Arizona Chickens

[City farm]

Hi all, Been lurking on this thread for years now and just haven't had anything to say for a while. But now I do. I am doing the New Years Hatch again this year and am looking for some fertile eggs. Does anyone in the Phoenix Area have any interesting breeds that I can have/beg/buy? Still kind of undecided as to what route I want to go with this hatch but I have waited so long to decide that I need to get then semi local, Looking to get 60 eggs (I have a wine cooler incubator that has produced hundreds of chicks, most of which I give away). I have bread back to my own chickens so many times I am starting to get too many weak and birth defect chicks. So I am pressing reset on the whole flock and starting over. Going to harvest everything I have now in January. Having said that, does anyone have any ideas/available?

In Tempe if you would like mutts.. Mostly E.E. silkie mix.. p.m. If interested.

 

[City farm]

Well, I'm a day late in wishing every one a Happy Thanksgiving, but that's the story of my life. All my chickens are doing fine, now that I told ALL the neighbors that any dog found on my property would be shot. Some didn't believe me, but one dog did wander onto the yard, I called the Animal Control, and they sent a truck out to haul the still live dog away. The person driving the truck was extremely grateful for the eggs I gave him, and it took the owner a couple of days to locate their dog, and yeah, I admitted to calling the Animal Control. The word spread quickly, and now there are a lot fewer loose dogs running around. I finally made a sign for myself, though I doubt I will leave it up long. It may invite someone less honest than myself to keep watch on the property waiting until I leave to either walk in and help themselves to a chicken, or worse still to remove the sign, though I doubt it could ever hang anywhere other than on my gate, it IS sort of "personalized." I think if you click on the picture (either one) it will blow it up to a larger size, I was trying to make the meanest chicken face I could for this sign, I hope I got it right. Last night for dinner, instead of cooking for just the two of us, we went out to eat, and had a wonderful meal at Golden Corral. In talking to the server we asked why it was so quiet there, we had been expecting a much bigger crowd, she told us that the large crowd had been that afternoon and they had planned on closing at 4:00, WOW !!! We didn't even leave home until after 4:00 to get there, so we were very thankful for them staying open to feed everyone that got there. When we left (around 5:30 or so) people were still coming in. I went to bed feeling VERY stuffed last night, and today I am more than ready to get back to work. Black Friday and things should be rather hectic today, we'll see. Anyway, I hope every one's Thanksgiving was a wonderful as our's was, and next year I AM going to have turkeys, both to eat and to sell. Skip

Well, I'm a day late in wishing every one a Happy Thanksgiving, but that's the story of my life. All my chickens are doing fine, now that I told ALL the neighbors that any dog found on my property would be shot. Some didn't believe me, but one dog did wander onto the yard, I called the Animal Control, and they sent a truck out to haul the still live dog away. The person driving the truck was extremely grateful for the eggs I gave him, and it took the owner a couple of days to locate their dog, and yeah, I admitted to calling the Animal Control. The word spread quickly, and now there are a lot fewer loose dogs running around. I finally made a sign for myself, though I doubt I will leave it up long. It may invite someone less honest than myself to keep watch on the property waiting until I leave to either walk in and help themselves to a chicken, or worse still to remove the sign, though I doubt it could ever hang anywhere other than on my gate, it IS sort of "personalized." I think if you click on the picture (either one) it will blow it up to a larger size, I was trying to make the meanest chicken face I could for this sign, I hope I got it right. Last night for dinner, instead of cooking for just the two of us, we went out to eat, and had a wonderful meal at Golden Corral. In talking to the server we asked why it was so quiet there, we had been expecting a much bigger crowd, she told us that the large crowd had been that afternoon and they had planned on closing at 4:00, WOW !!! We didn't even leave home until after 4:00 to get there, so we were very thankful for them staying open to feed everyone that got there. When we left (around 5:30 or so) people were still coming in. I went to bed feeling VERY stuffed last night, and today I am more than ready to get back to work. Black Friday and things should be rather hectic today, we'll see. Anyway, I hope every one's Thanksgiving was a wonderful as our's was, and next year I AM going to have turkeys, both to eat and to sell. Skip

That is a professional sign. Did you make it?

 

[LadyKotaDoria]

 
Marysong, are you breeding Marans currently?

I am working on it. I have been culling out the birds I bought as chicks last Dec, out of 22 chicks I will be keeping 2 pullets to breed from for the time being. I also recently obtained a very nice trio from desertmarcy. My intent is to do some test matings and grow the chicks out to at least 8-12 weeks. At that age I can make some good guesses as to which pairings I want to repeat and which birds will just go to the layer flock. At that point I may repeat the best breedings and have a few chicks for sale.

There are far too many people hatching and selling these birds with no thought of the SOP and what they should look like. It's a shame a lot of people get taken and find out their birds are full of DQs or are totally wrong. Similar to the situation of buying "Americana" at the feed store or hatchery and all you really have is an easter egger.

. This is good to know. I got mine on EBay. You never know who you are buying from, not knowing. I would love to have a nice Marans layer. When you cull let me know. A non-breeder, just laying. It is also good to get it straight, USA Marans have feathers on their legs. I am not up on the desired standards of what is being worked for in the new color variations. The pictures of the Lemon Cuckoo show yellow clean legs, they have a long ways to go to get feather and darker legs. I agree about breeding for a goal. There is nothing wrong with barnyard mix. I am not, at this time set up for standards. If/when I can have Roos I will be looking for standards.

 

[Nuclear Chickens]

In Tempe if you would like mutts.. Mostly E.E. silkie mix.. p.m. If interested.

Now that is an interesting mix. I have a Phoenix Rooster with two White Silkie hens.

 

[maryhysong]

. This is good to know. I got mine on EBay. You never know who you are buying from, not knowing. I would love to have a nice Marans layer. When you cull let me know. A non-breeder, just laying. It is also good to get it straight, USA Marans have feathers on their legs. I am not up on the desired standards of what is being worked for in the new color variations. The pictures of the Lemon Cuckoo show yellow clean legs, they have a long ways to go to get feather and darker legs. I agree about breeding for a goal. There is nothing wrong with barnyard mix. I am not, at this time set up for standards. If/when I can have Roos I will be looking for standards.

And for backyard pets and layer flocks mutts and non standard birds are just fine! Many of them lay well, are pretty to look at and taste like chicken

I just get annoyed when people are selling non standard birds and passing them off as the real deal to unsuspecting newbys.

 

[Demosthine]

I promise you on a picture on the status of the turkey from Thanksgiving. It was absolutely delicious and had more flavor than any other one I've had. My Wife didn't cook it quite like I said to, so it was a little bit dry, but everybody devoured it. I am definitely looking forward to doing it again for Christmas.

 

[mirasmom]

LOL, that is an option. Hey, what a great small business idea!!! Bet no one has thought of that one.....Rent a Roo by the hour, day, week or month. LOL

Seriously, that is a great idea. Especially for those like you that live where they aren't allowed or don't want to deal with the breeding year round.

I am so new to this, so I am sure it sounds silly but if anyone in AZ is interested I might want to rent a roo for a few days next spring.

 

[mirasmom]

So yesterday I took my lady’s out on a field trip to the back yard and again today. While they were not crazy about being carried back and forth they had a blast scratching and pecking at everything in the little make shift pen. Today I let them out for about an hour and brought them in. It’s getting chilly and they didn't seem cold outside but man they turned into a feather pile under their heat lamp for about half an hour after they came back in.

 

[Foxs Fowl Farm]

I am sure I will have something available in the spring. You would have to come out to Waddell or meet halfway. Not sure what breed of Roo you are looking for or if you care. Do you want large fowl(LF) or bantam, small birds?

 

[mirasmom]

Quote:
Originally Posted by Foxs Fowl Farm
I am sure I will have something available in the spring. You would have to come out to Waddell or meet halfway. Not sure what breed of Roo you are looking for or if you care. Do you want large fowl(LF) or bantam, small birds?
I really don't know yet what I would want other than good egg layers. We have two Easter eggers/ americana we got from a local breeder, a black sex link, red sex link, road island red and a Plymouth Rock. So a nice variety. I will reach out to you in the spring once I know a little better.