Arizona Chickens

[Sill]

Figured out what my dog was barking at at 9 every evening. Luckily, I already had a skunk trap and the dog wasn't sprayed. Nasty vermin...

Oh that sure wouldn't be pleasant to deodorize a dog.

How do you move a trap that has a skunk in it without getting sprayed?

 

[FeatherPugs]

Oh that sure wouldn't be pleasant to deodorize a dog.

How do you move a trap that has a skunk in it without getting sprayed?

We always just moved it covered with plastic sheeting - then the plastic sheeting got thrown away. I imagine you could do it with a garbage bag - even a folded sheet. AND I prefer to use an open pickup rather than a car when I move them far, far, far away!!

 

[generaldsherman]

Oh that sure wouldn't be pleasant to deodorize a dog.

How do you move a trap that has a skunk in it without getting sprayed?

That's the easy part: call animal control and pay $15 to have THEM move it...

 

[flower]

Quote of @MagicChicken

I will find eggs with holes in them when the birds are getting calcium depleted. It happens. Some birds have thinner shells as they get older. Or when they are getting ready to molt. Or when they are starting up again after molting. Or when it is hot. Or... yeah. Just about any time of the year. I think that kind of hole is accidentally punched by a beak or a toenail when the egg is getting turned or when a bird is moving around in the nest.

Eggs also tend to get lighter as the season progresses, and as the birds get older.

Some diseases can also cause thin shells and egg breakage.

If you are finding occasional eggs with holes I wouldn't worry about it. If it a regular occurrence you might want to track down potential causes.

In my flock there are some individual birds who seem to have trouble maintaining sufficient calcium levels. They don't eat the oyster shell, and they have chronically thin eggs. They are on the list for conversion to stew this fall, when the weather cools down enough for culling again.

 

[Sill]

In my flock there are some individual birds who seem to have trouble maintaining sufficient calcium levels. They don't eat the oyster shell, and they have chronically thin eggs. They are on the list for conversion to stew this fall, when the weather cools down enough for culling again.

I have one like that, and she's on the cull list. Her eggs have always been thin. She's an EE. Then I have the polar opposite in my OE who lays eggs so hard my DH uses one of her's to crack a dozen of the other's. Thick hard shells, tough membranes. I think my "clone" pullets may be from her so I'm hoping once they begin laying their egg shells will be of excellent quality.

 

[moms3cuties]

@Sill Nice birds! I'm a bit envious!

Our beautiful new girl's Faith width: 500px; height: 375px"> [/URL] They were curious when i went out. . Came

They are such pretty girls! I love that red color! I actually have a pure breed red Ameraucana cockerel I was thinking of crossing with my Biel girls in the future. Now I'm more tempted than ever!

... yes it is tempting to cross breed till ya got so many,,, you can't count them anymore, lol!!! @lacymorgan I think you know what I mean! I have to take a picture of my hen crossed from a white Production Leghorn That was crossed with a black Copper Maran Cockrel. She has white feathers on her feet and Little bits of black on her back but she lays a light Brown or cream Colored egg And has decided to go Broody on me two nights ago.

 

[moms3cuties]

 
Oh Cyborg - that is a lot of work.  You and your wife seem to take everything in stride.  I get so frustrated when I get things set up just the way I like and mother nature has a party at our expense. It could always be worse I suppose.  I'm confident you will be back at it getting things up and running in no time.  Did you lose many birds to the dogs or the storm? 

No, as far as I can tell, everybody is back home. This is a guesstimate, right now, I have 87 chickens crammed into 2 10 X 15 pens that are more or less intact. They are crowded enough that a headcount is pretty much impossible. Luckily, my brother and sister in law came by for a visit, and helped my wife with the chicken rodeo.
I spent most of this morning dismantling the demolished pens, and trying to drag the remainder back into position. (the back end of the pen moved over about 8 feet, lots of bent and broken roof supports. The fence panels are soft enough steel that I straightened them out, more or less. Might have to do a little more disassembly tomorrow to get everything repositioned, then start putting everything back together again.

Ooh my! You poor guys! If my son was older and not in school I'd have us drive out and help.

 
Well, I am stuck at work until midnight, but the DW called about 4:15, and it sounds like I lost the back 10 feet of the chicken palace to a windstorm. She had a good time trying to round up about 90 chickens before my dogs got them. The really bad part is I ordered a couple boxes of earth auger type tiedowns, and they arrived about an hour before I left for work!

Man, that just sucks. I hope you treat your DW to a nice dinner out for all that chicken wrangling.   

Yeah that would be great idea to do too! I would certainly Offer her something more for her efforts; a wonderful movie, a massage etc. By the way those pictures don't do justice for her as she is way more beautiful in person, than the pictures can capture. I say you have a good catch!

 

[generaldsherman]

Ok, my fellow Arizonians: Do you vaccinate for Marek's? I've got only a small backyard flock (can only keep 5 in the city of Globe).

 

[City farm]

Ok, my fellow Arizonians: Do you vaccinate for Marek's?  I've got only a small backyard flock (can only keep 5 in the city of Globe).

A few of ours have it.. We got them from a hatchery, they did it before they shipped day old chick's.. Not our new bird's...

 

[DesertChic]

Ok, my fellow Arizonians: Do you vaccinate for Marek's? I've got only a small backyard flock (can only keep 5 in the city of Globe).

No, I don't do vaccinations. I just let natural selection prevail.