Arizona Chickens

[Gallo del Cielo]

Lunch with AZ BYC.

Perfect for catching up.

 

[Gallo del Cielo]

Quote: I wholeheartedly agree with Beckyhsinglsc. The more shade the better. Even with shade, it's hard enough keeping them alive and comfortable in the worst part of summer down here at the lower elevations.

 

[Gallo del Cielo]

Mahonri and Mama Hen Chris, awesome videos!

Rezia, fantastic progress on the coop and it looks like it's just in time! Cute chicks.

 

[Gallo del Cielo]

Well, I did it! I got some fruit trees.
We may not be in this house long enough to really benefit and I don't really know what I'm doing as far as pruning goes, but you gotta start somewhere!

I got 3 peaches (to plant together in one hole), 1 nectarine, a small fig and a persimmon(my favorite).
Yeah!!
Now we have a lot of work to do!

BTW, Mark at Bakers was extremely helpful and patient. I took a map of my yard, a satellite view and pictures taken of the areas to plant. He helped me figure it all out.
The peaches and nectarine should ripen one right after the other and they are freestone(my requirement). The fig should fit in the very small hot corner.
If all goes well, it'll be plums, apricots and another fig next year. Maybe jujubes?

Fig, Blackjack
Persimmon, Fuyu(Jiro)

Peach, Tropic Snow
Peach, Eva's pride
Peach, Mid pride

Nectarine, Double Delight

How exciting! Alright, now I'm very curious about persimmons, especially since you said they were your favorite. I tried a couple types of persimmons from Sunflower Market last summer for the first time and both were not so good--very astringent if I recall. Perhaps they weren't properly ripened? Why are they your favorite?

Have you ever eaten a jujube fruit? I have not, but everything I've read about them makes them seem fascinating. Even the structure of the tree looks interesting.

If my Black Mission and White Kadota figs survive the winter I'll make some cuttings for you. I really wanted a Blackjack fig, but I settled for the Black Mission. I discovered that cuttings take extremely well to the aquaponics system. I have a giant one that is threatening to take over the greenhouse right now. It even has fruit on it! I think I'll be removing it this weekend and planting it in a pot for fellow Tucsonan bycer Constance.

 

[GreatWhiteAfro]

I wholeheartedly agree with Beckyhsinglsc.  The more shade the better.  Even with shade, it's hard enough keeping them alive and comfortable in the worst part of summer down here at the lower elevations.

Thanks for the help! Shady side it is! Also anyone want a 3 1/2 week old EE cockerel? I can't keep him, I would also love to know where I could get a pullet about the same age to replace him with, doesn't matter what breed to me. Thanks again!

 

[Beckyhsinglsc]

Quote:
I like the fuyu persimmons. They are non-astringent and you can eat them peel and all just like a crunchy apple. They have a very unique taste but I crave them. My first taste of persimmons was from Reevis Mountain Farm. I order a flat from them every year and eat most of all of them myself! I haven't been able to find good persimmons in the grocery stores although I hear that Lee Lee's here in Chandler has them in the Fall.

I haven't tried a jujube. I was temped to plant those but you have to plant two and I think I'd like to try them before I dedicate two places to them. Do you have any idea where to find some?
I also have to figure out what to plant next to fill in the gaps of fresh fruit.

I got the black jack fig because it's a dwarf tree and the place I wanted to plant it is right next to the house. I am planning to plant a larger fig later (maybe next year) when we can take down our batting cage.
I had a larger fig planted in the front yard that never grew in 4 years. I thought I had bought a black mission, but I don't think that's what I ended up with and I think the soil was contaminated by something. We got rid of that fig and dug a big hole (32d x38w) and replaced all the soil and planted 3 peaches in it that will ripen one right after the other.
The guy at Baker's recommended Peter's Honey Fig. Have you ever seen/tried it? I know the Black Mission do well if you have room for it, but he said Peter's Honey was the favorite in their taste test.

 

[Chicken Feat]

Howdy! We're in south Scottsdale, bought our chicks in Nov and have had a lot of fun with them. As with every hobby it's cost us more than we thought and took longer than we figured. But it has been worth every penny and the multiple trips to Home Depot. We have 4 Silkies and a Polish. We know for a fact we have at least one black silkie rooster that we won't be able to keep...sniff. He crows every other day or so, we've warned him about his crowing but he just can't help it. We are sure about our buff being a hen, and our other black silkie cackled a few times and we believe she's a hen as well. We also think our Polish is a hen. So that leaves us with our splash silkie, Peanut, we're not sure about him/her. Time will tell I guess. Below are a few photos, if anyone would like to take a guess as to hen or rooster please do.

We built a secure roost (pictured below) with a secure path behind the white shed into a 12 'x 30' run that is more than enough room for now.

The info at BYC has been great, I've had many questions answered here and have a few, many, that I will ask later.

Thanks BYC!



Omelet- gotta be a hen


Peanut, maybe a rooster?


Delicious, has cackled like a hen




The Coop deVille


Phyllis, we believe she's a hen


Omar, has crowed at 4 months

 

[City farm]

Wow great photos..

 

[Gallo del Cielo]

I like the fuyu persimmons. They are non-astringent and you can eat them peel and all just like a crunchy apple. They have a very unique taste but I crave them. My first taste of persimmons was from Reevis Mountain Farm. I order a flat from them every year and eat most of all of them myself! I haven't been able to find good persimmons in the grocery stores although I hear that Lee Lee's here in Chandler has them in the Fall.

I haven't tried a jujube. I was temped to plant those but you have to plant two and I think I'd like to try them before I dedicate two places to them. Do you have any idea where to find some?
I also have to figure out what to plant next to fill in the gaps of fresh fruit.

I got the black jack fig because it's a dwarf tree and the place I wanted to plant it is right next to the house. I am planning to plant a larger fig later (maybe next year) when we can take down our batting cage.
I had a larger fig planted in the front yard that never grew in 4 years. I thought I had bought a black mission, but I don't think that's what I ended up with and I think the soil was contaminated by something. We got rid of that fig and dug a big hole (32d x38w) and replaced all the soil and planted 3 peaches in it that will ripen one right after the other.
The guy at Baker's recommended Peter's Honey Fig. Have you ever seen/tried it? I know the Black Mission do well if you have room for it, but he said Peter's Honey was the favorite in their taste test.

Hmmm...I have to find a fuyu persimmon to try.

You can get Jujube trees at Mesquite Valley Growers here in Tucson.

Wow, if the Peter's Honey Fig was their favorite, it must be amazing! It was never on my radar so I never looked for it, but I will be keeping an eye out for it now. I never tasted any fruit as good as our black mission fig (the White Kadota is a close second), so I'm really tempted by something that might be even better.

 

[Gallo del Cielo]

Hello Chicken Feat and

Nice looking coop!