Arizona Chickens

[meetthebubus]

Ahhhhhh! thunderstorm came ee's were out on top of coop so as I hear thunder in distance I'm debating on if I want to trudge the distance in the dark with flashlight to put 19 chickens INSIDE their coop....

They are soo stubborn! So im listening to the thunder come closer and i think what am i doing? I Know AZ monsoon that sound means For sure it's gonna rain so hubby helps and as I'm putting them in it hits with a burst of dusty wind so in start grabbing the last 10 faster and they teeter on the perch inside but all I know is I gotta book it bc there's lightning

As I grab each one I hear a cry of surprise from each as they are grabbed from behind in the dark
Dirt stings my eyes as I squint through it so I can get them in...

I'm locking up and running back in with hubby as the rain starts falling

And I'm sitting here listening to it come down hard and knowing my peace of mind was worth it

 

[igorsMistress]

I don't want to waste my time doing what would have been needed for that one. It would take away my time with the rest of them. I still have to watch for poopy butts, and make sure that the other one's are developing right. Plus, I still have more eggs to see if they will hatch. I have the flock outside to do, plus I am still watching my next door neighbors animals too.

I don't want weakness nor deformities in my flock. It could be hereditary, so I cull.

I know those are hard decisions to make. I would do the same

 

[meetthebubus]

*Sound of crickets*

 

[BlueBaby]

I know those are hard decisions to make. I would do the same

Yes, it is hard, but I do not want to be known as a person who sell's defective chicks to my future customers. Better to cull them young than to grow them out to maturity and get confused of who's eggs belong to which hen and what eggs not to incubate!

The storm passed through here again last night, and of course the electric had to go out again!

 

[BlueBaby]

*Sound of crickets*

Cricket's= more snack for the flock!

 

[DesertChic]

I don't want to waste my time doing what would have been needed for that one. It would take away my time with the rest of them. I still have to watch for poopy butts, and make sure that the other one's are developing right. Plus, I still have more eggs to see if they will hatch. I have the flock outside to do, plus I am still watching my next door neighbors animals too.

I don't want weakness nor deformities in my flock. It could be hereditary, so I cull.

Good call. I would've done the same. I think we're rare birds in the chicken breeding world.

 

[meetthebubus]

Cricket's= more snack for the flock!

true

Well,every night I spend the last 2 hours of daylight with the bubus I have to disperse my time between the flocks and I dislike it so I think I'll open the door and while I'm there I'll supervise... Roo has decided to leave marshmellow alone so hopefully the girls can wander back and forth in peace... nope

2nd night marshmellow chased Roo and I separated them again today, in the late morning I had it open the door between the 2 flocks and go back and forth... Roo timidly came out to help Callie find a better nest box and he got chased by Marshmellow I came between them and closed up between the 2 once again

I just wish sweet marshmellow would leave Roo alone bc he doesn't just chase he catches and hurts Roo but otherwise he's so sweet!

So now I'm stuck with 2 separate flocks bc I can't trust marshmellow around roo

 

[BlueBaby]

true

Well,every night I spend the last 2 hours of daylight with the bubus I have to disperse my time between the flocks and I dislike it so I think I'll open the door and while I'm there I'll supervise... Roo has decided to leave marshmellow alone so hopefully the girls can wander back and forth in peace... nope

2nd night marshmellow chased Roo and I separated them again today, in the late morning I had it open the door between the 2 flocks and go back and forth... Roo timidly came out to help Callie find a better nest box and he got chased by Marshmellow I came between them and closed up between the 2 once again

I just wish sweet marshmellow would leave Roo alone bc he doesn't just chase he catches and hurts Roo but otherwise he's so sweet!

So now I'm stuck with 2 separate flocks bc I can't trust marshmellow around roo

That's because Marshmellow is still young , and he want's to be in charge all of the hen's, even if that will mean either running off or killing an older roo. That is nature in the animal world of instincts. I'm sure that you watched National Geographic or Animal Kingdom. Even wild horses fight to gain control of the mares.

 

[meetthebubus]

I know the reason of nature, and I also know he could be kinder to roo but he's a Giro so he can't help it,I just wish it was different

 

[BlueBaby]

Man this rain really makes these weed's grow fast! I had to go out and cut back the weeds far enough away from the coop and run so that hubby can drag the yard again. I don't want those weeds there giving snakes a great place to hide in!