Arizona Chickens

[Parront]

Any people in the Phoenix area who want some Duck eggs, PM me and I will take them with me tomorrow.

 

[BlueBaby]

Last Saturday, according to the hatch-a-long, but there is a week on either side for that. No -- just the season when people might like to have baby ducklings. I do not think that people who just want them for Easter would be good people to buy my chicks, anyway. Up here, it is still pretty cold for brooding them before mid-April. It is supposed to be in the teens again here tomorrow night. This ought to be the last cold spell!

I don't want any live duck's, but I would buy one that was already done up and frozen, or some canned duck and canned duck broth.

 

[Parront]

I don't want any live duck's, but I would buy one that was already done up and frozen, or some canned duck and canned duck broth.

So would I! I think my labor yesterday was worth about $1.00/hr!

 

[Parront]

You do need a plan for all the boys. PLUCKER machine would be a good plan, prior to thinking of hatching those eggs. Even the largest was only 4.25 pounds live, did not weigh him parted out. The white drake was not really worth the effort. Those should be done the second you see a curly tail!

 

[CaroleW]

You do need a plan for all the boys. PLUCKER machine would be a good plan, prior to thinking of hatching those eggs. Even the largest was only 4.25 pounds live, did not weigh him parted out. The white drake was not really worth the effort. Those should be done the second you see a curly tail!

There are some alternatives to the expensive pluckers. Plucker fingers on a drill attachment (available thru Coops and More in TX) or similar or might even be able to install those fingers inside a plucker dedicated washing machine tub. Yes I've heard you have to harvest ducks at precise times because all the pinfeathers. The big harvest operations actually wax the carcass after plucking to get the pinfeathers.

 

[Parront]

There are some alternatives to the expensive pluckers. Plucker fingers on a drill attachment (available thru Coops and More in TX) or similar or might even be able to install those fingers inside a plucker dedicated washing machine tub. Yes I've heard you have to harvest ducks at precise times because all the pinfeathers. The big harvest operations actually wax the carcass after plucking to get the pinfeathers.

Actually, wax works on the slight fuzz of the down. Lots of down on these guys. I singe it off over the stove burner. The reason I like duck is the skin, but they are very fuzzy. I am sure the Pekins I used to have had less feathers! (Or am I just getting old, and thinking things were easier when I was younger)? I am retired, lots of days I do not even earn $1.00 an hour for my time, so I am calling it a learning experience.

 

[CaroleW]

You might become a hatch-a-holic after all, huh?

She's tilting the carton - first sign that you're a hatch-a-holic. She's gonna hatch!

 

[MooseHabit]

Have you also checked their vent's for the lice or mites? What about the leg's? How's their poop Look?

They are on a layer feed and calcium. They have a dust bath with DE in it. My BO def had lice, I knew by checking her vent, but I don't see any today. Her legs look kind of irritated but not sure if that's normal or not? Her poop is on the runny side but again as I'm new to chickens I'm not sure if it's a normal runny or a bad runny. I'll try the garlic. I have dried lavender and rosemary, wonder if either of those herbs would help in the coop?

 

[CaroleW]

They are on a layer feed and calcium. They have a dust bath with DE in it. My BO def had lice, I knew by checking her vent, but I don't see any today. Her legs look kind of irritated but not sure if that's normal or not? Her poop is on the runny side but again as I'm new to chickens I'm not sure if it's a normal runny or a bad runny. I'll try the garlic. I have dried lavender and rosemary, wonder if either of those herbs would help in the coop?

Olsen's in Chino Valley (probably other locations too) has some herb supplement mixes for poultry. Not sure if on website but I took a pic of them...

I've used extra herbs & stems from my garden -rosemary, marjoram or oregano- in my coops before & sometimes they eat them. It is supposed to help deter all sorts of pest.

 

[BlueBaby]

Actually, wax works on the slight fuzz of the down. Lots of down on these guys. I singe it off over the stove burner. The reason I like duck is the skin, but they are very fuzzy. I am sure the Pekins I used to have had less feathers! (Or am I just getting old, and thinking things were easier when I was younger)? I am retired, lots of days I do not even earn $1.00 an hour for my time, so I am calling it a learning experience.

Maybe they were so fuzzy because they were still wearing the winter coats?