Arizona Chickens

[BlueBaby]

My 6 egg's went into lockdown today for the Saturday hatch. So far, the humidity seems to be holding steady at 69%.

 

[Coffee N Chickens]

That's why I start gardening in raised beds - if I fill those then I find some softer areas in ground. Although my greenhouse is less than half it's original 1969 size So there are lanes of concrete paths and ground outside the GH that we've filled with chicken house bedding and fallen branches and chipped branches - Perfect for future garden beds. Might need to get an electric fence around it all to keep skunk from digging in all that soft ground.

We are getting soaked again - and big winds now - everyone take care!

What do you use to build your greenhouse? A friend said that a wood frame with plastic will just tear apart in the wind, and the wind gets bad out here with nothing to stop it.

Lucky here so far--the snakes near the house haven't been rattlers. *fingers crossed*

 

[cavemanrich]

The hardness is from all of the kolache.

Had to Google that,,, this is what I came up with

 

[CaroleW]

What do you use to build your greenhouse? A friend said that a wood frame with plastic will just tear apart in the wind, and the wind gets bad out here with nothing to stop it.

Lucky here so far--the snakes near the house haven't been rattlers. *fingers crossed*

It's a 50 year old GH according to the concrete date Dec 24, 1969 (we didn't build it) - it's a huge commercial size GH about 30x64' and about 12' tall at top of hoop, with concrete paths and dirt alternating but we built up raised beds inside (before wood prices skyrocketed).

It has double steel hoops every 4 feet with wood framed end walls. We have a new cover to replace the 6 mil poly cover - to be installed in fall. New cover is clear woven 14 mil laminated cover from Northern Greenhouse (this material is recommended in Joel Salatin's new farm build book) which is supposed to diffuse light more than clear cover and be more puncture resistant than the 6 mil poly. Plastic cover is secured with a "wiggle wire" system - key to holding plastic on in winds.

Right now we have an 50% Aluminet shadecloth over the poly. Each side poly flaps roll up about 30" from ground and we have hardware cloth screening on that to keep out larger pest like rabbits.

 

[CaroleW]

Ok - here's what I did to keep latest NN chick from scratching his neck - little boots of painter tape on bottom and t-shirt material on top. Then I put it back in incuview incubator with temp set down to 90.

I remembered @BlueBaby mentioning boots to correct a chick foot a while back - so I thought it would work to keep from scratching itself. Thank you for sharing that with us!

I expected to wake up to it without boots on and scratching self probably to death. But the boots STAYED ON! Yay Boots! Not out of the woods yet - we will see if it survives.

 

[wolfwalker]

I have to wonder if all this rain is causing snakes to move more. I ended up taking care of another rattler this morning. it was hiding near the greenhouse door. Of course I did not see it until I opened the door, then it was between me and the snake grabber which was just inside the greenhouse. Of course the dang thing had to go into the greenhouse. Ticked me off but the axe got an extra heavy swing for its troubles.

we got another .20 inches of rain last night and they are now sayin we will be getting severe storms down here over the weekend. JOY...not

 

[Parront]

It's nice to hear a rooster crow. I'm sure they do miss him. Do you know which of the neighbors turned you in for having a rooster?

BTW, you didn't share any rain with me. It got dark, cloudy, and acted like it would storm, but that's about it.

Most of the people who sold eggs at the farmer's market in Flagstaff just used a label and stuck it on their egg cartons. That's the same farmer's marked where I bought those eggs with chicks inside some years ago that I told you about. The seller of those eggs was from Camp Verde.

Yes, I know who reported me. The guy across the street likes to blast his music loud, and when we asked him to turn it down his wife said they would report our rooster. They are really obnoxious, now last night they have installed a super-bright light aimed right at our house.

 

[Parront]

That's why I start gardening in raised beds - if I fill those then I find some softer areas in ground. Although my greenhouse is less than half it's original 1969 size So there are lanes of concrete paths and ground outside the GH that we've filled with chicken house bedding and fallen branches and chipped branches - Perfect for future garden beds. Might need to get an electric fence around it all to keep skunk from digging in all that soft ground.

We are getting soaked again - and big winds now - everyone take care!

Electric fence is the best! Are you allowed to rebuild your greenhouse to it's original size?

 

[BlueBaby]

Ok - here's what I did to keep latest NN chick from scratching his neck - little boots of painter tape on bottom and t-shirt material on top. Then I put it back in incuview incubator with temp set down to 90.

I remembered @BlueBaby mentioning boots to correct a chick foot a while back - so I thought it would work to keep from scratching itself. Thank you for sharing that with us!

I expected to wake up to it without boots on and scratching self probably to death. But the boots STAYED ON! Yay Boots! Not out of the woods yet - we will see if it survives.

If it work's, that's all that matter's, huh?

I have to wonder if all this rain is causing snakes to move more. I ended up taking care of another rattler this morning. it was hiding near the greenhouse door. Of course I did not see it until I opened the door, then it was between me and the snake grabber which was just inside the greenhouse. Of course the dang thing had to go into the greenhouse. Ticked me off but the axe got an extra heavy swing for its troubles.

we got another .20 inches of rain last night and they are now sayin we will be getting severe storms down here over the weekend. JOY...not

You must have a rattle snake pit or nest somewhere close by if you are getting that many of them.

Yes, I know who reported me. The guy across the street likes to blast his music loud, and when we asked him to turn it down his wife said they would report our rooster. They are really obnoxious, now last night they have installed a super-bright light aimed right at our house.

Really? It sound's like they are spying on you now?

 

[Parront]

I think he is paranoid. He does not seem to have a job, but drives a nice car, and he is always making short trips day and night. I do not like the light because it is blindingly bright and is shining on the ducks all night -- it keeps them awake and they quack. Too much light can bring them into lay too young and then they might always lay small eggs. I think I did that to my Barred Hollands, accidentally.

If it work's, that's all that mater's, huh?


You must have a rattle snake pit or nest somewhere close by if you are getting that many of them.


Really? It sound's like they are spying on you now?