]

mclevinson, greetings from Tucson! Welcome to our AZ thread.

ChrystalGail, I hope you find that pup's owners. Do you think it was abandoned?

Bob's Henhouse, what happened to Fluffy?!

Beckyhsinglsc, that was a great cat story. My chickens were used to act just like that to my cats.

alanb, Hi there!

 

[ChrystalGail]

Quote:
I'm not sure. I went to the nearby RV park and trailer park to see if anyone reported one missing, but no luck. I also posted an ad on CL. On Monday I'm going to take her to my hubby's pd so they can scan her for a microchip. I'm also going to put an ad in the paper and make some flyers. If it all fails, we have a new member of the family. It looks as though she was bit by a bigger dog on her back. I gave her a bath & cleaned out her wounds then flea dipped her. She is now snuggled in my hubby's armpit. Lol...

 

[AZKat]

Becky: Great story about the cat. The cats give my chickens a very wide berth, but one of them got too close, and the whole flock chased after her. I've never seen a cat move so fast as that cat did as she ran up the fence an out of the yard.

Mahonri: I thank you for the offer, and I may take you up on it when I need a new roo. In the meantime, I think I'll keep Jayne. He's got everything I want in a rooster, he's handsome, polite, takes good care of his flock, doesn't make too much noise and doesn't have any bad habits. Plus, I get upwards of 90% fertillity on his eggs.

 

[NoSkiveez]

Needy animals aren't stopping at just your place. I have a cuckoo marans pullet in the dog crate on the porch. She's all torn up on her back and in pretty bad shape. I was out in the coop about 2 hours ago and saw her laying with the juvies, thought it was odd but didn't give it much thought. Hubby just went in to check on the chicks and noticed the pullet down. He stood her up and she fell over so he brought her to the porch. I couldn't figure out what happened to her and I started looking at the other cuckoo marans that I suspected to be a roo...but its got to be a pullet as well. Her back is being torn up (but not as badly as the other one) so I was looking to see which is the rooster and to my delight I found two. Both Buff Orpingtons. That's one more than I need. I don't know why I didn't see this before. These two are clearly roosters. Sometimes I'm such a dip stick. One is a hatchery rooster. He's far better looking so i think I will keep that one. So, the "violated" hen will camp out in the porch tonight. She's very traumatized.

I've also got a stray cat hanging out here. Its crying by the door. I fed it the other day because I felt sorry for it. Looks like its cat trap time. I hope CGPD or the pound gives loaner traps out.