Arizona Chickens

[LadyKotaDoria]

most predictors would leave feathers, rappers would definitely leave feathers.... A lot of feathers I would think. Wild dogs and coyotes would also. Human Chicken Snatchers wouldn't leave feathers. I found out at Home Depot, from a woman that lives West of Buckeye area, that for about 2 or 3 weeks some one was steeling chickens from people's coop. She lost a couple of chickens, in the morning the coop door was open. Some one apparently caught the person in the act and tried to catch him. The Thief took off, jumped in a truck/car and took off, no license plate. At that point apparently no more chickens were missing from coops. Don't remember many details. But she said was a new comer to the area and that so she was not in the community loop as to look out for a chicken Thief. Do you have strangers driving around out there? I would think your dogs would give you plenty of knowtice if that was the case. . Geese are great watch dogs. But they are not as mean as a swan.

 

[mckenzy]

To keep wild birds out, i used bird netting over my large outside run.  that way they can have access anytime and nothing gets in

Thanks!

 

[mckenzy]

Nobody replied about getting a duckling to scare off the wild birds... Any thoughts? Was told they're more territorial so they run off the birds. Or am I just making excuses to get a little quack quack?

 

[circesfire]

So for my birthday my boyfriend just bought me a chicken coop. This will be a first for both of us and I am debating on what breed of chickens to get. Here is what I want out of a chicken: we will be using them for egg laying purposes only, we live around Phoenix so they will have to be able to withstand the summer heat with some misters and frozen bottles, I would like to be able to handle them. Also, I would like them to be relatively quiet (we have an acre and are going to put them on the far side where we don't have any neighbors) although I know from research this varies a lot from chicken to chicken. My two favorite chickens in appearance are the barred rock and silver laced wynadotte. We were thinking about getting 2-3 chickens for now. Does anyone have any advice on either of those breeds or other breeds that would work well for us?
Thanks in advance!

Alison

 

[LadyKotaDoria]

Nobody replied about getting a duckling to scare off the wild birds... Any thoughts? Was told they're more territorial so they run off the birds. Or am I just making excuses to get a little quack quack?

Ducks in general are not that aggressive to my limited knowlage. I know Geese and Swans are with predictors and people. I've seen a Swan attacking black birds, to faraway to identify the bird, may be a crow.

 

[LadyKotaDoria]

So for my birthday my boyfriend just bought me a chicken coop. This will be a first for both of us and I am debating on what breed of chickens to get. Here is what I want out of a chicken: we will be using them for egg laying purposes only, we live around Phoenix so they will have to be able to withstand the summer heat with some misters and frozen bottles, I would like to be able to handle them. Also, I would like them to be relatively quiet (we have an acre and are going to put them on the far side where we don't have any neighbors) although I know from research this varies a lot from chicken to chicken. My two favorite chickens in appearance are the barred rock and silver laced wynadotte. We were thinking about getting 2-3 chickens for now. Does anyone have any advice on either of those breeds or other breeds that would work well for us?
Thanks in advance!

Alison

I have 1 Wyandotte, she is very quite. My EE (hatchery/feed store Americana) is the most friendly and 1 of them Voney will be aggressive to other girls that I pay to much attention to, she gets jealous. The coo a lot at me, very restful and sweet. My other girls is a Rhode Island Red, Black Sex Link, and an unknown, possibly a Blue Wyandotte. They are quite also and friendly. As for friendly it is by what you put into them as peeps. More you handle them and spend time with them the friendlier they are. Lucy the RIR gives me the most eggs.

 

[Beckyhsinglsc]

So for my birthday my boyfriend just bought me a chicken coop. This will be a first for both of us and I am debating on what breed of chickens to get. Here is what I want out of a chicken: we will be using them for egg laying purposes only, we live around Phoenix so they will have to be able to withstand the summer heat with some misters and frozen bottles, I would like to be able to handle them. Also, I would like them to be relatively quiet (we have an acre and are going to put them on the far side where we don't have any neighbors) although I know from research this varies a lot from chicken to chicken. My two favorite chickens in appearance are the barred rock and silver laced wynadotte. We were thinking about getting 2-3 chickens for now. Does anyone have any advice on either of those breeds or other breeds that would work well for us?
Thanks in advance!

Alison

Barred Rocks are great birds for this area. So are Black Australorps and RIRs. I've never had a wynadotte.
If you handle them a lot as chicks, you can handle them as hens.

 

[pastrymama]

Nobody replied about getting a duckling to scare off the wild birds... Any thoughts? Was told they're more territorial so they run off the birds. Or am I just making excuses to get a little quack quack?

I have 10 ducks and they willing let the wild birds eat out of their treadle feeder. they could care less. if you get a duck, you need them in pairs. they are very bonded to another, more so than chickens. well, at least mine are. mine run in two groups, the ducks and the muscovies.

my dog is the best at chasing wild birds, but he cannot be in the yards with the chickens or ducks. I wouldn't have any animals left!

 

[City farm]

So there is a raptor that can carry off chickens with out a lot of feathers being spread around? That seems to be the big mystery here. I do think I found just a small handfull of poor Tumbleweeds feathers in the front yard near the house but nothing of the other 3 chickens I have lost this week. Very strange.

Oh yes, raptors are killing machines with hundreds of thousands of years of killer instincts honed by mother nature. I've actually seen them swoop down in broad daylight not 5 feet away from where I was standing in my yard, and snatch a half grown pullet! I've also had issues with owls hunting during hours when you wouldnt think an owl is out & about. It's very difficult to protect your free ranging birds from this type of predator. Livestock dogs have helped me a lot, but I still lose a few chickens a year to raptors.

A dog is a good idea.. you are right hundred of years of killer instinks..

 

[City farm]

i haven't gotten a hold of Flower yet, but it looks like the last Sunday of this month. I am getting my yard clean out so we have a place, PLEASE PM ME so I can send you my phone no, address and direction from the 101 loop and the 303 loop, covering all directions. Looking forward to seeing everyone, it will be dinner time, so if you have a strong stomach we could have a pot luck. Mind as well. If you put salt in you ice and a little water it will almost or it will semi freeze stuff, makes beer extra cold in 5 min. Takes heat out of dead things to keep them good.

I told my sister, she was upset. " what are you going to do with all the dead chickens, it will still up the place!" "No, it will not, we eat the chickens,....... Good Grief, we are possessing, not getting to gather just to kill chickens! She is not the farm type.

We eat chicken. Our chickens are by far way better than store bought.. I plan on bringing a cooler full of ice.. The crock pot for
A day & bay leaf & spices.. However, DH.. Might not like the black silkie meat? He has already said no thanks..