Arizona Chickens

[FeatherPugs]

I'm out in the cotton fields south of Walmart. What breeds of chickens do you have? I'm always up to meet new chicken peeps (peeps...lol). However, I always need notice if someone is coning to the house. I have two 5 year olds and a 4 year old and it looks like every combination of a natural disaster has hit the inside of my house all at once. LOL. Kids...gotta love'em!

I raised 5 kids - know the drill well!!! I have mostly EEs and Austrolorps with a RIR and Welsummer or two. Right now I have 4 littles - 2 barred rocks, 1 leghorn and the 2nd was supposed to be a leghorn BUT has a few dark spots - so probably an EE, 4 middles (should begin laying sometime mid-June) two more Aussies (were supposed to be barreds!), a RIR and a real pretty mix with gold coloring like a buff orpington with gray in her tail feathers and a smattering of color around her neck feathers but does have a muff like an EE and our biggies - so I have 16 all totaled. Some of the girls are entering their 3rd year and the egg production shows but all is well. Besides its summer!!

 

[Smiles-N-Sunshine]

Howdy y'all!

Yes it's been two years since I hung out in here! I'm still doing well in Palominas (between Bisbee and Sierra Vista). I've either rehomed or freezer camped the rabbits, ducks, turkeys and redworms, leaving just chickens and Ottoman the tom turkey (watchdog). I travel a lot for work, and my better half doesn't enjoy farming as much as I do. For me, it's a relaxing time after work; for her, it's just messy chores. (I have similar feelings toward our grandkids.)

So the chickie gals are now 4-8 years old, and I was planning to replace them, but just got a deal going with Mimosa Market in Bisbee (very Mom and Pop) for up to 12 dozen per week, so it looks like I'll be expanding instead. I have 7 Jersey Giant pullets and 8 Australorp (straight-run) coming tomorrow, to join 15 Australorps, two Rhode Island Reds, and three Kinda-Like-Seabright banties . I had to rehome Karl the roo because the flock was getting inbred (bent toes and low hatch rates), so hopefully I'll get another good roo out of this batch.

So, just wanted to say "hey" and wish you well! Cheers!

 

[City farm]

New and a Newbie here.  Just moved from Mesa to East Apache Junction on some horse property.  I know NOTHING. But I really want to get some Layers. Is it to late? Do I need to keep a heat light on the chicks if they are in the house or garage?  I could use all the info you can dish out. 

Agh, so glad you joined here..

We might have a few extra hens.. We will know by Saturday...

 

[City farm]

I lost my pond fish Does anybody in the Tucson area have extra mosquito fish or any other small mosquito-eating fish in abundance and willing to share? I have cattails in my pond that are taking over. If you want cattails, you can have some! They used more water in the pond than I realized and the pond went dry, hence the loss of my fish. Tons of mosquito larvae out there now, I need fish ASAP! Would rather have the fish than use mosquito dunks.

Wish you were closer we have extra.. We also use the younger gold fish.. They work as well..

 

[carnivore]

OK, finally finished putting shade cloth on the roof of the run. This is an L-shaped run, this is the long leg. About halfway down, you can see where BOSS and buckwheat are starting to sprout.




Jenny is 4 weeks old now, getting pretty squirrely in the brooder, tries to fly out and land on my shoulder every time I'm in sight. Took her out to let her get aquainted with her new digs. She was not terribly impressed, didn't do much wandering, after about 10 minutes she climbed up an ironwood roost and jumped into my lap.



Check out this girls feet! If foot size is any indicator, this is gonna be a big chicken!

 

[kacklinkelly]

Welcome and welcome back. I have been around here since we got our small back yard group of girls a year and a half ago. We are also now raising two NZ does. DH has not gotten on board yet with my breeding for meat idea. He surprisingly is getting alot of enjoyment from the antics of all our girls. He initially wanted absolutely nothing to do with my crazy idea of getting chickens and rabbits. Life has definitely changed for the better with our critters. Crossing paths with alot of great people on this site as well and learning tons.

 

[K9Dave]

Thanks for the help. We don't even have the coup finished yet. Thought I'd get a start on the chicks. We keep the AC turned on 80. Sounds warm, but Phx people understand. Now the question is What kind and where. DH says no roosters. The neighbors roosters can't tell time.

Are Ground Squirrels/Prairie Squirrels a problem for the coop?  We have a ton of them. A lot of quail too, but I love watching those. 4 Pair and at least 21 babies. Our cats have now become "indoor" only cats.

I bought my chicks from a coue of Feed Stores around town and a backyard breeder orf RIR's. I got 4 out of 4 picking roosters out of a horse trough. I am down to 2 Roos and am trying to fatten them up for, you know what. I have 10 all together and think hat 8 or so without a Roo will be a good number for me.
My wife brought 2 cats into the relationship and they don't bother the chickens at all. Probably not typical though.

I have 1 Brahma, 2 Plymouth something's I think, 3 buff orpington's, 1 EAster Egger, 1 white leghorn, and the 2 RIR Roos.

What breeds are you interested in?

 

[rhondita55]

I bought my chicks from a coue of Feed Stores around town and a backyard breeder orf RIR's. I got 4 out of 4 picking roosters out of a horse trough. I am down to 2 Roos and am trying to fatten them up for, you know what. I have 10 all together and think hat 8 or so without a Roo will be a good number for me.
My wife brought 2 cats into the relationship and they don't bother the chickens at all. Probably not typical though.



I have 1 Brahma, 2 Plymouth something's I think, 3 buff orpington's, 1 EAster Egger, 1 white leghorn, and the 2 RIR Roos.

What breeds are you interested in?

not sure. Only saw the white ones growing up. Layers for sure. just enough for family. DH was looking at one of those pre-fab coops and build a little shaded run on it. Don't want to go to big until I learn. He works long hours and doesn't want to deal with building a coup. We just have chain link an horse wire? fence around, so free range is not an option. There's a little Farmers Store not to far away and the only other place I've seen is Shoppers in AJ.

 

[City farm]

Oh boy the chickens are completely interested in the duck swimming in the dog pool

 

[kacklinkelly]

not sure. Only saw the white ones growing up. Layers for sure. just enough for family. DH was looking at one of those pre-fab coops and build a little shaded run on it. Don't want to go to big until I learn. He works long hours and doesn't want to deal with building a coup. We just have chain link an horse wire? fence around, so free range is not an option. There's a little Farmers Store not to far away and the only other place I've seen is Shoppers in AJ.

I am so pleased with 2 of our 3 girls. The RIR and Black Australorp are great layers and have great personalities. They handle our heat well. We also have an Easter Egger who is a dud at laying, is more sensitive to the heat but she's fiesty and fun to watch so we keep her around. She's kind of the watchdog of the group. I would love to get a few more,(to look at) but these are perfect for our needs right now. (it's taking a TON of discipline) Have fun picking out your breeds.