Arizona Chickens

[Bobby Basham]

Roger that Bobby - I'm right there with ya. I remember when I was going to college in the evenings in an English literature class we had to talk about the last book we read. Everyone was talking about some novel they had to read for their last English class but when they got to me I talked about a Briggs and Stratton small engine repair manual. The teacher asked what I read before that and it was Nancy Bubel's book "Saving Seeds." When I said that she went to the next person. I think I might've read a dozen novels in my life and they were all required for school. Even when I was in the USMC on ship I'd read math books and books on electronics. How-To books are my mainstay too - very much more interesting. I need to learn to let go of them though because I have them all in my house and garage. It's tough to give them up though because I'm always referring back to them for one thing or another. That's why when I get the woodworking furniture shop back up ad running the first thing I'm going to build are two large book cases that go all the way up to the ceiling.

Seeing your record player brought back memories of my first couple of albums - Deep Purple Machine Head, Three Dog Night, Heart, Steve Miller, etc.I still listen to them but now it's on YouTube.I don't think they made any good music after the 80's - just my opinion of course.

I'm a Motown baby since four of my older siblings are over 70 years old. I was just a little kid when they were teenagers buying those 45's, so that's what sticks with me and grew up on. My taste broadened beyond that when I got older and my record collection is now several thousand and there are at least a dozen more record players in the house plus a few more out in the garage.. A bunch of 70's and 80's records in the mix, plus the 60's British groups, big band, jazz organ, blues, country, gospel and a ton of Classical. There's a little bit of everything here except RAPP...can't stand it and the thug life it emulates.

So much for the music stuff since this is a Chicken Board, but wanted to share that since I've been playing piano/organ for over 50 years and may find a piano teacher and resume studies once getting settled in since I retired March 3rd. This is really an awkward period for me right now and I'm not adjusting well at the moment. The motivation hasn't kicked in yet to get stuff done. Thank you to those who offered words of encouragement and prayers.

ON A CHICKEN NOTE...It's taking so long to get my coop done since it's constantly getting tweaked. I get different creative ideas from the wonderful folks here and it's back to the drawing board for modifications. Then there are the additional features like a watering system for the hens and surrounding planter boxes, tube feeders, maybe run some electricity out there etc. To me, there's more to a coop/run than throwing up four walls and a fence, hoping for the best. Maybe I'm thinking this thing too hard and trying to design the perfect eco system, combining beauty and function, and don't wanna leave any stone unturned. --BB

Bobby Basham
Tucson, Arizona

 

[igorsMistress]

ON A CHICKEN NOTE...It's taking so long to get my coop done since it's constantly getting tweaked.  I get different creative ideas from the wonderful folks here and it's back to the drawing board for modifications. Then there are the additional features like a watering system for the hens and surrounding planter boxes, tube feeders, maybe run some electricity out there etc.  To me, there's more to a coop/run than throwing up four walls and a fence, hoping for the best.  Maybe I'm thinking this thing too hard and trying to design the perfect eco system, combining beauty and function, and don't wanna leave any stone unturned. --BB

Bobby Basham
Tucson, Arizona

Stages...and be willing to change your mind within reason. We had a few must have things, and our plans changed a few times!

You'll get it done

 

[ejcrist]

I'm a Motown baby since four of my older siblings are over 70 years old. I was just a little kid when they were teenagers buying those 45's, so that's what sticks with me and grew up on. My taste broadened beyond that when I got older and my record collection is now several thousand and there are at least a dozen more record players in the house plus a few more out in the garage.. A bunch of 70's and 80's records in the mix, plus the 60's British groups, big band, jazz organ, blues, country, gospel and a ton of Classical. There's a little bit of everything here except RAPP...can't stand it and the thug life it emulates.

So much for the music stuff since this is a Chicken Board, but wanted to share that since I've been playing piano/organ for over 50 years and may find a piano teacher and resume studies once getting settled in since I retired March 3rd. This is really an awkward period for me right now and I'm not adjusting well at the moment. The motivation hasn't kicked in yet to get stuff done. Thank you to those who offered words of encouragement and prayers.

ON A CHICKEN NOTE...It's taking so long to get my coop done since it's constantly getting tweaked. I get different creative ideas from the wonderful folks here and it's back to the drawing board for modifications. Then there are the additional features like a watering system for the hens and surrounding planter boxes, tube feeders, maybe run some electricity out there etc. To me, there's more to a coop/run than throwing up four walls and a fence, hoping for the best. Maybe I'm thinking this thing too hard and trying to design the perfect eco system, combining beauty and function, and don't wanna leave any stone unturned. --BB

Bobby Basham
Tucson, Arizona

Gosh, do I ever hear ya on tweaking plans. Happens to me all the time. I'll tell ya though, I don't think I ever get things totally the way I want them so I adjust as I go where practical and bear those thoughts in mind on the next one. My biggest problem is time. I've got a gazillian projects and ideas of things I want to do but there never seems to be enough time to get it all done. On one hand I'm looking forward to retiring one day but then I'll have plenty of time but less money - catch 22. In general I can find enough time to to enjoy a couple 2 or maybe 3 hobbies at one time, but when I try to fit something else in one of the hobbies ends up taking a back seat. That's kinda what happened to my vegetable crops this year. On the bright side though, as soon as I finish the 3-bay coop/run and a couple of more breeding pens I figure my infrastructure will be done and then I can concentrate on raising/breeding the birds and get the vegetables back up to snuff. I probably would've been good doing just those two things but then @DesertChic brought up the furniture making stuff, or was that you? You guys are a bad influence on me, LOL. Now that's been occupying a lot of my thoughts since we discussed it here so I committed to opening up shop again. I really miss doing that. Getting the Kreg jig also contributed - that and the smell of sawdust. That Kreg jig is really, really handy. I've been using the heck out of it lately.

Anyway Bobby, don't sweat the small stuff - once you get rested and recuperated you'll be back up and running in no time. Maybe it'll help if you create a master plan of the stuff you want to accomplish in the yard say over the next year, and then break each goal down into the detailed steps to make it happen. Once you have that you can make a task list of what to do each day so you don't have to think about it in the morning. For me thinking about it is a lot harder than doing it, so if it's pre-planned, and I know the tasks contribute to my goals I can stay focused on the big picture as I knock out the tasks. As long as I know I'm making little accomplishments each day I stay motivated. That's what I do at the beginning of each week anyway. Just a thought.

 

[Bobby Basham]

Anyway Bobby, don't sweat the small stuff - once you get rested and recuperated you'll be back up and running in no time. Maybe it'll help if you create a master plan of the stuff you want to accomplish in the yard say over the next year, and then break each goal down into the detailed steps to make it happen. Once you have that you can make a task list of what to do each day so you don't have to think about it in the morning. For me thinking about it is a lot harder than doing it, so if it's pre-planned, and I know the tasks contribute to my goals I can stay focused on the big picture as I knock out the tasks. As long as I know I'm making little accomplishments each day I stay motivated. That's what I do at the beginning of each week anyway. Just a thought.

One of the main problems is...avoiding it, making excuses and afraid to take that first plunge and the responsibility that comes with it. It's like doing dishes, which I absolutely hate, but once that first dish gets cleaned, then GAME ON, I can't stop until everything is done.

If I were to buy chicks right now, I would have NO CHOICE but to complete that coop. Well first, building a brooder, getting food and supplies etc. for the babies.

There is one big Magnavox stereo out in the garage that I'm gonna gut. Strip out all the components and speaker grilles on the front and sides and replace with hardware cloth to make a brooder. It has two sliding lids which would come in handy for tending to either end, and it's about 6-ft long and maybe 24 inches deep. It's bigger than the brooders I've seen in ACE hardware and should work for me.




It's a huge cabinet similar to this but that center wasted space (once for a TV) has been removed, so it will be open space from left to right, just screen everything in. It's also on casters so can be rolled around anywhere, but it will be in the garage, which I have to monitor the temperature since it faces NW and gets the afternoon sun.

With our Arizona climate and warm summer nights, I would only like to keep them out in the garage for about 3-4 weeks at the most, then move them out to the coop and brood them some more if need be, getting use to the new environment so they won't have "coop shock." I'm small enough to sit out with them everyday to keep them company and get them used to the goodies and roosting poles. Nest boxes will be blocked.

There I go again, writing another essay. --BB

 

[Angelray]

Haven't been on for a couple years as I was dealing with the divorce then custody battle drama in my life. Had to get rid of most of my flick when I left Prescott, but brought 6 hens & my Orloff cock. They didn't make it they the 1st summer in Bullhead! Re-homed my rooster & hoping to get a few of his chicks now, and got 10 chicks from TSC a few weeks ago...4 straight run so we will see (thinking one of my orpingtons is a cockerel tho, as it already demonstrates behaviors plus a very erect tail). I have 2 of each breed, white leghorns/Welsummer/RIR (pullets) then the BO's and BR's are straight runs. Once we weed out the cocks, I'd like to get a couple Orloffs & polish. Let me know if anybody has chicks for sale around the Tri-city area of Mohave County!!

 

[cactusrota]

Sure enough. Emailed Saturday night. No BCM or Cemani but hopefully in the future. Thanks for the link. We hope to go see the place sometime.

Still looking for hatching eggs. BCM, Svat Hona and Cream Legbar. First time since we got incubator it is sitting empty.

Also last hatch of 10 Legbars 8 were boys. Looking for a home for them. In West Valley.

Aww.. that's too bad. I was kinda hoping for a few of his BCM eggs. Maybe they'll start laying in a couple weeks. Good luck in your search!

 

[BlueBaby]

Oh gosh, that chicken math done got me! I started out with 16 eggs in my incubator on the 12th, and as of now there are 30 in there?

 

[howesmr]

There is a lady in Litchfield Park who posts on Craigslist who has BCM eggs most the time. All her breeds are good lines. Our juveniles are from her. We were just looking for some diversity. She has Cream Legbars too. We went 8 of 8 on BCM hatch. Last hatch was Cream Legbars 10/12. Though 8 of 10 were boys so if anyone needs male lag ars we are fat on them.

I will have hatching BCM in about 4 months. Can you wait?

 

[nicollee]

One of the main problems is...avoiding it, making excuses and afraid to take that first plunge and the responsibility that comes with it. It's like doing dishes, which I absolutely hate, but once that first dish gets cleaned, then GAME ON, I can't stop until everything is done.

If I were to buy chicks right now, I would have NO CHOICE but to complete that coop. Well first, building a brooder, getting food and supplies etc. for the babies.




There I go again, writing another essay. --BB

Hey Bobby
It sounds like what you should do today....

Is go visit your local TSC or something like that...

and just buy your chicks....
nothing like a little incentive to start a project....
If I lived in Tucson, I would be tempted to deliver some chicks
to get you started.....

 

[Banaynaychicken]

Quote: The ACE on 22nd has cattle troughs full of them, all different breeds too.

a chicken dreamers dream XD

AND INCENTIVE IS RIGHT!

Thats how I got my coop finished when I first started. we went and bought 4 chickens and then the coop wasn't done XD Dad and I worked into the night, and it was raining, so more fire up our butts right there.

the chickens had to sleep in the laundry room in a dog crate till we finished XD mom was NOT happy.