Arizona Chickens

[Fishybiz]

In last picture, there is a golf ball, ping pong ball, 2 newly discovered treasures and a white store bought egg (last in the carton).

OK I finally have some ROI on my 22-23 week old chickens. 2 Easter Eggers, 1 Black Australorp,1 Speckled Sussex, 1 Buff Orpington, and 1 New Hampshire (although she has no black coloring on her tail feathers). Today found 2 "juvenile" eggs in the run. Unfortunately the run has both a dirt floor and in other sections the arizona rock (1-2") that is all over my HOA at houses. Both eggs found in different locations right on rocks. I am assuming there was no aerial drop from the rent paying chicken and she must have squatted low. Coop has 2 nest boxes. One has just shredded newspaper. Second has hay. Third is shredded hay/straw and newspaper. Each has ping pong ball or golf balls to deceive them but apparently my chicken wasn't fooled. Definitely "somebody" in the chicken gang has been going in the nest boxes because i have had to replenish in each of the three as it's been kicked out and displaced almost daily in the last week.

So next questions:
1. Now that I have found the 2 small eggs should I use those as the prop for deceiving my chickens in their nest box? Sacrificing the "First Meal" I am fine with for the hopes of consistent nest laying behavior.

2. How long can eggs in our AZ East Valley current climate (nights in the 60s and days in the low 80s) sit in that nest and still be eaten? Mind you that expired food does not scare me and obviously when they are cooked I would determine if any strange odor, taste, or appearance should prevent me from fully ingesting the brown bombs.

3, Other tips to get the lone egglayer to use the nest box rather than rock floor run?

 

[Parront]

Parront, any signs of a squatch up in your neck of the woods? That would be perfect habitat for them.

Dinosaurs are my Number 1 passion followed by Big Foot. You would think with all the technology that we have, that there would be some real solid evidence of their existence and issues like where do they bury their own dead, no scat piles found etc. I would love to see one and how they react to human contact. --BB

LOL, silly thread about waiting for an elusive feral chicken! Have not seen a 'Squatch in Prescott, have seen a bobcat, though.

 

[Parront]

(nights in the 60s and days in the low 80s)

Temps in the 80's I would stick with golf balls.

 

[igorsMistress]

Here is a link to a story about why Sanderson Farms is doing so much advertising
https://www.nytimes.com/2016/08/02/...-its-ground-its-proud-to-use-antibiotics.html
Sounds like a brand to avoid, they are defending themselves against the "no antibiotics" in chickens movement.

Thank you!

 

[igorsMistress]

@Fishybiz I collect eggs at the end of the day regardless of temp and leave them on my counter. We've never been sick.
Use golfballs. Why sacrifice perfectly good eggs?

 

[cavemanrich]

Parront, any signs of a squatch up in your neck of the woods? That would be perfect habitat for them.

Dinosaurs are my Number 1 passion followed by Big Foot. You would think with all the technology that we have, that there would be some real solid evidence of their existence and issues like where do they bury their own dead, no scat piles found etc. I would love to see one and how they react to human contact. --BB

In my family circle we have 2 that wear size 15 shoes.. One 7 foot+ and other one just a lil under. Do they qualify as BIG FOOT????? I cant comment on scat though.. Our plumbing is in working order.

 

[BlueBaby]

View attachment 1181766 View attachment 1181767 View attachment 1181768

@BlueBaby here's the chicks this morning. Kazoo is getting some dark patches and the dark blue girl has some nice lacing. The pic doesn't do her justice.

They are looking good! I am thinking that that lighter blue chick in the back's mother was my Splash Australorp named Precious that died.

 

[igorsMistress]

Awe, what happened? Did she overheat?

 

[BlueBaby]

Awe, what happened? Did she overheat?

She was the one that was trying to be broody all summer. I kept running her out of the nest and taking the eggs, but she kept going back in the box.

 

[igorsMistress]

She was the one that was trying to be broody all summer. I kept running her out of the nest and taking the eggs, but she kept going back in the box.

Oh geez, that's right! I'm sorry.