Arizona Chickens

[BlueBaby]

Mine are just finishing up their molt. I'm in Tucson and guessing molt will vary a little with our areas.

It might also depend on the age of breed also I think.

 

[Hopeful homesteader]

It might also depend on the age of breed also I think.

They turned 1 this past May/June, 4 Wyandottes, 3 speckled Sussex, and 1 dark Brahma

 

[BlueBaby]

They turned 1 this past May/June, 4 Wyandottes, 3 speckled Sussex, and 1 dark Brahma

Well, when they start their molt you will know it, because it will look like they have a pillow fight going on out there.

 

[Hopeful homesteader]

Well, when they start their molt you will know it, because it will look like they have a pillow fight going on out there.

There are some feathers out there but I also have some birds going through their juvenile molt and I can tell these loose feathers are coming from them. My rooster has just lost all his long tail feathers within the last few days but otherwise I don't see anything else from the mature ones so maybe it's just starting. I am planning to give them eggs for a protein boost, is once a week ok or do you offer it more often?

 

[ChicksnMore]

I've been finding lots of these around my yard, they are western spotted orb weaver spiders. They just appeared one weekend in August after a storm. They are harmless but larger than black widows and make huge webs, here's one in my gardenView attachment 3267509I asked my husband to remove the majority of them cause they kept spinning webs out in the walkway but this one I've left alone cause it's stayed in the back corner of my garden where I cant get to and it's eating lots of flies.

Same here... we've had a few years where those guys just go nuts at our house. This year is definitely one of them! My garden feels like a spiderweb jungle these days.

 

[BlueBaby]

There are some feathers out there but I also have some birds going through their juvenile molt and I can tell these loose feathers are coming from them. My rooster has just lost all his long tail feathers within the last few days but otherwise I don't see anything else from the mature ones so maybe it's just starting. I am planning to give them eggs for a protein boost, is once a week ok or do you offer it more often?

I just add them on Sunday's. I chop up 5 of the hard boiled egg's and then mix it in so that everyone can get a bite or so of them. There are currently 8 out there including my rooster. I haven't moved the 2 pullet's out there into the grow out pen yet, but I need to do it soon as I will be needing the brooder for my next hatch.

 

[cavemanrich]

I am planning to give them eggs for a protein boost, is once a week ok or do you offer it more often?

You can eat your eggs and offer your chickens extra protein from dry cat food. View my Avatar, and see what my chickens like to raid.

 

[BlueBaby]

@cavemanrich I don't have a cat, so I never buy any cat food. I do have more then enough egg's for eating, so I let them have some back.

 

[Hopeful homesteader]

You can eat your eggs and offer your chickens extra protein from dry cat food. View my Avatar, and see what my chickens like to raid.

I have a designated carton for the chickens, they are the dirtiest eggs that I recycle back to them rather than waste them. I don't get a whole lot of dirty eggs but it works with no extra expense.

 

[CaroleW]

I have a designated carton for the chickens, they are the dirtiest eggs that I recycle back to them rather than waste them. I don't get a whole lot of dirty eggs but it works with no extra expense.

Yes I also have some dirty eggs that go to dogs and chickens, especially when molt starts.