Arizona Chickens

[queenrilly]

Hi everyone, my name's April, I'm a 23 y/o stay at home mom. We currently live in an apartment in mesa, but once our lease is up we're getting a house in Golden Valley...or somewhere thereabouts, around May-ish.
Was looking at Kingman, but they don't allow BYC! That's OK, I plan on getting hubby a job at one of the casinos in Laughlin and GV is 15 miles closer. LOL, of course the drive is nothing compared to getting to work in the city, although people up there think you're crazy for driving that far! I guess if I hadn't been stuck in the city for 9 years I would think its a long ways to work too. I timed it last time we went from kingman to Laughlin though and it only took about 20 minutes. Less than hubby drives now, and no rush hour! (Currently he's driving from mesa to n-phoenix after getting transferred from the Tempe location. )
Been stalking around the AZ thread for a few days... Got to the last 50 or so pages and couldn't not post anything by now lol, I feel like I know everyone!
Anyways! Part of the entire reason I want to buy a house is to get my dog and cats back from my parents. And have chickens! (And eventually a milking goat or cow..maybe some geese or turkeys..), and a big green garden! FOOD.
I really want to move to like Washington or Idaho (somewhere green and with seasons) but I doubt it'll ever happen. So my dad lives in kingman and he's nearing 74 this year so moving there to 'take care of him' or be close or something gives me an excuse to gtfo of the city. I am not a city person. I grew up with an empty chicken coop as a playhouse in the middle of a field of cattle lol!
While desert isn't my favorite, at least being out of the city will give me a few years of happiness before I shoot myself because of the dirt/dust! (Brownness)
I've always wanted chickens. Or animals in general. When I was little in Ft. Mohave we had horses, chickens, geese, cats, dogs, etc. Both of my parents grew up on farms. I really want an animal farm.. But I think I'm lucky hubby is going along with the chicken idea. That's only because he likes to eat... And a $3 chick that turns into a 5lb chicken is a lot cheaper than $5 for a pound of who-know-whats-in-it mystery meat labeled "chicken"!
Planning on doing mostly free range if I find a place fenced around the property, with food in the coop JIC like Skip has set up.

Oh and I also get to join you ladies on the new babies this year. We're having #2 in July and we won't know what it is until it gets here! (Hoping for another boy)

No problem.  I'm always willing to point out ways to make things more positive.  Unfortunately, I have become so jaded from working with criminals every day that I don't give anymore.  There have been so many times I have found that the people begging and sleeping on the streets are the same ones that were in my jails for drug use and alcohol abuse.  As hard as it is to avoid, you really do start recognizing the people who were your "customers" out on the streets.

I was just talking to my local Target manager, George, about what they do with all of their expiring food and rotten vegetables.  Since I've started the black soldier fly compost (which has been completely inactive all winter), I didn't think I would be able to have enough household waste to maintain a supply, so I was interested in getting their scraps before they toss them in the trash.  Turns out, his store recently teamed up with a few local food banks and they stop by three times a week to get an salvageable food.  Anything that's reached it's "Best By" date, meat that has started oxidizing but is still good, etc.  That was really refreshing.  I hate to see food goes to waste.

I hope I don't offend anybody, but...

Spoiler: Warning: Not for Extreme Animal Lovers

Which made me think about another very wasteful source of food.  The other day I was bored at work and my mind wandered to something my daughters and I joke about.  When the first came in to my life, they were completely naive about where food came from and what they were eating.  I've changed that for them, but the running joke is that we're having "chihuahua tacos" or "cat drop soup" for dinner.  Do you know how many completely healthy animals are euthanized every single day?  It's a shame cat and dog meat is frowned upon in America.  That would be an excellent way to supplement the food banks and homeless shelters.  Although cat was a bit fatty for my tastes, the dog was quite good.  My family only eats 93% lean beef or chicken.  I try to keep them healthy, but if it comes down to going hungry or eating fatty food, I'll take the fatty food.  Besides, it's excellent for keeping the homeless warmer on nights like tonight.

Demosthine - I feel the same way (about chihuahuas at least!) Countries where they do eat dogs, they're specially bred dogs that have always been used for food, but actually are outlawed to eat even over there. (So they advertise as a 'special' beef and people know what they're getting ;-) ) Chihuahuas were originally bred for food, the same way guinea pigs and pigeons were, (some countries still wild and eaten) so chihuahua tacos to me are extra relevant, I always say "there goes a taco" when I see one (my aunt-in-law has like 5!)

Thank you for all the PM's I received about carrying concealed, and being certified.

A quick explanation of what I do and where.

I have a set up in Oatman, Arizona, where the donkeys run wild and untamed in the streets.  There are gunfighters taking to the streets several times a day.  I was one of them for several years, and I sometimes still today am recognized by people when Phottoette and I travel out of town.

The tellers in the bank I do business with are always having fun with that, often when I am in line at the bank, one of them will see me in line and say out loud, "Hey, Skip, what is it you do for a living?"  And of course I have to reply "I'm a bank robber."

Although certified, I do not teach anymore, but when I did, it was in Bullhead City, just across the river from Laughlin.

Phottoette was a Homicide Detective until she retired, and I have worked for many years now as a Fugitive Retrieval Officer for the State of Arizona, even when I was living in California.

Now I live in Golden Valley, where the low this morning was 15.5*F and is currently 19.7*F.

I started raising chickens in March last year, and after the attack of whatever killed and ate eight Free Ranging chickens about a week ago, I now have only eleven survivors and one rooster, and between them all, since the attack, I am getting one egg per day or less.  And yes, their water has been freezing overnight for several nights now, so I have been getting up several times a night to carry out warm water, checking my girls, and comforting them as needed.  

I am in NO WAY a person that wants to see ANY form of gun control, but I did object loudly when ALL ARIZONIANS were granted the "right" to carry concealed with or without having been permitted, I believe that was asking for trouble.  Part of the permit and schooling on these permits was actually qualifying and proving the ability to handle and shoot a firearm, and I was surprised to see how little people knew about actually SHOOTING a hand gun after taking a class.  Often times a permit was withheld because of the inability to shoot a handgun at an object just ten feet away.

I was listening to a radio program a few days ago where the 'star' of the show was telling people that he had carefully removed the magazine from his hand gun, and carefully placed both the weapon and the mag on the table/desk in front of him and was keeping a watchful eye on both.  He said he was ready to evacuate the room and building if anything unfortunate 'happened' while he was on the air.

The mockery was pointed to say the least.  You have all heard it before, guns don't kill people, PEOPLE kill people, and when guns are outlawed, only outlaws will have guns.

I now have another reason to carry my piece as I work here at home, there is/are predator(s) roaming in my wonderful home area, and I fully intend to shoot (to kill) any predator(s) that invade my home, makes no difference how many legs that predator has, two or four, I will protect my home and homestead.

I spent over nine years in the military, serving my Country.  I have my own opinions, as a right given me several hundred years ago by Our Constitution, and others have the right to believe differently, and I will fight to the death your right to your opinion, that may or may not "hit home" for you, but IN THIS STATE you have the RIGHT to defend yourself in a manner that fits your lifestyle.

Personally I never thought I would ever have to carry my weapon to defend my property, but I see it more and more clearly every day.

I sure didn't mean to ramble so much here, but I will say this.  If you are ever in Oatman, stop and see me.  I am across the street from the Post Office, on the side walk in front of the Mother Road Store, I hope adding culture and friendliness to tourists, and welcoming you to Oatman, and we can talk chickens or anything else you care to talk about.

Skip 

(whew, now step back, take a breath, and walk calmly to the chicken coop and check on the girls)
7:20 AM, Sunday morning, January 13, 1213)

I was under the impression that CCW permits are useless now since the law that required them was removed, making it legal to carried concealed even without the testing and permit. (My dad is also a CCW permit holder - big gun buff, former marine, etc)
I do get antsy around people who carry guns such as a block or something, I'm used to openly displaying six shooters, but semi-autos are what you have in the car when you go to the city or travelling for protection lol. My favorite is a 9mm ruger my dad has had forever. I hate his 'fancy' new 45 LOL! I'm old fashioned, I prefer the 357 Ruger six shooter with the hairpin trigger lol!
My dad liked cowboy movies over action movies when I was a kid... Now I like them more than him and he likes modern action! ... OK I get to rambling on too. Ha
Mostly, Skip, I really wanted to ask you where you get your chickens and supplies up there! I've looked on craigslist, but there's nothing. Maybe a couple of overpriced goats LOL. I was thinking maybe at the tack store on Stockton hill in kingman? My dad used to buy our saddles and horse things there, but everything else we got at c&d in ft Mohave (chicks, hay, ducklings, goslings, etc)

 

[Mahonri]

WELCOME to Queenrilly.

you are going to fit right in here!!!

 

[Phottoman]

Welcome Queenrilly, and you are correct, Stockton Hill Feed and Grain. They are on Stockton Hill just South of Northern. You can't really miss them, there is a large fiberglass horse (larger than life) out in front, which they recently covered with a Horse Blanket.

I went in to see them a few days ago, they will be taking pre-orders in February for March delivery. I don't know if that means you prepay for your chicks, but you can call them and ask. I would give you their phone number, but I seem to have mislaid the card I had on my desk. However, if you look them up on the Internet I am sure that you'll find them.

The owner and the manager of the store, as well as several others that work there, also live here in Golden Valley.

There are some great lots with and without houses for sale in the area, you just have to drive around looking. I know my sister has just about made up her mind to sell one of her rentals, it down on the south side of the Highway (State Route 68), but only by a mile, and it is closer to Laughlin than my property by a couple of miles.

Most of the properties North of Shinnirup have all utilities, and the worst you'll find south of there needs water hauled in, but that's only a weekly job, drive a trailer with water tank to the water depot, fill it, and take it home, them pump it up to storage then gravity feed it into your home and acreage. That shouldn't take more than an hour once a week or so. Water depots are all over the valley, including one across the street from her rental property, and I am pretty sure her place has water on the property.

On the North side of "The Highway" (again that refers to State Highway 68) almost every one has all utilities. And if you DO haul water, make your trailer do double duty, instead of having your trash picked up, take your trash to the dump every couple of months. I think the average cost for trash pick-up is around $30 per month, but with a very small 3' X 4' trailer I go to the dump on average once every three months with three families trash and have yet to pay more than the minimum for disposal, $5.20.

As for raising chickens here, it was great until the bad weather set in. I lost eight chickens one morning about a week or so ago, just about the time the cold set in. I think it was wild cats from the mountains, maybe cougar, maybe bobcats, not at all sure, then my rooster died yesterday morning and I have no clue what happened to him. I found him in the coop when I went out to check for eggs. I still have my original eight gals, plus two surviving Leghorns from that attack. I stopped at Stockton Hill F&G on Tuesday, and they took my order for March, I am going to have 50 more chickens this year, and possibly 50 more next year, I have wanted around 100 all along. I'll be much more careful about Free Ranging them this time, it may only be when I am there to supervise.

A friend in Oatman lost his entire flock the night I lost my eight, so it ISN'T just Oatman or Golden Valley that suffers from predators, Oatman is a good thirty mines away from me.

Good luck on the move, and keep us informed.

Skip

 

[Rezia]

Welcome! I know I've seen a guest around the thread a lot... Now I know why!

Did anyone hear about our bank getting robbed? In Gold Canyon (where I live) the Wells Fargo bank was robbed at 9 am. There were two men. One bullet was shot, and hit the wall. The criminals got away, but the sheriff got a look at their car. They were caught shortly after. Thankfully, no one was hurt!

We worked a bit more on the coop last night. We are almost done with the foundation! Yesterday, I went out in the backyard, and there was a bit of ice on the pool! It's FREEZING here!

Congratulations to all of you ladies sacrificing your bodies! (Just kidding...

)
Rezia

 

[LadyKotaDoria]

queenrilly! such energy. Good luck. Advice: only regrets is that which I did not do, or try to do. go for it!Good things take time, good things are coming.

 

[LadyKotaDoria]

Dose anyone know of turtle dove recipes? I'm going to have to check on the Fish and Game laws. I have 5 right now, I just removed from my girls run. Will release late this afternoon. But I'm getting tired of them. If I'm feeding them I should be able to in joy them. I had 2 ring neck doves visit yesterday. Ring neck is quite different. The last dove I had broke its neck on my window, leaving a divert and its shape. I stewed it to as meat flavor, onions, garlic, carets, parsnips, mushrooms, and what ever else I had in the refrigerator. I remember it wasn't bad at all. But I had only one. Yes, it was very fresh, when it hit I jumped 3 feet.

THE PRES. Has out lawned assault weapons. It looks like only criminals will have them in the future. We won't have them. This makes me angry. I have to get well so I can work full or part time, I need to get my Automatic. Poverty sucks. SSI is not much for quality of life. In the country I can manage, for me it is less expensive. Having eggs and a garden will go a long way, as well as relaxing me. When I was making money others spent it ( that is another story ) and I had no time. Will that's life and life waits for no one. We live today, we lived yesterday, expectations of tomorrow.

 

[MagicChicken]

They're heeere!

24 adorable, healthy Black Java chicks from Duane Urch arrived this morning:

 

[Gallo del Cielo]

They're heeere!

24 adorable, healthy Black Java chicks from Duane Urch arrived this morning:

YAY!!!! That's so awesome that they are all alive. Congratulations!

 

[LadyKotaDoria]

MagicChicken I just finished reading about the Black Java. How cool. Are you going to breed them? I wish so I was in a position I could have more. Keep us posted on them, Please.

 

[MagicChicken]

Quote:
It is awesome that so many made it through. I ordered 25. There was one casualty. The rest are running around the brooder very excited to be free of that tiny shipping box. And I finally get to change my avatar

MagicChicken I just finished reading about the Black Java. How cool. Are you going to breed them? I wish so I was in a position I could have more. Keep us posted on them, Please.

Yes, I do plan on breeding them. Will definitely keep you posted.