Arizona Chickens

[AZChiknGoddess]

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.

I learned to never go to the feed store when they have chicks. lol

 

[ChuskaMtns]

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 had 3 Anatolians, all females and they protected the chickens, alpacas, sheep and goats. All my neighbors had problems with bobcats either wiping out their entire flock or almost but I never did except for a few of the AMs that would fly over the fence off my property and never return, I figured a coyote or bobcat got them. I had quite a few coyotes too. My only concern was with the big barn owls and all the hawks but I had quite a few juniper trees for the chickens to hide under. I like the Anatolians because they deal with the heat better than the Pyrs, Maremmas and Kuvasz. Pet Allies up in Show Low might still have some Maremmas looking for homes, they're all purebreds. They came from a breeder and Pet Allies ended up taking in all 90+, adults and pups and were looking for homes for them. That was summer of '13 but there still may be some left in their foster homes. They were reaching out to all AZ rescue groups to see if anyone would adopt or foster.

 

[ChuskaMtns]

I have no idea what a Huacayas or a suri are. Both of my Alpacas I took in because the ppl are moving and cannot take them with them. Half my dogs, all my cats, my geese (cept one) all my guinea pigs, 2 of my rabbits and 4 goats and my ferret are all rescues. Everyone teases me that I should open a rescue but I dont think so, I already have enough. lol Once we move and get more room I would be willing to take in more alpacas and llamas. they are awesome and I have to learn all I can to become a leader for my sons 4-H group as he wants to show them.

Huacaya and Suri refer to fiber type. Huacaya is the dense fiber typically seen in most alpacas whereas Suri looks like dreadlocks. Huacayas should be sheared at least once a year, Suris are sheared every other year. Spinners prefer Huacaya as it's denser, has more crimp and tends to be softer. Breeders prefer Suri because they command a higher price, aren't easy to reproduce since there's fewer of them in the US and I guess they like the look. Personally, I go for the individual personality rather than coat type, Oreo is my 17 year old Huacaya and he's got a great personality. He can sniff out eggs and knows how to nose open the nest boxes and he does eat the eggs - shell and all! I try to get out there before he does. He, as with all my other camelids, are snowbirds and live up in the White Mountains until November. I do miss them but I have my chickens to entertain me!

 

[moms3cuties]

Did the Velcro work? My maran roo is about 20 weeks old now but not a peep. Trying to be prepared so I can try to keep him.

not quite yet, but I think if I make it just a little tighter every day or so then after a while I should have it just right.....SOON! =D

.....no not working. .. YET,, but yesterday morning after 6 or so he decided once or twice to make some noise and I could hear him. In the early morning I've heard him be loud. However around the time I put it on him last week he decided he'd try to CROW!!! after I fed all of them and this is between roughly 10 and 12 noon. Also All I could say was...."WOW is his clock is off or what,"... lol?!?


I've only tightened it once since it's been on. I am concerned that the plastic may make him warm and sweaty around the neck.

 

[Papas Chickens]

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?

My favorite in AZ is hands down Lees Ferry im a big trout guy and they have record breaker trout up there. The biggest toad I caught was 6.5 lbs from Lake Martinez trolling the edge of the shallows next to some weed growth, I was using a flashy bugger with a flash belly worm (my creation) as a trailer.

 

[Papas Chickens]

I learned to never go to the feed store when they have chicks. lol

I went to the feed store to buy feed and to see if they had any Golden Laced Wyandotte pullets for sale all they had was the Silver Laced Wyandottes and Silkies once my neice seen them it was over lol, chicken math and my neices baby blue eyes got me lol.

 

[MagicChicken]

@MagicChicken which TSC did you go to for those panels? We need some and $20 is a great price.

I didn't get them from Tractor Supply. There was no Tractor Supply here when I got mine. $20 (actually $19.99 or something) is the price on the Tractor Supply website. Check your local Tractor Supply store for availability. Order if necessary.

I tied my cattle panels to the roof of the pickup to get them home. Padded the roof and anchored them via the front and rear bumpers, plus some side-to-side ties for stabilizing. Don't recommend that method because you can ding up your vehicle if you aren't careful. My truck was an old beater so I wasn't too concerned about dings. It helped that I wasn't going far with the load. I wouldn't drive on highways or long distances with the panels loaded the way I had them. I was glad to get home safely that day

Some people arch them in the back of the pickup to bring them home. My pickup has a shell so that technique wouldn't work.

Sorry, I don't have any photos of it under construction. It's hard to see the construction now, with all the hardware cloth and tarps on the coop.

 

[MagicChicken]

@houdiniduck - Here is a link to someone else's hoop coop construction page. It will give you the general idea:

http://www.raincreekpottery.com/Pages/HoopCoopChickenTractor.aspx

 

[K9Dave]

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.

I will have to borrow a trailer too I guess. I'll be getting too many to hoop in the bed of the truck.

I had 3 Anatolians, all females and they protected the chickens, alpacas, sheep and goats. All my neighbors had problems with bobcats either wiping out their entire flock or almost but I never did except for a few of the AMs that would fly over the fence off my property and never return, I figured a coyote or bobcat got them. I had quite a few coyotes too. My only concern was with the big barn owls and all the hawks but I had quite a few juniper trees for the chickens to hide under. I like the Anatolians because they deal with the heat better than the Pyrs, Maremmas and Kuvasz. Pet Allies up in Show Low might still have some Maremmas looking for homes, they're all purebreds. They came from a breeder and Pet Allies ended up taking in all 90+, adults and pups and were looking for homes for them. That was summer of '13 but there still may be some left in their foster homes. They were reaching out to all AZ rescue groups to see if anyone would adopt or foster.

Maremmas are good dogs too. All of these dogs coats will help insulate from the heat here. All of my experience comes from Texas and La. where it's very humid and hot in the summer. They control their temp pretty well naturally and require little care. I love working dogs no matter what job they do. Do you have any LGD now?

I didn't get them from Tractor Supply.  There was no Tractor Supply here when I got mine.   $20 (actually $19.99 or something) is the price on the Tractor Supply website.  Check your local Tractor Supply store for availability.  Order if necessary.

I tied my cattle panels to the roof of the pickup to get them home.  Padded the roof and anchored them via the front and rear bumpers, plus some side-to-side ties for stabilizing.  Don't recommend that method because you can ding up your vehicle if you aren't careful.  My truck was an old beater so I wasn't too concerned about dings.  It helped that I wasn't going far with the load.  I wouldn't drive on highways or long distances with the panels loaded the way I had them.  I was glad to get home safely that day

Some people arch them in the back of the pickup to bring them home.  My pickup has a shell so that technique wouldn't work.

Sorry, I don't have any photos of it under construction.  It's hard to see the construction now, with all the hardware cloth and tarps on the coop.

We're expanding the coop/run area and its current roof is too low for me. I'm 6'2 and this thing is like 5'10 so doing anything in there is near impossible. I plan to tie panels to each other to make them maybe 30 ft long and hooped so I can walk under. I'll prob wrap in cloth as well to keep the small birds out. What a great price on those panels.

 

[cyborg]

@MagicChicken ; what time is the show on the 18th? You know I can't hear too well!