Arizona Chickens

[Tonopah Pati]

Woke up to Rain in Tonopah, and it is still raining! We sure need this rain. All of my chickens got wet, I think they wanted a shower, it has really been hot and dusty. I did not get my bucket completed that I was working on, to keep the feed dry. It is still on the work bench, waiting for me to drill the holes and get a lid. In the mean time having nothing else to use, I put my large umbrella over the feeder and tied the handle on, ( Another Rub Goldberg ) Not only there but I tied another umbrella to a roosting pole and the fence. Willy Boy Roosts there at night. ( I built him a Batchlor Pad ) He hangs out in it during the heat of the day. I stayed out in the pen to see if he would jump up on the Roost under the umbrella. Lo and behold he jumped right up there. What a Boy. Mr. Peep keeps Willy Boy on one side of the pen and is checking all this out. N

:yiipchickot quite sure what place he is going to stay at. The girls are in the hutches and the loft doing their thing. (laying eggs) and hanging out. I also put some pans of feed in the hutches for them. I am going back out there to check how it is going.

 

[AZKat]

I posted the full story here but the short version is that my trust in my son's ability to be alone with the chicks was sadly, sadly misplaced, and we lost one today. I know that losses happen, but this one was so stupid, and so preventable.

 

[ArizonaDesertChicks]

Quote:
I'm sorry. It's just a mistake though - I would have done the same thing and trusted my kids to watch them while I worked also. Your son didn't mean any harm and I'm sure he knows better now.

We had new chicks a few years ago and I always had the kids sit down very carefully when they held them, but still ended up with an accident - a cousin accidently stepped on one, which killed it (none of the kids realized what had happened and I didn't tell them because I didn't want my girls to be mad at their cousin or the cousin to feel bad).

 

[ArizonaDesertChicks]

I have a 12 week old light brahma that is probably a roo, but I'm hoping it's a pullet so we can keep her. It's one that our broody hen hatched for us and the only light brahma we have -- I REALLY hope she's a girl.

 

[DM]

Well, one of my 3 hens is definitely a roo. He is fancier from head to toe, bigger, keeps the others in line and struts.

The three of them sleep together, eat together, walk together and steal each others grape treats all the time. So fun to watch. Anyway he has not crowed, though he did make a quiet type sound similar to a crow it never developed. hope to avoid this as he will have to go if he crows.

I looked up how and why they crow and think I just might avoid it:

They crow to attract the hens,
They crow to call the hens
They crow in response to another roos crow.
They crow to prove they are boss.

Any way none of these situations are present in my backyard. they are like one unit all the time a cute little family and so fun to watch.

 

[Heelers&Chickens_OhMy]

Quote:
What do you mean you have none of those situations in your backyard? Roos crow to hear themselves talk! I had a roo I culled - he couldn't shut up once he figured out he could do it. He started crowing right at the 12 week mark.

 

[DM]

Oh... I do no know anything anyway....I am new to this stuff. After reading a few crow articles, I was just guessing. He is about 18 weeks old and I somehow have escaped the crow...maybe they need to hear another one crow????? Will let you know when it happens... He will have to go when it does.

 

[Tonopah Pati]

I had a RIR Roo who didn't Crow until 22 weeks. Two other Roo's in same area that had been Crowing for weeks. He was my biggest and so handsome. Alas!

I had to let him go! When he did start to Crow, the song was so gravel like. Not a nice Rooster song. But I loveed Big Red. RIP

My other two, Mr. Peep and WillyBoy Crow when something different happens in the yard, also starting at 4:am. They Crow together and each has a different voice that harmonize. I like it! Boy's doing boy things. LOL!

 

[Tonopah Pati]

Wow! another heat wave to hit AZ. today. We have had a break but now we get it again. I will have to turn on the misters. I started letting my flock out around 6:am for a little time out in the yard. They sure head for the shrubs to check under, running here and there, talking all the time. Mr Peep has a big job trying to keep his girls away from WillyBoy. Now WillyBoy is slick! He will wait until Mr. Peep is busy, then he herds his two favorite girls back to the pen or far enough away that he can have some girl time. When Mr. Peep see's what is going on he chases WillyBoy. You should see WillyBoy strut his stuff, then calls the girls again. This is so funny to watch. I had to start calling him SLICK. It is so much fun to have the time to watch the birds in their day by day life.

 

[rufus]

I am surprised that AZkats' chicks made it alive. We always avoided ordering chicks in the summer. The post office must have air conditioning now.

My son put a dozen eggs to hatch. They were laid during the day, and so were subject to something like 110 degree heat. We are not sure if it ruined them or not.

Time will tell. However, a neighbor has hens setting on eggs. It would seem that they would not do that if it was too hot.

Rufus