Arizona Chickens

[City farm]

question: Dose anyone know if Honorably Discharged Army can stay at military Campgrounds? I have been trying to figure it out.

I am coming close to picking up my camper, everything is falling in place. I am working on a design for my truck bed coop, I may even have a renter for my house (a chicken friendly house). I plan a a shake down trip, without chickens. Then the real think in May. I have started my membership in KOA and Good Neighbor Sam, looking into others to see what they can do for me. I found 1 RV place in North Virginia that is very chicken friendly, they have their own chickens that free range, and in in Florida.

I am starting to get excited, definitely looking forward to my (est 2 yr adventure).

Will you post the chickens you got from our mixed flock?? Before you go.. Plus I have your carrier.. Our friends Andy & Eva will be comming this way soon.
I will keep you and demo posted...

 

[City farm]

Where are some good places in the east valley to get fertile eggs and some chicks? What is a good number of chickens to have for a family of 9 to have a good egg supply? Thx!

We have fertile eggs.. Pop on over.. Or Trader Joe's carries them.. If I remember correctly they are California / leghorn mix.. Check on this web site for "TraderJoe's experiment" or something to that effect.. Not all Trader Joe's carries them.. Each hen will lay anywhere between 24-36 hours. That ia a good layer.
Excellent is a leg horn or other breed. Check the hatcheries, they list all the different qualities.. I would start with 7-10 hens for your family..

 

[City farm]

Moved the last of this year's chicks into the grow-out pen a few days ago.  It was just in time.  Yesterday I noticed the nearby ant colony has expanded into the brooder box (which is on the ground, outside).  They were probably working on construction while the chicks were still in there.  Sigh.  I don't want to poison these particular ants because the horned lizards eat them.  Looks like I will have to move that brooder before next breeding season.

Or use food grade D.E. our chickens dust bath in it.. Ants do not survive long..

 

[City farm]

Hello, everyone! New to the chicken and new to the site. Glad I found you guys. My only chicken experiences are when I was little and my grandma kept some chicken in a small coop but I always want some chickens for myself and had been waiting for years (due to city rules ect) and finally pulled the trigger. Got two 3 months old off Craigslist, one black sexlink and one silver lace wyandotte. Lost the sexlink to the weed killer. I have done tons of research during the years but I obviously missed this one. Learned it hard way will never forget. Then I build a coupe for the wyandotte. Took me about 3 days, and painted them ASU maroon (go devils!). Used decompsed granite as substrate, works like a charm! Not smelly at all and super easy to clean. Attached are two 14x14 nesting box. Then added some chicks, 1 white leghorn 1 bared rock and 2 rhode island reds from Ace hardware in Gilbert, and 1 east egger, 1 black australorp, 1 black sexlink from pets club in Tempe. I didn't mean to keep this many chicken in the small coop, but people saying the survival rate for first chicken keeper are low. Fortunately/unfortunately, I didn't lose any one of them. They all bigger and healthy as cow. I gave away 2 little rhode island reds last week, tougher than I thought..... After waiting waiting and waiting, today I got my first egg from wyandotte! So excited! Showing picture to all my friends!!! The egg is small but good shape and solid. It weights 40g(1.4ounce) only, I am sure tomorrow will be a bigger one. I think the wyandotte sets a good model for the rest of the younger girls. She found the nesting box, didn't make a mess and she didn't even clark!!! Super quiet just did her business and walked out like nothing happened! Glad to meet everybody, this is cool place to hang out. ciao~

Wow, how eggciting!! Glad you are aboard... &. Intergrating them yet? Or do you have the babies in the brooder?

 

[Macboat]

Good to meet you. I have only been a chicken lover for about a year now. Learning by trial and error but everyone here is great about helpful tips. I have had my losses, but from predators. Mainly coyotes but need to watch for bird of prey too. I need to update my critter list. Where are you located? I'm in Surprise.

Thank you Linda. I live in a city that I have to keep discreet because it is not legal yet here....

I have waited long enough got a nod from neighbor, here I am.....
For me I don't worry too much about predators, but my coup and run is enclosed anyway.

 

[Macboat]

Wow, how eggciting!!

Glad you are aboard... &.

Intergrating them yet? Or do you have the babies in the brooder?

Thank you City Farm! Yes I am very eggciting today! Can't settle down without talking about my eggs!

The babies are all out in the coup now, I guess I am lucky they integrated at no time.... I start to let them out during the day when they are half feathered at about 5 weeks and take them back to brooder inside at night. Did that for about a week and then one night I noticed them all went back to the shed and roost just fine, I stopped taking them back just leave them there. Never seen any aggression from the big chicken on the contrary I have seen little brats jumped on the big girls couple times.

Here is a crappy shot of them roosting at night it really cracked me up when I first saw them lined up perfectly like that. Couldn't stop laughing. (In the picture they were startled by flash so wasn't in a line)

 

[a little chiken]

Quote: I will know soon. this is part of the fun isent it. I have had chickens most of my life but I am not sure on this one as I have never had Turkens before. I love this little cross as they are so friendly!!!! I am off to get my kids and go buy 4 silkie hens. I will post pictures when I get home. I think I am seriously getting addicted to this site. lol

 

[a little chiken]

welcome Macboat.

Chickens are fun and very very very addictive. I only have 15 adult hens and 2 Roo's as well as 11 chicks from a few days to a few months old and I am off to buy more. ahh the joys of the chicken.

 

[chickabees]

Hi all, i am looking for silkie pullets or chicks in tucson...any ideas? Wouldnt mind a few marans either!

 

[Macboat]

welcome Macboat.

Chickens are fun and very very very addictive. I only have 15 adult hens and 2 Roo's as well as 11 chicks from a few days to a few months old and I am off to buy more. ahh the joys of the chicken.

Yep... My run is only 7'x5' and roost bar is 40" now after giving away 2 rhode island reds I still have 6. I think I may get away with 5 adults so have a big headache now of which of them to get rid off before it gets too crowded.... They all adorable.