Arizona Chickens

[dirtranchchicks]

Very exciting! At least you got your building done first. I got chicks first, then had to rush to get the coop and run finished by the time they were ready to get out of the brooder!

You can try to get chicks locally. Both Western Ranchman and The Stock Shop carry chicks and they always look healthy when I've seen them. Pratt's and Mesa Feed Barn also have chicks but they often look sick so I wouldn't buy from them. The Stock Shop will let you special order chicks from their list they get from the hatchery so you could get the six breeds of chicks you want if they carry those specific breeds. I don't think you have to pay shipping if you order from them since they get large shipments of chicks anyway. Might be worth a try.

Thanks for the info. I will hit the Stock Shop!

 

[dirtranchchicks]

What breed(s) are you looking to get and where are you buying them from? Do you want started chicks, or do you want to hatch your own? There are a few local breeders for some breeds that might help you get started with better quality birds than you would get from one of the big hatcheries.

Thought I would start with chicks, no incubator. I would like a Buff Orph, Red Star, Barred Rock, Rhode Isl Red, Easter Egger, and Gold laced Wyandotte. What do you think of those choices?

 

[DesertChic]

Thought I would start with chicks, no incubator. I would like a Buff Orph, Red Star, Barred Rock, Rhode Isl Red, Easter Egger, and Gold laced Wyandotte. What do you think of those choices?

You haven't listed a single breed that I don't admire...and often covet...but of what you listed I only have experience with hatchery Barred Rocks. I've only been keeping chickens for about four months and started with hatchery grade Australorps, Barred Rocks and Silkies that I bought from local feed stores. Of those three the BRs are my hands-down favorites. They're friendly and affectionate with me, assertive without being mean to the rest of the flock, very smart, very hardy, and an all-around wonderful breed. One of my cockerels is a BR and he's wonderful...very sweet and tame but at 3 months also already very productive of "his girls". (He's actually my favorite in the entire flock.)

I really don't see a single breed that you've listed that I've ever head a complaint about. Sounds like a fun mix!

Oh...and there's a breeder of at least a couple of the breeds you mentioned on this thread. (I think she goes by DesertMarcy.) Here's the link to her website...in case you're interested...: http://featheredreptilesfarm.weebly.com/

 

[cyborg]

Was this custom made?

Not really. Tractor Supply sells 10' x 10' dog kennels that are made up of 3 10'x6' straight panels, and one panel with a gate. With a little rearranging, 2 of these kennels can be put together to make a 10x30 pen. This weekend, I am buying two more, and using a little more creativity, this will make a 30x30 pen, with some internal dividers. You can actually use 4 kennels to make s 40x40 pen with no internal dividers. This is where I'll probably end up, making my own internal dividers as needed for individual breed pens.

 

[AZGardenFarmer]

* The only thing I have to add about Getting chickens is - check the "Pecking Order". Make sure if ya coop these altogether that 1 breed isn't going to beat up another. My Frizzle Bantam Rooster was water aggressive and beat up both my hens. He wouldn't let them near the water. So I separated him from the girls. Then my Red Guinea Hen beat up my Salmon Favorelle so I had to separate them. So I have 2 permanent coops for my girls and a move able coop for my roo to eat ants. Some think the "Pecking Order" is a bunch of bullhockey. It's not. Some breeds just really don't get along with others at all. *

 

[moms3cuties]

 
After 3 months of building and preparing I am ready for chicks.  I really only wanted to start with about 6; however, I am having trouble getting less than 15 before June.  I want specific breeds and don't want to wait three more months!  Any ideas?

What breed(s) are you looking to get and where are you buying them from? Do you want started chicks, or do you want to hatch your own? There are a few local breeders for some breeds that might help you get started with better quality birds than you would get from one of the big hatcheries. 

she is right, quality does matter. There are local breeders depending what area you live in.

* I wish local hatcheries carried my Salmon Favorelle. I could use at least 3 more of her. I talk her and she conversates back. She's easy going and let's me handle her. Unfortunately I have to order her breed, from Texas. I'm absolutely dreading that. I don't wanna loose any hens via transport. *

you're supposed to be a local breeder that starts with the P out in the West Valley, west of Phoenix. Does anybody remember their name???

Put the no crow collar on big boy. He is in the coop, probably very upset that he can't sleep..

:cd other chicken news;

Cheryl, that is sitting on the egg's from [@=/u/280887/moms3cuties]@moms3cuties[/@]

Kicked out a BCM egg.. " little BCM" egg.. It was cold to the touch.. So that one might not make it..

I hope he does OK with it.  I know it's quite an adjustment for them.  If he only knew the alternative...

So true
He is in the front yard if you want to come by and get him. He is easy to pick up and a very sweet boy. So far I have not heard him crow with the collar. He has a gurgle sound, as though he is trying.. He is much quieter than the girls..

......remind me,, what kind of roo is he?

 

[moms3cuties]

 

What breed(s) are you looking to get and where are you buying them from? Do you want started chicks, or do you want to hatch your own? There are a few local breeders for some breeds that might help you get started with better quality birds than you would get from one of the big hatcheries. 

Thought I would start with chicks, no incubator.  I would like a Buff Orph, Red Star, Barred Rock, Rhode Isl Red, Easter Egger, and Gold laced Wyandotte.  What do you think of those choices? 

The RIR and BR are good. ..they are friendly and fairly reliable egg layers. The Easter Eggers tend to be kind of flighty you see but they do have a colorful egg usually a green or olive color or brown. they don't like to be cuddled with very much where is my Rhode Island Red was quite a bit more personable the barred rock is so-so but depends on the bird and their parents temperaments; but mine are from a petclub/hatchery [they don't care about temperments etc ] so they aren't going to be as good quality as if you bought one from a breeder, who will usually care. Mine are really small sized birds from the hatchery and lay small eggs which are about medium sized. But desertmarcy has some good quality birds and you might enjoy purchasing some chicks or pullets from her if she has some available.

the silver laced Wyandotte tended to be very bossy and mine I had to put in a cage because she was really pecking hard at everybody. read up on the different breeds in BYC to help you see and confirm what you like to do.

* The only thing I have to add about Getting chickens is - check the "Pecking Order". Make sure if ya coop these altogether that 1 breed isn't going to beat up another. My Frizzle Bantam Rooster was water aggressive and beat up both my hens. He wouldn't let them near the water. So I separated him from the girls. Then my Red Guinea Hen beat up my Salmon Favorelle so I had to separate them. So I have 2 permanent coops for my girls and a move able coop for my roo to eat ants. Some think the "Pecking Order" is a bunch of bullhockey. It's not. Some breeds just really don't get along with others at all. *

not only does the breed impact their characteristic and how they are in the pecking order, so does good husbandry with those that breed them AND breeding out birds with nasty temperaments Etc..

I'm trying to find some people in the East Valley that want to buy ,"bumpits," so that way I can improve those birds are likely to peck others. It bit expensive but it makes it difficult for them the peck other birds which is something I think might be very helpful for the free range my birds since mine don't tend to be in cages except to separate/quarantine someone.

 

[moms3cuties]

Hi,
I am in Tucson, Arizaon, and I was wondering if any bodies chickens are laying? I have 11 pullers that are about 7 months old, and they arnt laying!. Why!?

By the way, they are 3 RHR, 2 black austrolorps, 2 ameraucanas, 1 buff orp, 1 red sex link, 1 white leghorn, and 1 blue cochin.

....your leghorn should be giving you a eggs, they are faithful daily layers but I don't think they last quite as long as some of the other breeds do. I'm meaning they might die sooner than the other birds. *Keep in mind when there's not as much sun light out in the winter & sometimes the hens will slow in their production and the Easter Eggers and black Australorps tend to not start laying eggs till their 7 to even 8 months old. You'll be lucky if some of them start to lay sooner.

 

[cyborg]

* The only thing I have to add about Getting chickens is - check the "Pecking Order". Make sure if ya coop these altogether that 1 breed isn't going to beat up another. My Frizzle Bantam Rooster was water aggressive and beat up both my hens. He wouldn't let them near the water. So I separated him from the girls. Then my Red Guinea Hen beat up my Salmon Favorelle so I had to separate them. So I have 2 permanent coops for my girls and a move able coop for my roo to eat ants. Some think the "Pecking Order" is a bunch of bullhockey. It's not. Some breeds just really don't get along with others at all. *

X2. My "meanest" chickens are the red sex links, but they are also the most consistent layers of x-large eggs. I also have a partridge Cochin rooster that won't take any crap from anyone, including the red sex links. The boss bird though, is a Jersey Giant rooster named Bigfoot. He intimidates all the other chickens just with sheer size. In the past, I've used a "community pen", but the new pens are set up to separate the different breeds. Will keep you posted on how that works out.

 

[DesertChic]

* The only thing I have to add about Getting chickens is - check the "Pecking Order". Make sure if ya coop these altogether that 1 breed isn't going to beat up another. My Frizzle Bantam Rooster was water aggressive and beat up both my hens. He wouldn't let them near the water. So I separated him from the girls. Then my Red Guinea Hen beat up my Salmon Favorelle so I had to separate them. So I have 2 permanent coops for my girls and a move able coop for my roo to eat ants. Some think the "Pecking Order" is a bunch of bullhockey. It's not. Some breeds just really don't get along with others at all. *

Outstanding point! All of my starter flock birds have been living together quite contentedly...until this past week. My Australorps are starting to reach maturity and have suddenly begun to pick on my little Silkie pullet. So far the Silkie cockerels and my Barred Rock cockerel have been intervening on her behalf, but I still witness a couple chases each day. I'm hoping my young Naked Neck and Biels will be kinder to them, but if not I'll have to build a separate area just for my Silkies.