Arizona Chickens

[MagicChicken]

Wow, I had no idea posting about this guy was going to incite such a discussion about it!
Just fyi, he's not biting my toes anymore. He got over that pretty quickly. I've been going out there more often lately to sit with them (now that it's not 115 degrees out), and he is guaranteed to come over and hang out near me. Usually to just stand near me, or he'll start scratching the ground and such around me. I reach out to scritch his chest or pet him and he'll either act like he doesn't mind, isn't sure if he should mind, or will start biting my fingers. One thing I've learned with roosters is that the first one to turn away is the loser, so I never give up first. He doesn't like to give up either though... haha!! But so far he's only been biting when I'm the first to reach out to try to pet him, and not every time. I'm pretty confident that, in this situation, it's just hormonal nervousness like DesertChic is talking about. View attachment 1100828
This was just today.

Cool! Glad he's stopped toe-biting.

Reaching out and petting him may not be helpful. As he gets older he may see it as being kind of disrespectful. That can lead to problems. Like Desert Chic suggested, ignoring him may be more helpful.

I do pet my roosters, but only at night when they are on their roosts. Then I will skritch their necks and run my hand down their backs. Sometimes I will also pick them up off the roost and handle them like they would be handled at a show. I usually leave them alone during the day. I'll talk to them and toss them treats, but don't make a big fuss. They come running over to me because treats usually happen when I show up. I'd like to think it's because they like me but I know better. Every one is different. Every bird is different. You will figure it out.

One other thing to consider: the younger they are the more tender they are when grilled/roasted. I usually wind up having to stew the older birds. So if a younger bird is being a butt-head and he doesn't have other redeeming qualities to make me keep him around for a while, I tend to resolve that issue with the butcher knife rather than behavioral therapy. Roasted chicken, yum!

 

[Fishybiz]

And I 2nd @Junochick! It was awful here in my part of Chandler - trees snapping everywhere, signs ripped out of the concrete, flash floods, traffic lights out, ridiculously heavy rain and wind, etc. My family and I were out on the highway when it hit - it went from a light drizzle to ridiculously powerful in a matter of minutes! I wasn't home to see how my poor chickens did, but I had them locked in their runs. When I got back, the run gate was blown open and a few of my girls were missing; luckily I found them hiding out in the shed, but that was definitely scary. Somehow, despite having a latch-lock on my grow-out pen and just a simple two-step gate on my main run, they both were blown open. All the chickens are safe and accounted for, luckily, albeit a bit rattled and wet. One of my girls camped out on the nest the entire time, from the looks of her - she looked like a drowned rat!

How was it in everyone else's parts? I had no idea this storm was even on the forecast! Monsoon season definitely made sure to tell everyone in my area that it was officially here.

Crazy sideways rain immediately following a dust storm that started right in front of me rather than pass by me was crazy. Must have been 50+mph winds.

I got home soaked to check and find the chickens dry (also in Chandler).glad the new corrugated roofing worked that I installed on the coop and run.

 

[FeatherPugs]

Yep - crazy winds, crazy rain, more crazy wind, more and more rain! At least 4 inches standing on the desert floor! Girls seem okay with a quick check in the dark. I'll see better when I go out this am. They have many covered spots plus the coop BUT I'm betting I still had a tree dweller or two! (another whole different story) Trees are upright and I wondered because the wind was so fierce. I'll go out with extra greens this morning.

 

[DesertBird]

Crazy sideways rain immediately following a dust storm that started right in front of me rather than pass by me was crazy. Must have been 50+mph winds.

I got home soaked to check and find the chickens dry (also in Chandler).glad the new corrugated roofing worked that I installed on the coop and run.

Dang! That must've been an amazing sight! And yay for the dry chickens.

Yep - crazy winds, crazy rain, more crazy wind, more and more rain! At least 4 inches standing on the desert floor! Girls seem okay with a quick check in the dark. I'll see better when I go out this am. They have many covered spots plus the coop BUT I'm betting I still had a tree dweller or two! (another whole different story) Trees are upright and I wondered because the wind was so fierce. I'll go out with extra greens this morning.

I know! It just keep coming and getting worse and worse. I was up at the WinCo on Val Vista when it hit, and it hit there first (the outer portion of it, so it wasn't super bad). Before it really hit, it was just really spotty. Then, we get on the highway and seemed to be driving right through it's eye. It was insane! No one was going above 20, everyone had hazard lights on, probably half the people pulled over, and everything was white. I can't even saw it was rain drops, it was just sheets of rain - if we were in a colder climate, I think some of it could've been hail. lol Could barely see the car in front of you, hazard lights or not. Then directly off the highway is where 2 of the lights went out, so no one was quite sure how to/when to turn. lol
And yay for the trees! I thought a ton of mine would break, too, but somehow there weren't any branches. Had a huge one fall on the run 2 days ago and almost crush my chickens in blue skies with almost no wind, but of course when it's raining with ridiculous wind nothing falls.

 

[DesertChic]

Hello all! I am relatively new to BYC and to raising chickens. I am not sure if there is a way to search just our "Arizona" forum, so please forgive me as I am sure this must have been covered somewhere along the way... Does anyone in Tucson know of a processor that will process our non-laying hens? I read the tutorial on processing myself, but would rather not unless I can't find another way. I don't quite trust my cutting capabilities and don't want to botch things up for the poor hens.

Check with the agricultural department at the U of A. I know they process pigs and turkeys, so they may also process chickens.

 

[MagicChicken]

Dang! That must've been an amazing sight! And yay for the dry chickens.



I know! It just keep coming and getting worse and worse. I was up at the WinCo on Val Vista when it hit, and it hit there first (the outer portion of it, so it wasn't super bad). Before it really hit, it was just really spotty. Then, we get on the highway and seemed to be driving right through it's eye. It was insane! No one was going above 20, everyone had hazard lights on, probably half the people pulled over, and everything was white. I can't even saw it was rain drops, it was just sheets of rain - if we were in a colder climate, I think some of it could've been hail. lol Could barely see the car in front of you, hazard lights or not. Then directly off the highway is where 2 of the lights went out, so no one was quite sure how to/when to turn. lol
And yay for the trees! I thought a ton of mine would break, too, but somehow there weren't any branches. Had a huge one fall on the run 2 days ago and almost crush my chickens in blue skies with almost no wind, but of course when it's raining with ridiculous wind nothing falls.

Thunderstorms bring hail here in the summer, so it could have been hail.

 

[MagicChicken]

Check with the agricultural department at the U of A. I know they process pigs and turkeys, so they may also process chickens.

@Charlynn - I can't help you regarding processing facilities. If you do try processing them yourself make sure the birds are well hydrated. None of the videos I watched mentioned this. Turns out it makes a huge difference. If the birds are dehydrated their blood gets thick and it can take a long time for them to die because they don't bleed out quickly.

Withhold food overnight to clear out their intestinal tracts (makes the processing part cleaner), but make sure they have plenty of water right up until the end.

You develop knife skills with practice. It's a useful skill. And you develop a lot of respect for your food if you learn how to do it. YouTube and good poultry shears are your friends. You can do this.

 

[cavemanrich]

Withhold food overnight to clear out their intestinal tracts (makes the processing part cleaner), but make sure they have plenty of water right up until the end.
In prison you at least get a LAST MEAL..

 

[BlueBaby]

Hello all! I am relatively new to BYC and to raising chickens. I am not sure if there is a way to search just our "Arizona" forum, so please forgive me as I am sure this must have been covered somewhere along the way... Does anyone in Tucson know of a processor that will process our non-laying hens? I read the tutorial on processing myself, but would rather not unless I can't find another way. I don't quite trust my cutting capabilities and don't want to botch things up for the poor hens.

Hello, and welcome! Yes, you have come to the right thread. This is for us people here in AZ.

 

[BlueBaby]

And I 2nd @Junochick! It was awful here in my part of Chandler - trees snapping everywhere, signs ripped out of the concrete, flash floods, traffic lights out, ridiculously heavy rain and wind, etc. My family and I were out on the highway when it hit - it went from a light drizzle to ridiculously powerful in a matter of minutes! I wasn't home to see how my poor chickens did, but I had them locked in their runs. When I got back, the run gate was blown open and a few of my girls were missing; luckily I found them hiding out in the shed, but that was definitely scary. Somehow, despite having a latch-lock on my grow-out pen and just a simple two-step gate on my main run, they both were blown open. All the chickens are safe and accounted for, luckily, albeit a bit rattled and wet. One of my girls camped out on the nest the entire time, from the looks of her - she looked like a drowned rat!

How was it in everyone else's parts? I had no idea this storm was even on the forecast! Monsoon season definitely made sure to tell everyone in my area that it was officially here.

I would find a way to secure them gates a bit better. Next time it happens, you might not be so lucky.