Arizona Chickens

[Sonoran Silkies]

Quote: Storey's is an excellent resource. It annoys the heck out of me when people expect everything handed to them on a silver platter....for free. The reason a book costs money is that that is the author's JOB. Not to mention the editor's, the publication costs, etc. Maybe your grocer should give you your food, and the clothing stores the same?

I know plenty of "old timers," and none of them wear gloves when handling eggs.

 

[Sonoran Silkies]

So i need some help! I ordered 10 chicks from Ideal and sadly all of them except three of the filler males died within 24 hours. I called the woman there to ask for a re-shipment and she began to be very rude by telling me that i was a horrible caretaker and that i should never own chicks in my life. The sad part is that i could not figure out what was wrong and the hatchery was closed. So after being yelled at, i asked for my money back instead and was told that i was ridiculous and annoying. So now i will never again order from Ideal Poultry. But now i need chicks! Where is a good and reliable place for chicks? Thanks, Bryce

Call back and ask to speak with a manager. If they died within 24 hours of receipt, chances are very slim that it was your fault. And to say you should never ever have chicks...completely uncalled for.

 

[Mahonri]

Quote: I lost 9 of 30 shipped by Ideal back in November. I wondered if some were dead when they sent them.

They promptly refunded my credit card for the dead chicks.

 

[Arizonachicken]

Mikey D. (Back in the day) had problems with Ideal, too. I've never mail ordered chicks, but if I did, I won't go thru them. I've heard good things about Murray McMurray. Any thoughts?

 

[Sonoran Silkies]

SNOW!!!

Coop progress pic, the wire is up and the door is built and just needs to be hung:



Baby aleppo pine trees we grew from seed:

Lovely!

 

[countrygirl74]

NOAA is predicting 30 degrees tonight on my side of town. Same as they predicted for last night, when it got down to 27 here.

My chicks are a little over 6 weeks old and have been in the big coop/run for a week now. Their brooder was outside and I gradually backed off the heat in it before moving them. They've been fine in the coop with no heater. I gave them an upside down cardboard box with a bunch of pine shavings and straw to snuggle in, and a chick-sized access opening. It's a more protected space so they can huddle and keep warm. I have had to show them where it is. As it gets dark they gravitate out into the run area where it is lighter, and every night they end up in a pile in the corner by the door of the run. Yikes. So I pick them up one at a time and set them down at the entrance to the huddle box. Then they go in on their own. Once the nights are a little warmer I'll start putting them up on the roosts instead. Eventually they will catch on. I hope...

My chicks did the same thing when I started putting them out last November - we started leaving them out during the day but would still bring them in at night as the daytime temps were cold enough to start acclimating them. We would leave them out a little longer each evening so they could start feeling the nip. When we would go out to retrieve them for the night, instead of piling into their little warm box, they would all be huddled by the coop door cheeping, waiting for us to come rescue them. When we decided to finally leave them out there all night, we closed them up into their house so they couldn't go out until we let them out in the morning. It just took a few days of locking them in at night to realize where to go at night. Mine didn't roost until a couple weeks ago! Up until they were 4 months old, they were still all cramming into 2 nesting boxes, sometimes pushing someone out, as they were growing and the nesting boxes were not - it was too funny. Now they are all over the place in the house.

So, fellow Arizonans, have any of you had trouble with ravens? We have a lot where I live and just recently they started landing and hanging out on the roof of my run and flying over the yard more often. I thought they were more of a scavenger bird but they seem to be showing an interest in my ducks and chickens... They are not little any more, but I do have a little white silkie that's pretty tiny. I let them free-range a little each day, but only under supervision. One of the ravens flew over the yard, pretty low, even with me standing there - kind of making me nervous.

 

[Sonoran Silkies]

Does anyone have any advice on feathers? With my chickens its nit a problem but the ducks i swear just explode every single week. Its become a problem because the feathers will get into the pool filter and back it up. Ive tried raking but thats not very helpful. Any ideas?

A skimmer/vacuum basket or leaf canister for the pool cleaner should make a big difference. I tried to find a photo of the skim-vac, but couldn't. find one that showed the whole assembly.

 

[Sonoran Silkies]

Quote: You also have to file the appropriate income tax forms, and be prepared to show a profit in 5 years, or income average with previous years to pay back the deductions you received previously.

 

[Demosthine]

We made it back from the hunt this last week. It was an epic failure. My hunting partner has bad knees and ended up falling on one of them the first day, so he was hobbling around like a geriatrics patient. The military sure can reek havoc on the body. Anyway, we ended up driving more than hiking, which was not my plan. Despite seeing some day-old tracks here and there, we never saw a single javelina or mountain lion. We'll try again next year. With the condition of his knees, I may be going at it alone, though. Oh, and the first night there, the cold weather cracked the screen on my brand new cell phone, so I'll be off to get that replaced shortly.


Meanwhile, back at home, I missed a whole lot of action. The Silkies we got from Katie have learned to walk up and down the board to the coop. The three little Black Copper Marans just fly down. My wife says they manage to get back up, too. They are all growing quickly. Every one of them plumped up nicely. The chicks are feathering nicely and have been outside the last few weeks, so I think tonight we stop with the heat lamp. The chicks aren't using it really, but the Barred Rocks are roosting closer to it. My wife is still fighting me about the heat lamp. I think I just need to completely remove it today. Out of sight type deal.

The last four days, we only had one egg a day. I forgot to have my wife mark them, so I'm guessing Christine and Sleepy just alternated laying days. The eggs were 42g, 49g, 42g, 47g, and so far today we have a 48g. Seeing the possible alternating pattern, I don't think one is laying her eggs elsewhere, but I'll wander the yard and check today.

And my almost-11-month-old daughter had a big growth spurt this week! She looks noticeably taller and has a good little chubbiness going, like she's getting ready for even more. It is such a beautiful thing to have the perfect baby. I'm sure all parents say that, though!


There was some absolutely gorgeous photos and developments while I was gone! I love catching up on you all.

 

[City farm]

Ok, last minute invite..

We are having the new crime prevention officer sue scoville come & speak at our home.. To our neighbors, family & friends..
We are grilling up chicken, roasted marshmallow's & tea... Bring your favorite dish.. If you do not have a
neighborhood watch program you can check ours out...

6:30PM...

I will check our P.M. Messages if you need our address.. Around 5PM...