Arizona Chickens

[pipemum]

And another question--I have my chickens on layer feed, but haven't offered additional sources of calcium (since only one is laying). Today I put in a bowl of crushed eggshells, and it was immediately tipped over. Should I screw in a plastic bowl to the coop frame and provide the oyster/eggshells that way?

 

[pipemum]

Oh, and mamahen chris, beautiful shot of the owl.

 

[Gallo del Cielo]

And another question--I have my chickens on layer feed, but haven't offered additional sources of calcium (since only one is laying). Today I put in a bowl of crushed eggshells, and it was immediately tipped over. Should I screw in a plastic bowl to the coop frame and provide the oyster/eggshells that way?

Sure, a bowl will work. Whatever you use, if it's outside make sure it has a weep/drain hole(s) in the bottom so that our rare rain can drain out. I use a dispenser made from 4" pvc, a wye and two end caps (one for the lid and one for the bottom). It holds a lot of oyster shell and I only have to re-fill it about once a year. You can just barely see it in this picture in the back left side.

Oh, and mamahen chris, beautiful shot of the owl.

Yes, fantastic shot. I've been thinking about what incredibly efficient killing machines owls and bobcats are. Like MHC's owls, the beauty of the cats in Desertmarcy's yard belies their ruthless skills.

 

[pipemum]

A wye, had no idea that pvc configuration had a name, but perfect.

 

[Twinklin]

And another question--I have my chickens on layer feed, but haven't offered additional sources of calcium (since only one is laying). Today I put in a bowl of crushed eggshells, and it was immediately tipped over. Should I screw in a plastic bowl to the coop frame and provide the oyster/eggshells that way?

My girls flip over bowls and tupperware instantly too. I just started giving them oyster shells and eggshells as well. I took a plastic container and drilled 4 holes in the back large enough to feed a zip tie through and zip tied it to the hardware cloth. Haven't had a single spill. I don't know if they've been eating it though. They do know it's there just don't show interest. I've had a hard time with spillage of everything. I feed them in the run so the rats don't go into the coop looking for food. I had made PVC feeders but the chickens kept beaking all the food out and even with a spill pan i was cleaning up a ton of food every day when they were on crumbles. I couldn't leave the feeders out at night either because the rats were trying to chew through the PVC. So every night I had to unhook them and bring them in and they were heavy and a pain. So they just switched from crumble to pellets this week. I decided to switch to a long rectangular plastic flower pot and then put bricks along the front and back of it so they can't tip it over. It's also much easier to pick up and put in the storage shed at night. So far so good. I know some people have really good luck with PVC feeders, I think the PVC I used was too small and since I can't leave food out at night I had to do something different. I hope to get a treadle feeder ones of these days but the metal one from Gandpa's feeders that I want is like $200 and for 4 chickens it's not worth it.

 

[kpgoldstar]

kpgoldstar I enjoyed reading your story. Two comment about the septic tank. In my opinion all grey water except toilet should be drained to a cistern to be used in the yard. If not on the vegetable at least for the flowers and trees. I drain my washing machine water out into the yard to water the evergreens. Second not all of AZ is good for tomatoe growing. Here above the RIM, the growing season is shorter and some years there is a cold snap in the spring which requires replanting the garden. If I had a semi type green house enviroment gardening would be less of a challenge but I do not see that in my future.


QUERY I am looking for ideas on pressure cookers. I used to have one and grew up in a house where one or two were used every canning season. I know there are new ones on the market so I am asking for peoples experiences.

Sorry, I didn't intend for my post to indicate that everyone in Arizona can grow tomatoes. Pipemum you probably do freeze much more often than I ever do. And for those of you above the rim, of course your growing conditions are not the same as mine. I was saying that I can grow tomatoes in the hottest part of our state.


One of Last Spring's beet harvests

A pile of greens against the setting sun

Some pickled beets and olives

As for a pressure canner, I don't use one so I have no advice to give. All my canning is either acidic (pickles, fruit, salsa or marinara) so I have a steam canner which is the same as water bath but it doesn't use nearly as much water.

 

[MaddBaggins]

I scored a nice aluminum pressure cooker from Target online a few years back. If I recall correctly, it was around $80. Search yard sales or thrift stores and you can probably score one in good shape for a lot less.

 

[City farm]

Good Morning people! Just checking in.

Blondie, the girl who has decided that roosting outside is better than in the coop, has now been joined by Petunia the last couple nights. It's pure comedy watching them decide how and when to get off the roost in the morning. Twice, in the last week, I've found a broken egg on the ground under that roost early in the morning when I go out to change water and give treats.

Our egg productions has slowed. Don't know why. During the hot months we were getting 7-8 eggs every day. Now we only get 4-6. Other than temp and daylight hours, nothing has changed.

I've noticed that they prefer baked, crushed egg shell over the oyster shell calcium I get from the store. Unfortunately, I don't have enough egg shell to keep them supplied with that. We only eat about a dozen a week. The rest get sold to neighbors.

Hope everyone is good!

Great to hear all is well.. What are you brewing this week?

 

[bcluff]

Big changes here this week! Ive recently acquired 10 coturnix quail eggs and they are currently under my silkie who is a broody machine! She is just happy that she can stay broody this time. Hoping for some babies in a week or two

 

[Demosthine]

QUERY I am looking for ideas on pressure cookers.  I used to have one and grew up in a house where one or two were used every canning season. I know there are new ones on the market so I am asking for peoples experiences. 

I have been using the 16-quart Presto pressure canner from WalMart. It uses weights instead of gauges. I absolutely love it and it has worked flawlessly. I wish I had bought the larger model because I am canning so much more, but it has exceeded every expectation I've had. There's been no problem with the seals, either.