Arizona Chickens

[Sonoran Silkies]

Quote: Dove eggs are pure white, much smaller and have a very, very thin shell. This looks like a chicken egg to me

 

[Sonoran Silkies]

Quote: Nope, still too large for a pigeon egg, which is also pure white.

 

[Sonoran Silkies]

Quote: Kestrals (proper name for sparrow hawk) are quite small. They are the smallest raptor in North America, weighing up to 4.2 oz. A LOT smaller than any adult chicken. They eat grasshoppers, mice and small birds. Anything other than a chick would be too large for them. Here is a photo of an adult male kestral from wikipedia:


A Harris Hawk, a Cooper's Hawk or a Red Tail are far more likely culprits.

 

[Sonoran Silkies]

Quote: I would not call raptors killing machines; precision hunters, yes, but they kill to eat, and do not kill more than that. A great horned owl, on the other hand will kill to kill, not just to eat. Game and Fish referred to them as killing machines.

 

[Sonoran Silkies]

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?

Ducklings would become duck soup, so to speak. Geese might run off some raptors, not ducks. Guineas would sound the alarm (as would geese).

 

[Sonoran Silkies]

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

You will love the rocks! Wyandottes tend to not be as people oriented.

 

[Sonoran Silkies]

Quote: Owls are sometimes out during the day, particularly morning and afternoon. Less likely the closer to noon. Without knowing the specific motive, it is difficult to say what would or would not be taken.

 

[LadyKotaDoria]

OPPS

 

[Demosthine]

: The swallow may fly south with the sun or the house martin or the plover may seek warmer climes in winter, yet these are not strangers to our land?
1st soldier with a keen interest in birds: Are you suggesting coconuts migrate?
King Arthur: Not at all. They could be carried.
1st soldier with a keen interest in birds: What? A swallow carrying a coconut?
King Arthur: It could grip it by the husk!
1st soldier with a keen interest in birds: It's not a question of where he grips it! It's a simple question of weight ratios! A five ounce bird could not carry a one pound coconut.
King Arthur: Well, it doesn't matter. Will you go and tell your master that Arthur from the Court of Camelot is here?
1st soldier with a keen interest in birds: Listen. In order to maintain air-speed velocity, a swallow needs to beat its wings forty-three times every second, right?
King Arthur: Please!
1st soldier with a keen interest in birds: Am I right?

 

[LadyKotaDoria]

Really, Owls are devastating. When I first moved here I had a friend that had goats. She lost geese and a kid to one. It couldn't fly off with any of them. They both geese killed the same time, when they got home. Only one was partly eaten. The kid was a new born, they found in the morning. The little Sparrow Hawks (the little falcons) are Oz per Oz more powerful then any of the raptors. It is just little, that is a good thing. They can and do take down much bigger game. Hunting hawks especially, they are used not only for pigeons but to take down ducks in flight. I do not know about finishing them off, I think theyjusttake them down and hold them for their handler.

I have been attacked by swans and I know that they are very aggressive and territorial. They are very beautiful, but mean. Dogs and donkeys I think are the best protection from predators.