Arizona Chickens

[desertmarcy]

Also, I really don't like my buff orpingtons. At all. I've tried giving them away, but I suppose I'm too honest about their awful personalities and no one wants them. They are mean. Decent layers, but not worth the behavior. Now one is broody and the other has a poopy butt that I'm going to have to wash and I'm just like, ugh...are these two really worth it? I dunno what to do with them.

Butcher them and eat them.

 

[cyborg]

Butcher them and eat them.

Exactly. Chickens can be cool pets, but ultimately, they are food.

Carnivore

 

[City farm]

I made three double decker turkey nest boxes out of pallets and scrap I had laying around. My turkeys love them! Here is the one for my Penciled Palms. I have my first hatch of turkeys coming out this Sunday. I will have extra Penciled Palms and Royal Palms if anybody is interested. The other varieties are already pre-sold, but I'll have extras of more varieties out on April 27 and May 4.

Nicely done! Those look like some very happy and very beautiful turkeys! I have to admit, after recently "meeting" some turkey chicks recently I'm seriously considering adding turkeys to my growing flock. I told my husband how endearing those chicks were and he laughed and laughed. I'm sure he's remembering our original discussion...long ago...about having only four laying chickens for fresh eggs. It's all his fault, though. He's the one who surprised me one day with a chicken coop. Once he did that, I just had to fill it, right?

Both of your bird homes look fabulous

 

[City farm]

One chick hatched so far!

I went to the Maricopa County Fair today and checked out the agricultural exhibits.  Lots of beautiful animals that are well cared for.  It is inspiring to see so many young people so involved in the raising/showing of these animals.  Some of the animals were huge.  There were some beautiful specimen in the poultry section. 

That sound like a great time.. Any photo's ??

 

[City farm]

Hi everyone. I reside in Phoenix. Central Phoenix to be exact. I have two baby chicks, a black sex link and a amerecauna. I'm new to this chicken raising, so I'll def be following this thread to get info on how to raise chickens in this hot & dry weather. Thanks!

Hope you are able to post photos??

 

[Sill]

Also, I really don't like my buff orpingtons. At all. I've tried giving them away, but I suppose I'm too honest about their awful personalities and no one wants them. They are mean. Decent layers, but not worth the behavior. Now one is broody and the other has a poopy butt that I'm going to have to wash and I'm just like, ugh...are these two really worth it? I dunno what to do with them.

Freezer camp?

 

[Sill]

Phoenix posters:

I'm having terrible trouble keeping the fly population down. Last year was an issue as well so this year we put up 4 fly strips and 2 fly bag traps (stinky but very effective when you see the dead flys in the bags). I also put pine shavings around 4" thick in the run hoping the flock would cover their own mess. They free range for 2-4 hours a day and I spray down my yard once they return to the coop.

Is there anything I can do to get rid of these flys (by the hundreds!) and prevent their return? My wife and I are talking about selling off our flock of nine if we can't get this under control.

In my yard, the bags tho effective actually made more flies show up. Mine dried up and I left them that way. Way less flies now. I might refill them but put them in a way less traveled part of my yard. They sure are stinky!
I've also read some about fly predators. Perhaps someone who uses them can suggest a good place to get them? I've heard they are worth it. Sadly I have other bugs that are more of a concern than flies.

Fly predators work! I got mine at Spalding Labs. I got my first shipment 2 1/2 weeks ago and they say the predators can take up to 30 days to see improvement in the fly population but I've already got a good 75% reduction! I do use the fly traps but keep them as far from my animals and areas humans hang out in as possible.

 

[kevs-chickadees]

Why aren't you eating any of the Moringa leaves? They are supposed to be super nutritious. Won't your chickens eat them?

They are pretty bitter. I don't like them which means no one else in my family will eat them. The chickens wont even eat the leaves. I realized it wasn't super cold tolerant when I bought it but we had a warmer winter and it still died way back, looks ugly right now. Cutting it back every winter isn't something I'm interested in. I'm a fan of not growing things I can't eat plus I scored an Oscar variety Mulberry tree last night that will go nicely in its place.

 

[Sill]

They are pretty bitter. I don't like them which means no one else in my family will eat them. The chickens wont even eat the leaves. I realized it wasn't super cold tolerant when I bought it but we had a warmer winter and it still died way back, looks ugly right now. Cutting it back every winter isn't something I'm interested in. I'm a fan of not growing things I can't eat plus I scored an Oscar variety Mulberry tree last night that will go nicely in its place.

Moringa is less bitter if you use the youngest leaves. Dehydrating them will also make them less bitter, more of a mild taste. I sprinkle it on my family's food occasionally and no one ever mentions the taste.

I also sprinkle it over my chicken's fermented feed once or twice a week. Pretty soon I'll have lots of fresh leaves, the moringa trees are leafing out abundantly now.

Great choice on the Oscar mulberry!

 

[Diannastarr]

Quote: gosh , how old are your buff orpingtons.? they could grow out of their meanness, i believe that because i had a lot of problems with my new Hampshire reds & barred rocks,the rocks were the worst... & sooo both groups were very mean ,to my silver laced wyandotts , but the rocks & the reds were not mean towards each other , so we divided our coop in half ,in equal parts for each group of the 7, reds& rocks, and the other half of 7 wyandotts, but that really helped, and now 6 months later they all get a long well , i have to say very well...its truly amazing , i didn't expect that..? i was just trying to stop the horrible pecking and screaming in my back yard every day ,so separating them as long as i could with out keeping the bad guys in a total locked down ...? i really cant say for sure why they are nicer now towards the wyandotts...? i really dont know .?? they just act soooo much nicer towards the wyandotts ...? they all go out in the morning and free range together and then back in the coop at night , each group goes into there individual side of the coop , then i go down to see if every one is ok & settled in for the night and collect all the late day eggs, and leave the morning treats out for them in their treat dishes, and say good night to my girls, then shut off the lights, but they are all a lot happier, so did.. separating them do the trick...? i cant say for sure, but the proof seams to say yes, by the way they are all acting sooooo much better now...? & amazing really sooooo hmmm ....???