Arizona Chickens

[pipemum]

I know huh?! I wondered the same thing and did a bit of reading. Here's what the Desert Museum had to say:


At just 7 eggs a year it would be pretty difficult to grow any numbers. One thing I didn't mention is how these things move. They're a bit wild, wiggling like crazy, EVERYTHING must love eating these guys. It's no wonder we don't commonly see them (aside from being fossorial). I'm surprised this one escaped the chickens.

See, the wild and wiggling part, when I totally wasn't expecting it from an EARTH WORM, really got my gander up. IT WENT WILD AND WIGGLY OVER MY TOES, IN THE DARK.

And I swear the thing bit me. A spur, you say? Maybe it spurred me.

I'm not at all snake phobic, but I suppose I'll admit to being blind snake phobic now.

 

[Gallo del Cielo]

See, the wild and wiggling part, when I totally wasn't expecting it from an EARTH WORM, really got my gander up. IT WENT WILD AND WIGGLY OVER MY TOES, IN THE DARK.

And I swear the thing bit me. A spur, you say? Maybe it spurred me.

I'm not at all snake phobic, but I suppose I'll admit to being blind snake phobic now.

Yep, I'll bet it spurred ya!

 

[carnivore]

See, the wild and wiggling part, when I totally wasn't expecting it from an EARTH WORM, really got my gander up.  IT WENT WILD AND WIGGLY OVER MY TOES, IN THE DARK.     And I swear the thing bit me.  A spur, you say?  Maybe it spurred me.  I'm not at all snake phobic, but I suppose I'll admit to being blind snake phobic now. 

LOL! You may have been spurred, but their mouth is so tiny that they dam near can't bite you! They are fascinating snakes, and you have no reason to fear them.

 

[a little chiken]

They love it & so do we..

. It is more nutritious, better quality, some draw backs.. You have to order in advance.. Go to Phoenix to pick up..
Howerever, I heard the BAKERS is closing.. I wonder where we would pick up from?

im a little lost....do you buy your FF? and who is Bakers?

 

[a little chiken]

Yes, Ground Clear is what I meant. I have'nt used it on oleander (my new place in Marana doesn't have any), but it works great on mesquite stumps that keep trying to grow back.
As far as the blind snakes go, they love fallen leaves and loose litter, you will usually find them when raking up this stuff that has been undisturbed for a few years. They definitely don't like the sun! If you have "desert landscaping" you won't see many at all.

We found our blind snake under a bunch of bricks that used to be our back steps. we are redoing things and yes they have been there for about 3 years.

 

[pipemum]

Chicken related stuff:

Based on a couple anecdotal stories here, I bought maintenance feed for all the chickens--the meat chickens were eating the layer feed and vice versa, so I thought I'd just get one type for all. The layers have full access to oyster shells. Well...it's only been a couple of weeks since I switch the hens from layer feed to maintenance, but their egg shells are much thinner. Still "normal," but thinner than they were. I think I'll switch back to layer feed for them. The Cornish crosses were the ones eating most of the layer feed anyway, and since they are gone, it's not much of an issue anymore. Maybe it wasn't in the first place...they only live a few months so I'm not sure the extra calcium would be a problem.

My EE is still laying super thin, misshapen eggs, and while that's not an issue from the food switch, it's probably it's not helping.

My bcm is still being a horrid chicken. I might separate her for a few days and see if that improves her 'mean girl' temperament. If not, I don't think she can stay part of my flock. I didn't like her boring timidness before, I guess I should have appreciated it more!

-------

I will restrain the urge to squeal and slink away if I ever get a chance to see a blind snake again. No promises though. Vicious little things.

 

[a little chiken]

Chicken related stuff:

Based on a couple anecdotal stories here, I bought maintenance feed for all the chickens--the meat chickens were eating the layer feed and vice versa, so I thought I'd just get one type for all. The layers have full access to oyster shells. Well...it's only been a couple of weeks since I switch the hens from layer feed to maintenance, but their egg shells are much thinner. Still "normal," but thinner than they were. I think I'll switch back to layer feed for them. The Cornish crosses were the ones eating most of the layer feed anyway, and since they are gone, it's not much of an issue anymore. Maybe it wasn't in the first place...they only live a few months so I'm not sure the extra calcium would be a problem.

My EE is still laying super thin, misshapen eggs, and while that's not an issue from the food switch, it's probably it's not helping.

My bcm is still being a horrid chicken. I might separate her for a few days and see if that improves her 'mean girl' temperament. If not, I don't think she can stay part of my flock. I didn't like her boring timidness before, I guess I should have appreciated it more!

-------

I will restrain the urge to squeal and slink away if I ever get a chance to see a blind snake again. No promises though. Vicious little things.

wow poor EE.I hope she gets back to normal soon. I am no expert but maybe she needs extra protein in addition to the layer feed? It is so crazy to see how much the feed affects the animal as a whole. All animals need a well rounded diet to stay healthy. I bet if you left your girls on that maintenance feed for any length of time you would also see a reduction in eggs being laid and overall flock health. Good thing you have been vigilant and caught it before it caused an issue.

The blind snake my husband caught scared me (because I hate snakes) but while he was researching type of snake I watched it and it was very cool to watch. I had never even heard of it before. Its eyes are so weird looking.

 

[a little chiken]

So I have been feeding FF for about a week now. We started the brooder pen on both FF and chick starter available all day. They seemed to attack the FF at first but then as soon as I added the chick starter in the automatic feeder they would run to that. Everything was eaten by morning the next day. I was not sure if they would get the full benefit that just FF gives so I changed to feeding just FF 2x a day. Those babies jump at the door and rush my feet like I am the life boat and they have been stuck on Gilligans Island for years. I put in the food and they gobble so fast I wonder if it is possible for them to choke. The ducklings are in the same brooder pen and before all is said and done I am not sure if they ate it all or had a food fight between the older and younger chicks and ducks. almost all of them have it stuck to the oddest places. Are they rolling in it (like my dog does when it finds a nice warm pile of scat) or just fighting to get that one glob of FF that looks better than the rest of the globs that my son has dubbed dog vomit.

I have my buckets of FF under a shed type cover that is right next to my adult laying hens. They stand their and "talk" to me as I work on scooping out their FF. They pace back and forth and if I happen to put a finger up to the chicken wire with a bit of FF on it they act like I am spoiling the one and abusing the rest. That hen gobbles up the little amount of FF from my finger and then takes off screaming at the others very reminiscent of when my boys tease each other when they think they got something their brother didn't. needless to say we have added a feeding trough and two dishes to our laying coop and you should see them attack that food. I often wonder if I have lost my mind and I only imagine that I fed them yesterday because they act as if it has been a week since they ate. I think their behavior rivals only my two tween boys in the way they eat but I am not quite sure. So in the end I am guessing whatever we are doing is a hit with the chickens and ducks alike even though I am not positive I am making the FF correctly. It has bubbles on top of the water and has just a bit of a sour smell but its not unpleasant just different. Anyway thank you all from the bottom of my chickens craws, the FF is a huge success at my farm.

 

[pipemum]

wow poor EE.I hope she gets back to normal soon. I am no expert but maybe she needs extra protein in addition to the layer feed? It is so crazy to see how much the feed affects the animal as a whole. All animals need a well rounded diet to stay healthy. I bet if you left your girls on that maintenance feed for any length of time you would also see a reduction in eggs being laid and overall flock health. Good thing you have been vigilant and caught it before it caused an issue.

The blind snake my husband caught scared me (because I hate snakes) but while he was researching type of snake I watched it and it was very cool to watch. I had never even heard of it before. Its eyes are so weird looking.

With the EE, I don't think it's a protein issue, unless there is too much protein? The maintenance has more protein than the layer feed, plus they get a treat of meal worms 2x a day to bribe them back into the run, plus their feed is fermented which is supposed to up the protein content. Also, the feed is still Big Sky, which is completely awesome. For the calcium, as of 2 days ago, I've been adding their dried and crushed eggshells back into the FF bucket, so hopefully that will give them the bump in calcium till the next round of co-op feed orders, and then it's back to the layer feed.

I don't know what else can be going on with the EE, unless her injured foot was just a coincidence with some other ailment. Her foot has healed, she's eating, she looks healthy and shiny...but her eggs are super funky.

 

[pipemum]

So I have been feeding FF for about a week now. We started the brooder pen on both FF and chick starter available all day. They seemed to attack the FF at first but then as soon as I added the chick starter in the automatic feeder they would run to that. Everything was eaten by morning the next day. I was not sure if they would get the full benefit that just FF gives so I changed to feeding just FF 2x a day. Those babies jump at the door and rush my feet like I am the life boat and they have been stuck on Gilligans Island for years. I put in the food and they gobble so fast I wonder if it is possible for them to choke. The ducklings are in the same brooder pen and before all is said and done I am not sure if they ate it all or had a food fight between the older and younger chicks and ducks. almost all of them have it stuck to the oddest places. Are they rolling in it (like my dog does when it finds a nice warm pile of scat) or just fighting to get that one glob of FF that looks better than the rest of the globs that my son has dubbed dog vomit.

I have my buckets of FF under a shed type cover that is right next to my adult laying hens. They stand their and "talk" to me as I work on scooping out their FF. They pace back and forth and if I happen to put a finger up to the chicken wire with a bit of FF on it they act like I am spoiling the one and abusing the rest. That hen gobbles up the little amount of FF from my finger and then takes off screaming at the others very reminiscent of when my boys tease each other when they think they got something their brother didn't. needless to say we have added a feeding trough and two dishes to our laying coop and you should see them attack that food. I often wonder if I have lost my mind and I only imagine that I fed them yesterday because they act as if it has been a week since they ate. I think their behavior rivals only my two tween boys in the way they eat but I am not quite sure. So in the end I am guessing whatever we are doing is a hit with the chickens and ducks alike even though I am not positive I am making the FF correctly. It has bubbles on top of the water and has just a bit of a sour smell but its not unpleasant just different. Anyway thank you all from the bottom of my chickens craws, the FF is a huge success at my farm.

That's great! Glad the FF is a success. So, I think they get it everywhere because it gets all over their beaks, then they shake their heads and it splatters all over? At least, that's what I've observed. I kinda like the way FF smells, but my daughter thinks it's the raunchiest thing ever. Well, she did till we got those flytraps, lol. I don't think there is much argument that FF smells better than rotting corpse.