Arizona Chickens

[notinoz2007]

so, thinking about growing stuff in my yard i remembered to research the white stringy mold/fungus stuff that constantly shows up in one of my flower beds.everything that i plant there dies so it has has sat empty this year. i also blamed that stuff for the death of my peach tree last year. anyway, i have been wondering about the possibility of texas root rot in my backyard. thankfully i'm not 100% convinced thats what it is since fig trees are highly susceptible and i have one growing well by the chickens run. and the white stuff is possibly mycelium which isnt a bad thing? **sigh** i guess i have lots more reading to do, because i hope to plant a few fruit trees this fall and dont want to suffer more losses.
my lot was basically a dirt pile when i bought the place, i assume it has been that way since the house was built over 30 years ago. any suggestions? i do amend the dirt with home cooked compost, and the chickens have pooped on every inch of the place...

 

[notinoz2007]

Notinoz, it comes in any poundage you want. Have you tilled your yard before laying seed or sod? It is vital for the first time seed and pretty important for sod. It has to be loose enough for some drainage.

If you can't get a tiller, you can lay down the seed and then spread a good 1/4" to 1/2" layer of manure across the entire yard. That will allow roots to develop and gives it a perfect food source from the manure. It also creates a nice layer to absorb and hold the moisture. You can find endless supplies of manure on Craig's List.

Or a cheap alternative is to watch for free pot belly pigs. They'll root up your yard in no time! Just kidding.

LOL i love the idea of a pig! i would have one in a heart beat if i had the room. my grandparents raised pigs in their woods in arkansas, Best Sausage Ever!!!
i used a hand tiller before we laid the sod, if i do it again we will go with the heavy duty machine since my dad brought his when my parents moved out here. i didnt do anything when i seeded, mostly because i doubted it would grow in the first place. i just threw seed, watered, and covered with a tarp, which was the worst covering ever. i got a few weak yellow grasses that i let the chickens eat.
sadly, i think before i do anything my yard needs to be graded. i think the ground level is low, but my patio level is much lower and floods almost to the back door during monsoons. sometimes i think i'll never be done making my backyard oasis.

 

[notinoz2007]

desertmarcy: have you found a home for your handsome tom yet? i sent a picture to my parents and asked if they wanted him in their backyard when they got back from vacation. mom said yes but dad said no, lol.
i have wanted a turkey ever since i met the sweet boy alohachickens owns.

i really need to live in the country...

 

[kacklinkelly]

LOL...Our little secret... Old wives tale...Use a string and metal washer. Hold chick and hold string and washer over the base of the tail. Goes in a circle....pullet Goes back and forth...roo It has been pretty accurate till now. Try it over your hens. I did this on my dogs and it was right.

That is so funny, I heard the same thing when I was pregnant 31 years ago. Only they used a wedding ring and a string

 

[nwebber]

Thank You for anwsering so quickly. My girls like I said are just 3 wks old but can fly high enough for me to panic. Or so I think! We have dogs that are not too interested in them but I fear they will make it over our pool fence when they get up on the chairs and bad things can happen!!! We hold them everyday and really want them to be comfortable and not try to "fly the coop" lol I will hold off longer and then get them cut. Again Thanks so much.

 

[redrocketrooster]

Thank You for anwsering so quickly. My girls like I said are just 3 wks old but can fly high enough for me to panic. Or so I think! We have dogs that are not too interested in them but I fear they will make it over our pool fence when they get up on the chairs and bad things can happen!!! We hold them everyday and really want them to be comfortable and not try to "fly the coop" lol I will hold off longer and then get them cut. Again Thanks so much.

If you haven't already you should learn to clip flight wings yourself. When you start clipping young ones they dont mind it as much when they are older. We had an enclosed run but I clipped because I was worried about "what if". Funny thing about dogs, I was sure if the hens ever got loose they'd be kibble but the one time they broke they chased our bull dozers back inside. They even figured out the doggy door! I came home to two very comfy couch nesters.

 

[pipemum]

Those Russian orloffs are so, so beautiful. The barred rocks are also stunning!

I cooked one of DesertMarcy's processed stew hens yesterday--crock pot on low all day w/ onions, bbq sauce, and a cup of ginger ale. So freaking good! The first stew hen I way overcooked, but this one was perfect. Brined it for 36 hours first. Yum.

 

[Gallo del Cielo]

Those Russian orloffs are so, so beautiful. The barred rocks are also stunning!

I cooked one of DesertMarcy's processed stew hens yesterday--crock pot on low all day w/ onions, bbq sauce, and a cup of ginger ale. So freaking good! The first stew hen I way overcooked, but this one was perfect. Brined it for 36 hours first. Yum.

They really are amazing, both breeds. The SROs are the friendliest birds I've ever owned. Yesterday I found that I can still pick them up from the yard even after being away from them for two weeks. I'm glad I get to send the roos away, I don't think I could bring myself to eat them. I've had BRs before as a kid, but these birds are in another league altogether. The barring is so crisp and visually stimulating.


Oh, that sounds delicious.

I'm definitely going to pick a couple up the next time I get out that way. We just decided to order a Thanksgiving turkey from her. I'm already looking forward to the stock I'm going to make.

 

[Gallo del Cielo]

Wow what a adventure... Especially watching the spot fire cross over WOW.. Adrenaline rush.. Is this event 1x a year??
One of our dearest friends lives in Santa Fe, they are always looking for events? She says it is so boring there..

I almost missed this. Yeah, every time a new one sprouted up it would ratchet up even more. Add that to what looked like a mushroom cloud of smoke on the other side of the mountain, it kept us vigilant.

No, sadly the event was a one time deal. It was my friend's 50th birthday party. I can't imagine Santa Fe being boring.

 

[pipemum]

I forgot to mention, I saw a raccoon near my house. I would have sworn up and down that raccoons would only be found around the urban parks and lakes, and riparian areas like Tanque Verde or Sabino Canyon. Not the west side of Tucson, miles from any parks or lush riparian areas! My coop and run are dog proof, so also raccoon proof, but wow, a raccoon. I was so surprised, it took my mind a few seconds to reconcile what my eyes were seeing.