Arizona Chickens

[CrazyerThanAverage]

Greetings everyone! I've been lurking, but haven't posted recently. Thanks to everyone who gave advice and offers to help with my sick chickens back in JAN/FEB. 6 of 7 made it and they are healthy enough now that they have started to lay. Yeah!

I have been reading enviously of all the folks who have broody hens, I would love to raises some chicks under a hen. (I don't have the facilities to raise them otherwise.) Well, I finally have a broody hen!!!!

Betsy has been in the nesting box for 48 hours and "growls" at me whenever I come close. She seems to be taking good care of two fake eggs. (I keep taking hers.) Does anyone in the Tucson area have some fertile eggs I can stick under her? I have 1 rooster with 30 hens (hawk protection) so my fertility rate would be dreadful. I think 6 would be a good number to try. I am willing to buy them and pick up. I would need them to be from standard size chickens so the chicks would fit into my flock. I'm starting to get hatching fever already!

 

[rufus]

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I suspect pasty butt is caused by a lack of some chemical or organism that occurs in the soil. Chicks hatched by hens don't seem to suffer from it. We always put a little soil into the brooder for the chicks to tear through. It seems to work.

And about a heat source for chicks, well feed store clerks are all about selling stuff. We just have an old 40 watt light bulb mounted on a board. That is covered with a terra cotta pot. When the chicks are cold, they can move closer to it; when they are hot, they can move away from it. It is up to them. This works for us.

Rufus

 

[tofuranch]

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Some states you have to be...to ship out eggs or to get them

Arizona is not one of the states that requires this. If you want to ship to NPIP state then you need to get certified.

 

[tofuranch]

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I suspect pasty butt is caused by a lack of some chemical or organism that occurs in the soil. Chicks hatched by hens don't seem to suffer from it. We always put a little soil into the brooder for the chicks to tear through. It seems to work.

And about a heat source for chicks, well feed store clerks are all about selling stuff. We just have an old 40 watt light bulb mounted on a board. That is covered with a terra cotta pot. When the chicks are cold, they can move closer to it; when they are hot, they can move away from it. It is up to them. This works for us.

Rufus

Yep...heat lamp is just a 60 watt bulb in a clamp on lamp....heating chicks doesn't have to be hard to do at all

 

[arizonadreamer]

Anyone here in Arizona with me have some chicks or eggs under the following breeds? I am looking for Delaware's, Brahma's, Plymouth Rock's, or Holland, in that particular order. I'm wanting to add some Meat to my hobby. I prefer hatched over eggs because I have no way to hatch eggs. Thanks..

 

[mclevinson]

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I hatched two trader joes Leghorns on Thursday that anybody can have (sex unknown).

Wow. How cool is that?

 

[mclevinson]

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I'm sorry about your peep. As to the extra grains, I could buy some. Need to make some kefir!

 

[arizonadreamer]

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6 weeks is kinda standard. I have mine under lamps until 9 weeks or so only because I am paranoid like that.

@ being paranoid... Like a mother hen you think?? I just realized under your name you listed you have one not so hairless dog, I thought all this time it said hairless..

.. Hey, have you seen the golden Spitz? I saw a picture of one at a breeders back in England and it is gorgeous.. Wish I had

As for the comment you text-ed me last night, had I seen those first I would have never considered owning any of them (the spitz) they are UGLY UGLY UGLY..

 

[arizonadreamer]

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I hatched two trader joes Leghorns on Thursday that anybody can have (sex unknown).

Wow. How cool is that?

That is sooooo kewl on the hatch.. How many eggs did you process for the hatch? If I had a bator I would try that just for fun.. R the leghorns the ones who are duel purpose but noisy. My neighbor complains that is dog can here my chickens and it makes him bark all the time.. Don't believe that is why his dog barks as he lives across the street. Need quiet chickens nonetheless.

 

[constance]

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Oh, I'm impressed! The feeder is very nice! Well done!

I'm inspired. I'll have to borrow tools, which kills me, I used to build custom furniture and I go so very spoiled with the pro-grade tools the company had in the shop. So spoiled that I resist doing any woodworking now, which is ridiculous.

Your alpacas are lovely; such nice, kind eyes.