Arizona Chickens

[igorsMistress]

@BlueBaby here is the black chick I got from you. He's a very handsome boy!

 

[Bobby Basham]

View attachment 1318443 View attachment 1318444 Y'all do not know how long I've been trying to find this thread and My old friends.

Anyone here remember me? Just found the thread again and haven't done any reading into how everyone is doing.

Hope everyone is doing well here. Love this thread and glad to be back.

Hello from Big Stone Gap, Va.

I remember you, K9Dave, and welcome back to the thread. These folks have been busy with all their projects and I seem to be missing out again...no messages in over a week, but finally caught up.

 

[Bobby Basham]

Hey folks, I have a little issue going on.

Two days ago I was watching the brats feed and drink, when I noticed some little bugs crawling round in the clear plastic feeder that I have. It's a half-gallon with reversible base, one side for water the other for feed, so I have two.
Those bugs weren't there the day before. At first, I thought they were those small red ants you see around paved driveways, sidewalks and such. Didn't have my reading glasses on so I couldn't tell. Anyhow, on closer inspection, they are some type of hard-shelled, skinny things about the same size of those little ants.

I use the Nature's Serve(?) starter/grower in clear, 10-lb resealable plastic bags. I looked in the bag yesterday and it's just crawling with these things. The only thing I can do for now is just sprinkle some DE amongst the feed hoping it will do something....yes, I've read about the usefulness and worthlessness of the stuff.

I usually buy three bags at a time from ACE Hardware and never had any issues before. What would make them suddenly seem to pop up out of nowhere? I am positive they weren't there when I opened that bag a few days ago.

 

[azurbanclucker]

Sounds like mealbugs. Extra protien!

 

[Bobby Basham]

Sounds like mealbugs. Extra protien!

As long as it's not harmful, I will let them have at it. No issue with free protein here. I know that they can eat all types of protein roaming/crawling in the run, I was just hoping that these critters were not something that could possibly be detrimental to them. I will continue to feed so as not to waste it.

 

[cactusrota]

As long as it's not harmful, I will let them have at it. No issue with free protein here. I know that they can eat all types of protein roaming/crawling in the run, I was just hoping that these critters were not something that could possibly be detrimental to them. I will continue to feed so as not to waste it.

Yeah, I wouldn't worry about them. Sounds like grain bugs, the same kind you get in flour. They're like a tiny beetle. Sometimes if a feed has been on the shelf too long at the feed store it'll get them in it. Like said above, EXTRA PROTEIN!!

 

[FeatherPugs]

Hey Dave! Great Pics! I was just thinking about you this am. A friend who lives in Avra Valley has to come my way about weekly and get eggs from me. Ridiculous I tell her and wish I knew folks in Avra Valley again! Ha! You look like you are thriving and that little person is perfect! Hello again.

 

[nicollee]

View attachment 1318443 View attachment 1318444 Y'all do not know how long I've been trying to find this thread and My old friends.

Anyone here remember me? Just found the thread again and haven't done any reading into how everyone is doing.

Hope everyone is doing well here. Love this thread and glad to be back.

Hello from Big Stone Gap, Va.

Yes we remember.... Looks like your family has settled in well, Your RV must have made it safely, and your new homestead looks chickeny.... Awesome helper you have there....
AZ is allready hitting high temps... Hope your weather is as comfortable as it looks

 

[nicollee]

Hey folks, I have a little issue going on.

Two days ago I was watching the brats feed and drink, when I noticed some little bugs crawling round in the clear plastic feeder that I have. ....

The hotter temps we are starting to have helps the bugs hatch out. If the bugs bother you throw the food in the freezer, otherwise the chickens will love them...
You said you buy three bags, if you're on your first bag at least freeze the third, otherwise overtime the bugs can destroy the food quality. If you're on the last bag, no worries...
And I am curious if the DE helps kill the bugs...

 

[Bobby Basham]

The hotter temps we are starting to have helps the bugs hatch out. If the bugs bother you throw the food in the freezer, otherwise the chickens will love them...
You said you buy three bags, if you're on your first bag at least freeze the third, otherwise overtime the bugs can destroy the food quality. If you're on the last bag, no worries...
And I am curious if the DE helps kill the bugs...

Thank you all for the reassurance! I like the freezer idea and had thought about it, since I conveniently have a small chest freezer in the garage. I can put any extra bags of feed in there.

Speaking of feed, I wish the stereotype of chickens eating only corn would stop. They say there's no such thing as a dumb question, but I beg to differ. I've spent the last several weeks reading over in the feeding section and can't believe what clueless folks are feeding their chickens and wondering why they're experiencing health issues. They've done no homework and didn't get any help from where they bought them. One store told a person to just feed them corn.

Chickens are simple, but complicated at the same time, and their nutritional needs require balance... that's the purpose of commercial feeds for those who don't know how to formulate their own recipes.

Sorry for venting in that direction, but it enrages me that folks would raise a single chicken in a box, living on cracked corn and rice, wondering why the thing stopped eating and is starving to death.

I dread the upcoming Easter season with clueless folks buying chicks for Little Suzie or Johnnie, then not knowing what to do with them after they become a certain age, heaven forbid if the thing starts crowing.

Anyhoo, I like to read the posts about fermenting, fodder, sprouting etc., to see what occasional supplemental feed options and treats are out there, something to break up the monotony of eating crumbles and pellets.