Arizona Chickens

[desertmarcy]

They are here!

 

[MagicChicken]

They are here!

 

[DesertChic]

Ah, shucks

thanks, but sometimes I tackle too much for my own good. I really like my Slates, they have good weight and seem to have a more mellow disposition, but that can vary from line to line. It also depends a lot on how much they are handled as poults. They will all bond to you and become pets if handled a lot, especially the first few days of life, just like chicks. It just depends on what appeals to you. There are some varieties that are more in need of dedicated breeders than others. Some are hard to find pure. The real deal can be hard to locate in Midget White and Beltsville Small White. Darker breeds, like the Black, don't dress out as nice because the pinfeathers will stain the skin and leave dark spots. Just cosmetic, so if only butchering for yourself, it doesn't matter. Also if you want to show them, not all are in the SOP. If I get any new turkeys, like I just ordered these hatching eggs, I buy from Kevin Porter because he knows his turkey genetics, he is the turkey color genetics guru and runs a FB group on it, and I know I will get purity from him. Like the Black: I could have found Black turkey eggs cheaper on ebay but you get what you pay for. Kevin told me it is darn near impossible to find Black turkeys that don't carry bronze or narragansett genes. That would mess up my Slates if I had unwanted genes mixed in there. Some people deliberately mix turkey varieties just because they like all the different colors and that can be fun, too, if you just want some pretty birds.

Thank you so much! I'm really leaning towards the Slate the more I look at them, and I will definitely be handling the poults a lot. Hanging with my poultry is my stress therapy.

If you sell processed turkeys this year, be sure to post or PM me. I'd love to give my friend a chance to smoke a couple of heritage turkeys for a change.

 

[desertmarcy]

Thank you so much! I'm really leaning towards the Slate the more I look at them, and I will definitely be handling the poults a lot. Hanging with my poultry is my stress therapy.

If you sell processed turkeys this year, be sure to post or PM me. I'd love to give my friend a chance to smoke a couple of heritage turkeys for a change.

I am sure to be selling some. Every year I raise some to improve or add to what I have and the extras are sold or butchered. They are not cheap, however. And I take deposits to reserve, first come first served.

 

[casknittig]

My fellow Phoenix area chicken enthusiests, do you have someone that clips your chickens wings or do you do it yourself? My aunt has me freaking out that my girls are going to be flying over my 6ft block wall when they are old enough. Thanks in advance, I'm a first time chicken owner. My girls come in next week.

 

[DesertChic]

I am sure to be selling some. Every year I raise some to improve or add to what I have and the extras are sold or butchered. They are not cheap, however. And I take deposits to reserve, first come first served.

Yeah...well... I'm not big on cheap food. I prefer quality.

 

[houdiniduck]

I am down for the road trip and wouldn't mind getting a couple plant-lings!

 

[houdiniduck]

My fellow Phoenix area chicken enthusiests, do you have someone that clips your chickens wings or do you do it yourself? My aunt has me freaking out that my girls are going to be flying over my 6ft block wall when they are old enough. Thanks in advance, I'm a first time chicken owner. My girls come in next week.

Welcome! I only clip the trouble makers, and I clip them myself. There are a lot of awesome videos on youtube, and it is very easy. I have been doing it my whole life as my mom and I bred parrots, finches and cockatiels for a long time. I wouldn't worry too terribly about your birds flying up, as long as they have a coop to roost in and there is food and water they aren't going to go anywhere. I have a couple wild and crazy adventurers that I clip, but I have a LOT of birds that free range hours on end in my yard and go nowhere. My neighbors don't provide a nice home for their birds and I am constantly walking their birds home to them, as my chickens will not tolerate their presence. If you do trim wings, don't do it until they are full grown.

 

[casknittig]

Thank you! I'm still trying to keep everything straight from what I've read and what people are telling me. I know things are done a little differently out here with our heat. Any must haves that you would recommend? I'm picking up all my extra chick supplies this week. My little ladies come in next Thursday and my hubs is starting on their 4'x 10' coop this weekend. I'm really hoping my dogs will understand they are pets too and won't bother them to much in the beginning but I'm taking extra precautions just in case.

 

[City farm]

Thought I'd post a pic or two of my new chicks that just showed up this morning from Pennsylvania! Buff Ameraucanas, Blue-Black-Splash Ameraucanas, and Rhode Island Red. Looking to improve my bloodlines on the last two, the Buff Ameraucanas are new for me.

Oooo how neat..