Arizona Chickens

[Demosthine]

I've been extremely busy, that's where I've been. Some friends of ours wanted to buy some motorcycles, so as the mechanic and riding guru, I was voluntold to check them out. We spent four evenings going to do test rides and everything, some were very late nights. They ended up with two pretty good bikes for great prices, so it was a success. Now to catch up on my weekly chores that are sorely lacking...

We had a small setback with the bunnies last night. I put the two kits out to free range and the doe attacked one of her babies. She grabbed the kit at around the neck, and when the kit spun around to get away, it basically ziplined the fur almost all the way around her neck. It looks only skin deep, thank God, but still, it is not something I was prepared for or ready to deal with. I'm treating with raw honey when I get home, to encourage healing and avoid an infection. The kit isn't big enough to harvest yet, and my wife wants to keep both of them anyway.

I guess the does can get very territorial and even though they were her litter, they were separated for a few weeks after she stopped nursing. They were still small, so my wife wanted to keep them more protected. Guess that's a bad idea. You live and learn, though.


On the chicken and turkey side of the world, they are still doing well. No eggs yet, but the combs are starting to brighten and get larger, so a few more weeks and they should be laying again, hopefully. This is ridiculous. Hopefully they won't all molt at the same time next year. The turkeys are nice and plump, too.

I hope everyone is enjoying this weather and having a great day!

 

[MandyFitch]

Cranberries! Chickens are going nuts for leftover fresh cranberries...

 

[ctroyer]

I think I may have a strange Amerecauna on my hands. She literally lays and egg every day right now. Has been laying 5 days in a row takes a day off and then lays for another 5 days. I do not do artificial lighting and my RIR and BR are only laying about every other day. Anyone else have the same scenario or is she just a super chick? I didn't think she would be laying this much.

 

[MandyFitch]

Sorry to ask, I'm still learning about the differences but is super chick a real Ameraucana or an Easter Egger? I wonder because EEs (mutts) might be part sex link or something known for laying lots of eggs?

Also, how old is your hen? I was just told that Ameraucanas might not lay until nine months old!!! Not to happy to hear that...

 

[LadyKotaDoria]

I read once that a person cannot catch up with sleep, will I have slept off and on for 12 hrs. The last part more slep then awake. I'm still tired, but a little less then yesterday.

Ciry Farm, I was very tired last night when I got home, I put the little ones in a box, did not cover it, put a broot heater in, chicked the temp an hour later, went to bed. Had taken a couple out to show them the water. Pretty good size for a couple days old.... I thought. They stayed snuggled in the bag. I went to bed. Woke with 6 chicks running around my house. " I was never told how old they were! You said "jump out" I coun't ad up 1+1+1 last night. I figured it out quick this morning. They are cute and healthy...... Boy can they run.

Mary, the broody BO, is very happy, I think, on her eggs. I checked under her, all the eggs were taken in. She laid an egg, found it right away, I can recognize her eggs I discovered. I marked your brown eggs, it is really cool to be able to know not only were your eggs are from but by how. You can also tell a little about the health of your girls. Lighter yoke, not eating greens, or why is Thelma's shell a little thinner. I had put some under her and the rest around her. I hope they all hatch, I will be happy if half hatch. Now I have to fix a pin up for her and her chicks. No rooster to help her guarding her brood, for a few weeks I want to give her a little help. If only a few she should not have a problem, if more it might be hard to keep watch on all of them, with 12, always Hungary, pullets/Hens around.

 

[Gallo del Cielo]

We've had three different sets of company in town for the past three weeks. I've been able to keep up with the thread, but not posting. I do enjoy everyone else's posts.

 

[LadyKotaDoria]

I think I may have a strange Amerecauna on my hands. She literally lays and egg every day right now. Has been laying 5 days in a row takes a day off and then lays for another 5 days. I do not do artificial lighting and my RIR and BR are only laying about every other day. Anyone else have the same scenario or is she just a super chick? I didn't think she would be laying this much.

I had 2, 2 EE and 1 true Americana, 1 laid maybe 5 eggs in her life, the other 2 laid 5-6 eggs in a row, then a day old. The book says both EE and Americana's are by individual, ether/or 1-2 egg or 5-6 eggs a week. You got a good one. I figure the breeding for eggs is an ongoing thing. Therefor it would be safe to say EE/Americana's are good when they are good, bad when they are bad. You got good. (I still have Clare, an EE and a non-layer)

I am guessing on this, the time of year may be an issue on every other day, or they are bad at reading the book on egg laying by breed. Any other thoughts on this? Up until I thanksgiving day I got 23-25 eggs a week from 5 hens, according to breed I have 2 on a 28-29 hr cycle, 1 on 36-38 hr cycle, and 2 on a 56 hr cycle.
RIR and production hens are 24-29 hours, 4 eggs are 36-38 hour cycle, 3 eggs are 54-58 hr cycle. Full of thumb... Duel purposes are on longer egg cycles, lighter girls on shorter cycle. The fatter the bird the less eggs. I feed my girls to much, I had no eggs and fat girls, 2 died do to conjunctive heart failure, 2 do to fright (broken neck and suffocation), 1 died do to dinner, and 1 was sick do to egg bond and was cooked and feed to my girls, so her life gave life, as it should be.

FYI, answer to question not asked or thought of to ask.
Agricultural societies practiced some form of human blood ritual to the god/gods for good harvest. Hunting and herding societies had non-blood related sacrifice to the god/gods. Both hunting and agricultural are a little bloody, usually not requiring human blood. Christian religion was accepted quicker in societies that had human blood sacrifice because of the use of blood and flesh in our highest ritual on holy communion. To then we were as they are. To society's that are hunters and big meat eaters it was barbaric and hard to deal with, eating and drinking a gods very flesh! To vegetarian society's are the exception to the rule of agricultural, it was belief of all life being sacred, to them any faith requiring eating (even symbolic) flesh and blood was stuff of nightmares.

So think about it! When at the last supper did Jesus say "think of this bread as part of me" or this bread is my flesh" and the same with the wine. I chose to think it was recorded wrong, Jesus said something to the order of, " when gathered in my name, share bread and wine and think of me being with you in flesh and blood, as I am today". This is the image I have in communion. I am at the last supper sharing bead (not human flesh) and wine (not blood) in Jesus's presents. The day I set down at a table with roasted human and a cup of human blood........... No! I do not want to go there. If I be excommunicated for rejecting the sacrament is really, by Devine miracle flesh and blood, so be it.

 

[ctroyer]

Sorry to ask, I'm still learning about the differences but is super chick a real Ameraucana or an Easter Egger? I wonder because EEs (mutts) might be part sex link or something known for laying lots of eggs?

Also, how old is your hen? I was just told that Ameraucanas might not lay until nine months old!!! Not to happy to hear that...

Honestly I don't really know the difference between the too. My Avatar is Phoebe who I believe is our Ameraucana. I bought her from Western Ranchman's and figured she was an EE but they had both EEs and Ameraucana's according to the owner and she is an Ameraucana. But who really knows and honestly I do not care which breed she is as I love her no matter what. She is about 8 months old and did start laying about a week and half later than my RIR and BR that are the same age.

 

[ctroyer]

I had 2, 1 EE and 1 true Americana, the both laid 5-6 eggs in a row, then a day old. The book says both EE and Americana's are by individual, ether/or 1-2 egg or 5-6 eggs a week. You got a good one. I figure the breeding for eggs is an ongoing thing. I have 1 EE hen now. She has laid about 5 eggs in her life. She is a pet so I keep her, she is the only girl that can get away with I out working. Therefor it would be safe to say EE/Americana's are good when they are good, bad when they are bad. You got good.

I am guessing on this, the time of year may be an issue on every other day, or they are bad at reading the book on egg laying by breed. Any other thoughts on this?

Thanks LKD. I am guessing it was the time of year just thought it was crazy that the other one was laying so much. These are our first chickens so we are still learning lots.

 

[LadyKotaDoria]

  We've had three different sets of company in town for the past three weeks.   I've been able to keep up with the thread, but not posting.   I do enjoy everyone else's posts.

A 109 year old man was the center of a family reunion with 3,500 + attendance
He had 12 children, each generation had average 2 less children each.
It was on world news as a record family gathering. The old man was asked after the reunion about it. " I was happy to see them coming but even happier to see them leave"

Father had 10, each generation had fewer 2 children on average
Father = 10
Children 10X8= 80
XGR children 80X6=480
2XGR children 480X4=1,920
3XGR children 1,920X2= 3,840
4XGrand children 3840x1 = 3840
5XGrand children 3840X.2= 768
Total of 7,098 half were living &/or able to attend