Arizona Chickens

[MrsFitzDarcy]

From what I've seen very little frightens a bobcat.  They will bury chickens they've killed, but I'm not sure if they will dig under a fence to get at them.  Desertmarcy has a lot of experience with them and maybe she has some thoughts about it.  My wife has a co-worker friend that had a bobcat come up in the afternoon and take a chicken right there in front of her, just a few feet away.  After killing the chicken it carried it over near her wall and ate it right in front of her.  She tried to scare it off but it just growled at her.  She got it all on camera too, it was pretty startling to watch.

Arethey afraid of large dogs?

@K9Dave, could you pipe in on what breed makesa good flock protector? Am I right inthinking that Ive heard about Great Pyrenees? Is there a heat hardier dog?

 

[jackiezim]

Well I can tell you from raising Marans, that on some breeds the male hormones will kick in early and they will develop a big comb but their bodies are still immature and are not filled out for many more months. That tends to be true of many of the heavy breeds like the Marans, Plymouth Rock, and Sussex.

My MOran roo is about 22 weeks old, looking more like a roo everyday. He's not crowing at all Nd still runs away from the bigger hens. He mainly stays with the maran pulley. I got them together Nd they seem inseparable. When do you think those hormones will kick in?

 

[K9Dave]

From what I've seen very little frightens a bobcat.  They will bury chickens they've killed, but I'm not sure if they will dig under a fence to get at them.  Desertmarcy has a lot of experience with them and maybe she has some thoughts about it.  My wife has a co-worker friend that had a bobcat come up in the afternoon and take a chicken right there in front of her, just a few feet away.  After killing the chicken it carried it over near her wall and ate it right in front of her.  She tried to scare it off but it just growled at her.  She got it all on camera too, it was pretty startling to watch.

I would love to see that video.

Arethey afraid of large dogs?

@K9Dave, could you pipe in on what breed makesa good flock protector? Am I right inthinking that Ive heard about Great Pyrenees? Is there a heat hardier dog?

I have trained many Pyrenees, a Kuvasz and an Anatolian Shepherd. I like them in that order. Pyrenees are so easy to work with it makes training/socializing a breeze. Lovely dogs and great at their job.

 

[Papas Chickens]

That's great!  Where are your favorite places to fish over on the west side and up in ID?  I'm an avid fly-tyer too.  I taught a fly-tying class at our local fly shop for years and also sold flies through the shop.  

Trade flies for flies?     I really don't breed BSFL, they pretty much do it themselves.   The only thing I did that supposedly helps is to put up small rolls of corrugated cardboard near the top of the inside of the compost bins for them to lay in (not really necessary, but people online seem to think it helps--I haven't noticed any improved colonization with them).   The BSF are attracted to the compost bins--just put one out and you WILL have BSF in short order.  Keep in mind that unless you are a person that is very observant about insects, you'll likely never see an adult.   I'm pretty observant and I rarely see them, but the compost bins have a lot of larvae.   Unfortunately, I have way too much on my plate to dig through the bins to collect them for trade. 

Out here in AZ I fish the Colorado River, Martinez Lake, Metri Lake, Yuma Lake, the canals, Lees Ferry. In Idaho mostly Snake River, I ordered some BSFL to help me start my colony.

 

[Gallo del Cielo]

Quote:
It was posted on Facebook, so maybe I can find it. I'll ask my wife (I'm not a Facebook person) tonight.

 

[Papas Chickens]

So I was at the feed store with my neice (big mistake) getting some chicken feed when she spotted the baby chicks. I walked out with two fifty pound bags of food one for my adults the other for six Silkie chicks that I baught for my niece because im such a nice uncle lol. I got two white, two buff and two blues.

 

[Gallo del Cielo]

Quote:
I fished the Snake in Grand Teton NP in WY, it was awesome. I had two of my most epic days of streamer fishing on the Lochsa in ID and one unforgettable 45 minute session catching smallies on the middle fork of the Salmon while the family was stretching their legs. Someday I hope to get back and fish the Selway. Of the places in AZ, which is your favorite? Have you caught any really big bass over there?

 

[desertmarcy]

Do bobcats dig? Are they shy of pet dogs? Ive seen one in the neighbor's yrd cross the street, but they are reverse snowbirds and havent been around all summer.I wonder if my dogs and my next-door neighbor's 3 shepards keep him/her at bay.

I had one dig under a pen once, but the soil was very soft and loose because the pen was built under a couple of mesquite trees. It surprised me, I didn't think they would dig at all.

 

[desertmarcy]

My MOran roo is about 22 weeks old, looking more like a roo everyday. He's not crowing at all Nd still runs away from the bigger hens. He mainly stays with the maran pulley. I got them together Nd they seem inseparable. When do you think those hormones will kick in?

Any week now.

 

[cyborg]

Very good price. Now I wish I had my trailer still. 16' is pretty hard to transport.

If you have a pickup, you can bend them to fit in the bed, (sideways) and have a traveling hoop house! I just borrow my buddy's 16 ft flatbed trailer.