Arizona Chickens

[Demosthine]

I've tried to contact Sonoran Silkies but don't know if Suze Scott is active or sell silkies anymore. Any informations would be great!

GleeSilkies: Speak her name and she shall appear. It works like a good house elf, if you know what I mean?

 

[kacklinkelly]

My wife was completely against chickens at first. My daughter was totally stoked about it. Once we got the chicks, wifey started to love them.

My husband said no way no how when I brought up the topic of chickens. He realized I was serious when I brought them home and created a brooder for them. He wouldn't pay them any attention initially. Said they would smell. Tried to find a terrible smell all the time but couldn't. When it got time for them to go outside, I asked him to build me a tractor for the dreaded chickens. He hesitantly agreed because it was my birthday present and we worked on it together. I tried to get as much used material as possible to keep the cost down. Once they started developing personalities, laying eggs, squatting in front of him and running to him every time he walks out the back door, it became a different story. He now collects the eggs daily, asks me if they can have this or that for a treat and we sit together on the weekends just laughing at them. It is amazing "the power of the chicken"

 

[Demosthine]

Tonight was a blessing after this last week. If you recall, a week ago tonight, my clan was moved in to the new coop. Every night since, I've had to physically move all eleven from the area of the old coop in to the new one. I added four more to that number starting last Saturday, Tonight, all but my wife's Silkies and my four new Ameracaunas were in the new one roosting! Those remaining six were huddled under the old coop. That's where I find the Silkies every night. It sure made collecting them go easy.

We did see a decrease in eggs this last week, too, but that was expected. A total of 12 eggs from 3 hens over the last 7 days. We had all three lay the last two days, though, so hopefully we're back on track. They started out smaller, but are their normal size again.

They all enjoyed playing in my flooded yard today, too. I backwashed my pool, since it was an utter disaster. My pump went out a month ago and then right after fixing it, my timer died. It is swamp green right now. I have it completely running now, though. My oleanders dumped enough leaves and flowers to start a new compost pile. And it all landed in the pool. Can you imagine how many times I emptied the leaf canister? They should enjoy the algae in the yard for a few days. I haven't added chemicals in over a month since nothing worked, so it's relatively safe water. As safe as the tap anyway!

More trials and travels to come tomorrow with the solar exhaust vent...

 

[countrygirl74]

I always use paper towels for the first three weeks and continue layering on top of one another.

X2 but usually just for the 1st week or two - It's not slippery and I can also keep an eye on their poo for health.

My favorite thing to use is TerrAmigo and it's probably available from your local feed shop. I bought mine at The Stock Shop, but I know Pratt's had it as well. It's pine shavings pressed in to pellet form. In the long run, supposedly for horse stalls, it will save you 40% to 60% compared to regular pine shavings. It's cheaper per bag, too. I can't praise it enough and won't do anything else. I think it was about $8 for a 50-pound bag.


I hadn't thought about paper towels, but I was warned that newspaper is a bad idea because the inks can be toxic. I hear that recommendation a lot, though, so I'm not sure how much credence there is to it.

X2 - I use the crumbled kind - never use newspaper - it can cause spraddle leg because of it being too slippery. Here is a photo of what I use. I like it because it can kind of work like a deep litter in your brooder box. I just stir it up each day and then clean it out once a week (or more if there's lots of babies and if it starts to smell at all) You can also add a scoopful of dirt or a "sod plug" - it will give them some entertainment and add to the litter. I usually do this after they are about a week old.

I second the paper towels for the first week, then pine shavings(not cedar). I've never tried TerrAmigo, though. Some people say to put a thin layer of shavings under the papertowels to absorb moisture but I've never done that.
Put their water and food up on a brick or block of wood after you switch to shavings and it'll save you A LOT of time. You won't have to clean them out as often.
Newspaper is hard for the chicks to walk on and tends to create splay leg.

I like pine shavings for the main/outside coop but not for the brooder if you are raising silkies and/or ducklings as they seem prone to ingest it. Most people don't have issues with other chicks though.
X2 on putting the water and food up!

still not done, but CLOSE!!

That looks great!

I've been working on my coop. It is so slow. I feel I am doing everything back words. My coop is a strange size because I started with scape, I have to works in everything to have as little wast as Possable. I do not know how I have managed to maintain the integrity of my original design, it has been tweaked a dozen times.

I'm still amazed at what you accomplish!!

AND THEN LATER.....



I didn't dare put it under the broody, as I figured at this point she'd kill it.

IT ZIPPED IN LIKE FIVE MINUTES!!!!

So, I stole two Delawares from the Broody Mama and put little "Milagro" (that's Miracle in Español) in the Laree brooder with them.

My kids were freaking at the NAKEDNESS of the neck!!!

Yay! I am loving my naked necks - they look like mini ostriches running around the yard now that they are about 8 weeks old.

Hi! I am new to this forum. I am here to see if there are any Silkies breeder in my area? I am located in Apache Junction and I already have a coop. I would like to purchase some silkies. If you can send me a private message with your prices, location and pictures if possible. Thank you so much! I've tried to contact Sonoran Silkies but don't know if Suze Scott is active or sell silkies anymore. Any informations would be great!

I'm trying to find homes for 2 silkie roosters but they are not show quality - just pets or protectors for the girls. Are you planning to show?

Tonight was a blessing after this last week. If you recall, a week ago tonight, my clan was moved in to the new coop. Every night since, I've had to physically move all eleven from the area of the old coop in to the new one. I added four more to that number starting last Saturday, Tonight, all but my wife's Silkies and my four new Ameracaunas were in the new one roosting! Those remaining six were huddled under the old coop. That's where I find the Silkies every night. It sure made collecting them go easy.

I hear ya!! I am trying to teach my 13 new ones to go into the coop at night with the big girls and boys instead of their little house. I blocked it off and they still just huddled outside the piece of wood I used to block off their entrance. The last batch was easy because I locked them in for a few nights and they had it! I can't do that this time around because the big girls and boys would go crazy and possibly hurt my babies. So, I am on night #2 of showing them where to go instead of a pile on the ground.

 

[pollo disco]

Finally got my turkeys worked into the coop. I do have it sectioned off while the pullets and poults get aquainted. But the since I upgraded waterers and feeders, most of the chicken pecking has subsided. AS for predators, my neighbors dogs have been a blessing. They are big ole' golden labs that just love the kids and are used to chickens and poultry in general. Their occasional dog rocket left on my property is actually good at getting the local javalina and coon denizens away from my trash and birds. My neighbors are also leaving a couple of traps for use to keep the commited on a short life span and my neighbors entertainedl. Needless, when the eggs start flowing, they will be getting some. As for the whole chicken experience, ,my wife was really not going or the - "its for the kids" thing.

But she has relented and is loving her turkey hen (Din-Din). Now I just have to finish painting the exterior of the coop to make it less trashy. Reclaimed wood and all....

 

[City farm]

I've been working on my coop. It is so slow. I feel I am doing everything back words. My coop is a strange size because I started with scape, I have to works in everything to have as little wast as Possable. I do not know how I have managed to maintain the integrity of my original design, it has been tweaked a dozen times.

I have Diatomaceous Earth in between the floor and the ceiling of the basement. It is not if but when I get bugs. It is not ment as anything more then to help keep infestations manageable. I will still have to do all the normal preventative care, starting with examining my girls on a regular schedule.

I have my nesting box pretty much in. The access door needs work yet and I do not have hinges. The access door frame is finished. I also filled the cavity under the nesting boxes with Diatomaceous Earth. There are plenty of small crevices for bugs to hide and die

I hope this will be enough floor space, they will have roosts and they have the top of the nesting box

I am stuck with this section. I am working alone. I need to put in my header. I am using 12'x2"x4"s and I am going to make a 14' header. It is getting it up there that worries me. Tomorrow I can not do anything, so Weds I am going to set my corner post, it is stained and varnished by tonight it will be dry.

Love your nesting boxs

 

[City farm]

So we have chirping in the incubator and 3 eggs have little holes and I see lots of rocking.  From your experience with incubators wbout how long from chirping to hatch or from the first hole to hatch...I know there are lots of variations but I have a class full of kids watching and I want some ideas about what you have seen.

I will definitly say I like it better to have a broody hatch them out.  You go out and there are little babies there.  Here I am overanalyzing every move, chirp and crack.  YIKES

Congratulations ... Yeah I did notice a difference. The hen chicks are much quieter.. The incubator they make more noise.. Hen; thay are cleaner
& seem happier...

 

[Sonoran Silkies]

For those in Glendale: https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/778112/chickens-in-glendale-az-were-on-the-right-track

 

[GreatWhiteAfro]

I'm done with the new coop, just gotta make the run, I put the little girls in it the other night because of the massive winds we were getting in Casa Grande, here's a sneek peek of the youngin's in the new coop!




The roost is gonna go the other way, it was just temporarily set that way for the night. I will have a full gallery of photo's once it's complete!!

 

[itsredcandy]

So upset right now. Today is hatch day with my broodies and their 6 eggs. 5 barnyard mix EE's and 1 bantam barnyard mix. I traded 6 infertile eggs for the farm's possibly fertile eggs. I went out earlier this morning to check on the girls and their eggs and all was well. 2 hours later I notice both hens off the nest and what looks like an exploded egg. On further investigation I notice that my BO has yolk stuck to her beak and blood on her chest. I decided to go into the broody run and find that the egg is crushed and there is a fully developed chick still alive but barely. Within seconds it perished.


MOVED QUESTIONS to another thread: Is this normal? Was she startled? Should I get the BO out of the brooder and let the OEB continue on the hatch? Should I just leave them alone and hope she doesn't kill the last 5?