Arizona Chickens

[igorsMistress]

Congratulations! Now on to graduation and vacation

 

[bunsnpupsnchick]

Oh my, what a beautiful setting. I would love to live back out in the country again. Y'all did good, and five acres to boot! I'm so glad you all made your destination in one piece, so sorry hearing about the accident. Call me goofy, but I send up a little prayer every now and then for the Chicken folks for health, wealth, prosperity and happiness. It's good you're back on the chicken wagon again, and the pigs should be an interesting addition to the mix. Whatever collection method you choose, could you possibly add some type of sump pump to move the water where it needs to be? Mo I hate to answer a question with a question because there are many options out there. Collecting water from Point A, collect in Point B, then distribute to Point C, according to your needs. There could be a shut-off after Point A to keep Point B from overflowing. I'm an inquisitive, nosy, extremely visual, analytical, practical hands-on type of person and need to actually see what lies before me. The wheels get to turning and it's to the drawing board. Points A, B and C may have to take some detours along the way, but that's part of the fun of using your own ingenuity and coming up with at solution. Just to sidetrack for a brief moment...FINALLY PUT A LID ON IT... 25-year Service Award and Retirement Plaque with coworker signatures... And a 25-year Retirement Certificate from the Board of Supervisors and a Personalized HEAVY solid glass paper weight. You can't see my name, but it's on there. I've worked hard over the years and BobbyB is tired right now, so no projects are getting done just yet. Just say a little prayer every now and then and I'll bounce back to my old self. --BB

Yay & congrats to both! Enjoy!

 

[bunsnpupsnchick]

Got done with Showmanship and Breed Standard today had lots of fun!!

There was a couple of times that a yonger showman was being quite honestly rude/disrespetcful/self righteous/snide/controling/know-it-all/UGH.

but honestly they aren't worth my time, obviously they need more attention at home instead of begging for it by trying to be something their not (*aHEM* definitely NOT coordinator material.)

But anyway all of my birds got a ribbon, no lower than red so YAY good stuff!!

My Birds - 

Quinn - Blue (Breed standard)

Little - Blue and Best in Breed (Purple) (Breed standard)

Honk - Red (Breed standard)

Bennny - Red (Breed standard)

Doobie -  Red (Breed standard)

Winnie - Red (Breed standard)

Bo -  Red (for breed) and Red (or showmanship)


Nathaniels Birds - 

Gladys - Red (Egg Layer) and White (showmanship)

Bowie - Red (Breed standard)

EDIT: I FORGOT TO MENTION THAT THERE WAS A PREMIUM CASH PRIZE THAT I FORGOT TO PICK UP ON SUNDAY SO I GOT THAT TODAY FOR HONK BEING THE BEST CONTINENTAL IN TEH OPEN SHOW HOW COOL IS THAAAATTTTTTTTTTTT

So yeah $30 in my pocket for prom or some new birds or a car or whatever life throws at me. 

Congrats! Omg! Breed standard for the boys! They are from a hatchery order. So happy for you!

 

[Gadtellum]

Thank you

 

[bunsnpupsnchick]

Congrats! What a huge accomplishment! Now go enjoy your retirement and don't work too hard!

I've been busy getting things prepared for the big move. My dad is still trying to figure out the best way to move me out there. It's about a 40 hour drive so we are going to try to do it in 4-5 days. My dad drives trucks (he's supposed to be retired) so he's used to the driving. The issue is that I need to get my dog and my car out there. He could drive his truck with a car dolly but that would mean a long drive back by himself. I'm hoping it will be affordable to rent a truck and just drop it off out in AZ. Luckily I don't have a lot of physical things to move since the place I'm renting until October is furnished.

In other good news, my parents got an offer on their house! They are hoping to move out to the same area of Arizona as I am (They claim it was their idea first haha) and we are all keeping our fingers crossed. If everything goes through, they will be moving out there around August. I'm very excited about that, especially since I am rather close to my parents. It will make moving far from home so much easier.

I just about have all my Arizona license info signed and ready to go. I should be able to drop that in the mail Friday.

I'm very much ready to be moved out of this apartment. The room mate staying behind to finish school is not making this easy. I just have to keep reminding myself that we only have one month left.

Dave, I'm glad you guys all made it safe. Seems like that was a pretty scary accident you had. Keep us updated with your progress at the new yard!

Depending on how much you have to move & your vehicle uhaul trailer might work. Or rent truck & car dolly when Dad flying back. Or movers do it all & you drive your car or fly. Depending on your dog & airline it goes in cabin or under.

 

[bunsnpupsnchick]

So I had a fantastic epiphony last night, after coming home from the Pima County Fair and being in either the Barn or the Petting Zoo majority of the time, and Im thinking this could be my lifestyle. Its fantastic, but I would like to get your guy's opinion on it, tell me what you think - 


So I have fallen in love with bantam/pygmy/mini/micro farm animals. 

quite frankly they are adoreable and addicting. 

And last night i though "Wel what if I had a farm with everything bantam/pygmy/mini/micro?

and then it came to me, the name of my future farm:

Shortstack Ranch

SOOOOO may ways to play it off, so many logo opportunities and ideas just kinda came ramming into my face ike 

"this is gonna happen."

Basically my ranch would be a big piece of property, but majority of the animals there would be bantam/pygmy/mini/micro, such as 

OEGB, Call ducks, Silkies, Polish, Modern Game, Seramas, Quail, Pygmy, Boer and Dwarf goats, Miniature Ponies/donkeys, Micro Pigs, bunnies, miniature Cows Etc.

I'm thinking the biggest enimals on the property would be our GSD and/or Husky,  our Turkeys, and our Nubian dairy goats/Boer meat goats. 

Maybe the logo could be something like a hay stack with animals surrounding it or on it in a different color.

But anyway this is my basic idea, we would raise and sell poultry products (meat, eggs) with three flocks (one cornish X and two Layers, one colored egg flock and one brown and white egg layer flock, each of about 40 birds) and we would sell goat products as well (Goat milk procucts, goat meat products, breeding doe and buck studding, 4H/FFA/Open show animal sales.) Shortstack Ranch hold quarterly Petting Zoos, and maybe during certain select seasons, have open farm tours where people can come and have pictures done with the animals and buy products straight from the shop and learn more about say, FFA and 4H and have a few clubs come out and demonstrate a project in our corralt(Animal Showmanship and similary things) and it would basically be an animal based apple annies. 


So what do you guys think?

what could be improved on and what would you reccomend?

Keep in mind, this is a long term goal. 

Since I love Holland lops (smallest loop bun) & my bantam birds... Am also wanting a Nigerian goat...I love it!

What about weekend tours-petting zoo type of thing? Superstition dairy farm does that here in the Phoenix valley.

Plus the ostrich farm & how they run their operation might be something to look at... They do a commercial side I think plus the tourist bit.

Look at the angles, where, costs, etc. Never bad to have ideas & goals!

 

[Chickerdoodle13]

I was looking up renting a truck or uhaul but it's almost $3000 for a moving truck and I really only have my clothes and dog stuff to bring. Unfortunately, my car is practically an antique so I don't think it would make the trip. I mostly left it up to my dad because he has done this before and it looks like he decided just to take his truck and drive it back. I was astounded how much it would cost to rent or get movers! Luckily, the rest of my stuff will hitch a ride on their moving truck when they move later in the summer. By then I'll have money saved from work that I can pitch in. Right now I'm pinching pennies pretty hard since I'm still using school loans. I just have to keep telling myself I'll have a paycheck soon...but also all the loan payments to go with it!

 

[cactusrota]

I was looking up renting a truck or uhaul but it's almost $3000 for a moving truck and I really only have my clothes and dog stuff to bring. Unfortunately, my car is practically an antique so I don't think it would make the trip. I mostly left it up to my dad because he has done this before and it looks like he decided just to take his truck and drive it back. I was astounded how much it would cost to rent or get movers! Luckily, the rest of my stuff will hitch a ride on their moving truck when they move later in the summer. By then I'll have money saved from work that I can pitch in. Right now I'm pinching pennies pretty hard since I'm still using school loans. I just have to keep telling myself I'll have a paycheck soon...but also all the loan payments to go with it!

Yikes!!! Although, that is practically from complete opposite corners of the country... The fuel alone is gonna be a pretty penny.

 

[cactusrota]

So one of my hens is apparently playing "catch up". They layed 2 on tuesday, 2 yesterday, and I checked when I let them out this morning and there was none that I missed from yesterday. So that's 5 eggs from 4 hens, and it's only day three in their new coop from the long trip Monday night. These girls are hardcore! I've decided to save some for the incubator since they should still have genetics from their big RIR roos up there in Utah. It'll be fun to see what I get.

 

[Chickerdoodle13]

Yikes!!!    Although, that is practically from complete opposite corners of the country...   The fuel alone is gonna be a pretty penny.

Yeah tell me about it! I'm fine with paying up to $1500 but the $3000 doesn't even count the gas! Then to ship my car would probably be about the same $3000 or so). It's crazy!