Arizona Chickens

[Sonoran Silkies]

Quote: Our old house had a very prolific fig tree--but it was very difficult to harvest the figs before the birds and bugs got to them. We never had a problem with it freezing.

 

[Gallo del Cielo]

gallo what do you plant for your winter garden? i'm going to try to plant in raised beds on top of the run roof this year.

Fall in the low desert is the time to grow leafy vegetables and root vegetables. I'll also try planting some tomatoes this week to be ready when the cool weather comes. We mostly look forward to lettuce and celery. Oh, and snow pea pods.

Well, broccoli and cauliflower too.

Here's a pretty good planting calendar for your area. There are lots of other good ones for Maricopa Co., like this one.

Let us know how the raised beds work!

 

[Twinklin]

I plant carrots, lettuce, broccoli and sugar snap peas for colder weather. I just started lettuce seeds for an attempt at growing it indoors in my sun room so hopefully I can use the space outside for something else and maybe be able to have lettuce all year round. Broccoli is my favorite and it takes up a ton of space. I'm also moving all my herbs inside now.

 

[Gallo del Cielo]

Our old house had a very prolific fig tree--but it was very difficult to harvest the figs before the birds and bugs got to them. We never had a problem with it freezing.

It seems like everything likes figs. You're right, it's a battle against time to get them before the birds and bugs. In the past three days or so Japanese beetles have been showing up. Fortunately, they cluster on very specific figs. I think that a female finds a ripe fig to eat and then males are attracted to her pheromones. The clustering makes it quite easy to gather up 50 or more in a single swoop with a jar and lid. The chickens are loving them!

 

[Gallo del Cielo]

Figs...I have never eaten a fresh fig. I wouldn't even know how, do you peel them, eat 'em like an apple, cook them, raw.....? My FIL has figs trees from Spain. I don't know what kind they are, but they're really old and he propagates them. He wanted to give me one last year, but I was afraid I'd kill it so i didn't take him up on it. Maybe this year i will. When can i transplant safely?

You just eat them whole and raw (although I'm sure there are recipes for cooking). Someone asked earlier where you can get them; Trader Joe's has Black Mission and some green kind right now in the fresh fruit part. They're not nearly as good as one picked at peak ripeness off the tree, but you can get the idea. I'm not sure when they could be transplanted safely--but I wonder if anytime is ok. They really like the heat. I'd check with my local nursery first. Take the tree from your FIL!

 

[kevs-chickadees]

It seems like everything likes figs. You're right, it's a battle against time to get them before the birds and bugs. In the past three days or so Japanese beetles have been showing up. Fortunately, they cluster on very specific figs. I think that a female finds a ripe fig to eat and then males are attracted to her pheromones. The clustering makes it quite easy to gather up 50 or more in a single swoop with a jar and lid. The chickens are loving them!

As a kid we use to catch these bugs (we called them June bugs) tie a thread under their wings but around their abdomen and fly them around like small kites. Oh the days when video games were far and few between.

 

[kevs-chickadees]

kev, your neighbor is big bird? lol...

Well she is tall and never wears any pants so maybe?????? I wouldn't mind being Mr. Rogers, I do like small scale trains.

 

[Demosthine]

Now I have to figure out how to deter big bird my neighbor from coming over and picking them off my tree before I can get to them. Seriously!

There's a really easy fix for that! Sounds like you have an excellent choice for your upcoming holiday meals...

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[wondertwinpower]

Quote:
Thanks for the LOL!

 

[tsuninight]

I seem to be in a bit of a pickle. When I got my polish from the breeder I knew it was a straight run, but she agreed to take them back if they ended up not being hens. She took back the first one, and said she'd take back the 2nd one, buuut is no longer responding. I saw her in the store when we were picking up chicken feed (she works there), and asked her about it. I'm just not quite willing to stalk someone in order to give back a chicken. I don't even want a refund. She promised to contact me that evening after she found a place to put him... That was on the 19th. I txtd her on the 21st again, but nothing. This has been going on since the 15th. Turns out she ended up with a lot of Polish boys instead of girls. I understand this is a bummer, but I absolutely cannot have a rooster. At any rate since I'm getting more or less ignored and provided with no ETA for taking him back I'm thinking I need to find an alternate option. I don't want $$ for him, I just need him rehomed.

Any chance anyone would like a Polish Buff rooster? He's never been aggressive. Of course it takes a plan and some skills with dodging to catch him since he's a super jumpy chicken, but I would really prefer he go to a home that will either keep him or eat him. I just can't bring myself to kill him. He's a pet. I'm a wus. His name is PotPie (Pie for short), I think he's attempting to embody David Bowie with his hairdo. He hasn't started crowing, but he is showing a little too much interest in Peep. She's having none of it. I figure it's a matter of time until the crowing starts.

Here are a couple pics of him. I can try to get some better pics of him too.

I'm in Maricopa, but am not against putting him in a pet carrier and bringing him to the Chandler area if it means a home.