Arizona Chickens

[mom-to-5]

Too bad you live way down in Mesa cause I've got eggs coming out the wazoo.  

Where are you located?

 

[mom-to-5]

Too bad you live way down in Mesa cause I've got eggs coming out the wazoo.  

Just saw you are in Chino Valley, that's a bit too far to travel for eggs I guess

 

[K9Dave]

Thank you for making me smile!  Lost my first chicken today.  Never would have imagined they would grow on me as much as they have.  Had 3 and only 2 layed eggs.  She was our best layer and layed the biggest eggs.  Not sure what the cause was, just slowed down laying this week.  Layed a smaller egg than usual two days ago, became listless today and layed under a bush. Her comb and waddles were light in color.  I brought her in the house and tried to get her to drink some electrolytes.  She had a little bit, The color started coming back, she got a little feisty but was gone within an hour of bringing her in.  I was glad I was holding her when she passed.  I know that's more about me than her.  Thanks for listening.  

Sorry for you. Almost done with the heat.

 

[moms3cuties]

Doggy door trained Chicken.

good one. .... lol

HAY!! CHECK this out.. For those of you amazing photographers.. Let's get some photo's of
ARIZONA CHICKENS on the new calendar.. Like @Gallo del Cielo & @Mama Hen Chris
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/893232/2015-byc-calendar-your-pictures-needed

I like taking pictures. .. hmm how does it work?

Fermented feed. There is a whole thread on it that would take years to read but in short it is regular feed that is fermented. I feed my chickens fermented feed...here is how I do it...
I have a 5 gallon bucket I loosely cover. I put about 15+ cups of the blue sky feed in, cover with water and mix, stir 1-2 times a day and add water to cover feed as needed. Within 3 days (or less with the heat) it will be bubbling. That's all the good bacteria fermenting in the bucket. You can feed before the fermentation kicks in though.
I feed once a day, in the am. So I go out in the morning, scoop some FF in a strainer, set it on the bucket to drain back into the other feed. Then I clean up anything needed, change water, etc and within 5 minutes the feed is ready to be dumped into their dish. I continue to feed from my bucket until it gets low, then add a big heap and water again. Some people prefer to replenish after every feeding (too much work for me).
I noticed that my feed seems to last longer, they drink less water, and their poop smells less (which is a huge benefit for me in suburbia).
In short FF is great and easy to do!

Thanks for sharing!

I agree, that would make it so much easier to follow the topics of most interest to each member.  But, if the administrators won't do it, can't we accomplish the same thing by starting new threads (ie "Arizona Chickens - fermented feed" and introducing the new thread on this main thread and inviting everyone to follow the new thread.  Not sure if this makes sense but I figured I'd throw it out there for the more computer-savvy members to think about!!

That's a great idea x2

I know this is a silly question as most peoples chickens have slowed down and all with the heat....but, anyone have extra eggs I could buy and live near Mesa?
My 6 laying hens are leaving us only 2-4 a day right now and the 7 pullets are only 13 weeks. That's not cutting it for my family of 7. Before I go buy store bought eggs I was hoping that just maybe someone else had way more than they could use that I could buy from them. Let me know if you have extra!

..... Yes pm for more info! I get anywhere from 3 to 6 eggs a day! occasionally somebody will decide to change a spot on me so it might take me to later in the day to find it

 

[a little chiken]

Thank you for making me smile! Lost my first chicken today. Never would have imagined they would grow on me as much as they have. Had 3 and only 2 layed eggs. She was our best layer and layed the biggest eggs. Not sure what the cause was, just slowed down laying this week. Layed a smaller egg than usual two days ago, became listless today and layed under a bush. Her comb and waddles were light in color. I brought her in the house and tried to get her to drink some electrolytes. She had a little bit, The color started coming back, she got a little feisty but was gone within an hour of bringing her in. I was glad I was holding her when she passed. I know that's more about me than her. Thanks for listening.

I am so sry for your loss.

 

[MrsFitzDarcy]

Fermented feed. There is a whole thread on it that would take years to read but in short it is regular feed that is fermented. I feed my chickens fermented feed...here is how I do it...
I have a 5 gallon bucket I loosely cover. I put about 15+ cups of the blue sky feed in, cover with water and mix, stir 1-2 times a day and add water to cover feed as needed. Within 3 days (or less with the heat) it will be bubbling. That's all the good bacteria fermenting in the bucket. You can feed before the fermentation kicks in though.
I feed once a day, in the am. So I go out in the morning, scoop some FF in a strainer, set it on the bucket to drain back into the other feed. Then I clean up anything needed, change water, etc and within 5 minutes the feed is ready to be dumped into their dish. I continue to feed from my bucket until it gets low, then add a big heap and water again. Some people prefer to replenish after every feeding (too much work for me).
I noticed that my feed seems to last longer, they drink less water, and their poop smells less (which is a huge benefit for me in suburbia).
In short FF is great and easy to do!

So just whatever laying pellet you normally use?

 

[jubilation]

Just saw you are in Chino Valley, that's a bit too far to travel for eggs I guess

Bummer!! Can't get much else in my refrigerator because of all the eggs.

 

[jubilation]

Where are you located?

I live in Chino Valley.

 

[K9Dave]

So just whatever laying pellet you normally use?

I think that the pellet is fine but I think everyone prefers to ferment the Layer Crumble. I think it ferments faster.

 

[LadyKotaDoria]

 
I've suggested to the admins they should create sub-forums for each state. Then we can create separate threads within our Arizona thread and not have this single 4857 page thread for Arizona covering unlimited topics. It would make it easier to search and keep track of topics. They didn't seem interested.

I agree, that would make it so much easier to follow the topics of most interest to each member.  But, if the administrators won't do it, can't we accomplish the same thing by starting new threads (ie "Arizona Chickens - fermented feed" and introducing the new thread on this main thread and inviting everyone to follow the new thread.  Not sure if this makes sense but I figured I'd throw it out there for the more computer-savvy members to think about!!

I thought the same thing, but with this formate I have learned and been made aware of things I would not have known because I did not and do not know what to ask. This has been such an education. When I give suggestions or advice it is stuff I learned from this thread in the past. Then tried and of course worked. Besides, a lot of the posts are social, a party line sort of.