Arizona Chickens

[desertmarcy]

Marcia, I was telling my neighbor about your predator attack, and how you thought it was a bobcat. He thought for a minute and said "no, I don't think it's a bobcat. It sounds more like raccoons. Or dogs. Or a fox." A light bulb went off in my head, because you've mentioned having fox around your property this summer. If you've set traps it will be interesting to see what shows up. Keep us posted!

It could still be bobcat. I had one dig under a pen once before and kill 17 birds, and hauled off most of them. Took it 4 days to get hungry enough to come back. I still haven't caught anything in my traps but will keep trying. I hope it is not a fox because they are harder to trap. I've had fox around here for years, just never been seeing them until this year. Just scat and tracks before that. In 34 years living here, I have seen only one raccoon and it was a sickly looking beast which enriched my compost pile

I am torn between wiring up the base of the fence now or leaving it relatively undisturbed while I continue to set traps. My thinking is, if I put the wire skirt on now, I could put birds back in that pen, which could be more of an attractant for the critter to come back to that same spot. But on the other hand, the disturbance of the soil might make it more wary. I think I will try 2 more nights of baiting and work on the other areas that need shoring up in the meantime.

 

[Gallo del Cielo]

Thanks everyone for the feedback on my recent chicken deaths. I have since sealed up the treadle feeder and finished my closed auto water system. This was to remove the risk of moldy food and dirty water. We had a bit of rain last night so I went and checked the feeder this morning and everything is bone dry! Everyone looks healthy and I'm getting four eggs per day out of six hens so I think everyone is laying right now.

Does anyone know of any feed stores that have chicks right now?

That's great to hear that everyone is doing well now!

 

[desertmarcy]

You have to make sure that you have the right bits on the grinder to hold the disc. The best place to find discs and someone to help with it is a Welders Supply Store. There should be 2 different kinds of discs. One is threaded and screws on the grinder and the other just has a whole that the hardware fastens the disc down from free spinning. Can you show me a pic of your grinders head with a disc on? Sometimes the bits just need reversing to fit another disc.

Agreed, mine, as I recall, you flip the disc over for the thinner discs. I've been buying 5-packs of the thin metal cutting discs at Harbor Freight. My grinder is a Milwaukee brand.

 

[cyborg]

It could still be bobcat. I had one dig under a pen once before and kill 17 birds, and hauled off most of them. Took it 4 days to get hungry enough to come back. I still haven't caught anything in my traps but will keep trying. I hope it is not a fox because they are harder to trap. I've had fox around here for years, just never been seeing them until this year. Just scat and tracks before that. In 34 years living here, I have seen only one raccoon and it was a sickly looking beast which enriched my compost pile

I am torn between wiring up the base of the fence now or leaving it relatively undisturbed while I continue to set traps. My thinking is, if I put the wire skirt on now, I could put birds back in that pen, which could be more of an attractant for the critter to come back to that same spot. But on the other hand, the disturbance of the soil might make it more wary. I think I will try 2 more nights of baiting and work on the other areas that need shoring up in the meantime.

I live not too far north of you, and over the last week, I have seen 2 different dead raccoons on the bridge over the Santa Cruz on Trico Marana Rd. I think the recent heavy rains have made many 'coons relocate their dens. Either way, I haven't seen this many this often in quite a while.

 

[K9Dave]

Thanks everyone for the feedback on my recent chicken deaths. I have since sealed up the treadle feeder and finished my closed auto water system. This was to remove the risk of moldy food and dirty water. We had a bit of rain last night so I went and checked the feeder this morning and everything is bone dry! Everyone looks healthy and I'm getting four eggs per day out of six hens so I think everyone is laying right now.

Does anyone know of any feed stores that have chicks right now?

Shoppers does for sure. Alot on CL too. Im sure most feed stores have chicks by now since it's cooler.

Agreed, mine, as I recall, you flip the disc over for the thinner discs. I've been buying 5-packs of the thin metal cutting discs at Harbor Freight. My grinder is a Milwaukee brand.

Yeh the metal nuts have to be arranged a certain way and then it will be secure. Just do hand tight as when it's grinding and cutting it will tighten more. You don't need the tool just use a gloved hand, it's much easier. These discs have so many uses. I love them. Harbor Freight carried the same brand as some welding supplies as far as these discs are concerned. The ones I go to don't ever have the thin discs. Also for this fencing I recommend buying the disc that is recessed and not totally flat.

 

[desertmarcy]

I live not too far north of you, and over the last week, I have seen 2 different dead raccoons on the bridge over the Santa Cruz on Trico Marana Rd. I think the recent heavy rains have made many 'coons relocate their dens. Either way, I haven't seen this many this often in quite a while.

Well I sure hope they don't move in over here but that is always a possibility. And what is with this rain?? Yes we need it but I have work to do outside.

 

[cyborg]

LOL! I am getting ready for a doc appt right now, then some quick grocery shopping while in town, home to drop off the grub, then off to work. I appreciate the rain, but it always makes me depressed. My mailman got stuck in the mud in front of my house this morning, had to hook up a tow strap and pull him out. All for another wad of junk mail.

 

[MrsFitzDarcy]

Well I sure hope they don't move in over here but that is always a possibility. And what is with this rain?? Yes we need it but I have work to do outside.

Be glad you live in the desert! In the Northeast and Southeast we often don't get a choice! I can say that mucking stalls in the rain (especially the cold rain) really does suck! I am always surprised how much less animal poo smells here. The chicken poo seems to just dry up. I rake whatever hasn't blown away and put in the compost pile.

 

[parentwarrior]

Question for you all. I have three chickens a few years old, maybe 3/4 and only one is coming down from their roost in the morning. I just went to check on them at 2pm and the two were till there. I carried them down. This has happened the last few days. What is going on? They sleep on a pole near the top of the covered area in the enclosed run. They have always come down before. They both started doing this the same time. One comes down right away like normal, two stay up. I did have another chicken die a few months back, egg bound. I just recently had a quail die that was in their cage, she was very old. I don't know if that could be any connection. They eat and drink fine. They look fine too, no open sores.

 

[K9Dave]

Be glad you live in the desert! In the Northeast and Southeast we often don't get a choice! I can say that mucking stalls in the rain (especially the cold rain) really does suck! I am always surprised how much less animal poo smells here. The chicken poo seems to just dry up. I rake whatever hasn't blown away and put in the compost pile.

I do enjoy this part of living here.

LOL! I am getting ready for a doc appt right now, then some quick grocery shopping while in town, home to drop off the grub, then off to work. I appreciate the rain, but it always makes me depressed. My mailman got stuck in the mud in front of my house this morning, had to hook up a tow strap and pull him out. All for another wad of junk mail.

Sounds like fun to me. I like playing in the rain and mud though.