Chicken owner in Sahuarita Here.
Nice to see some more chicken owners close.
I might have to get over to the OK feed store to get some pullets. Sounds like a pretty good deal. I'd really like to add a barred rock or two to my flock. I currently have 6 hens, 2 ameraucana, 3 black orpington mixes, and 1 mystery lady who lays really big brown eggs. One of my blackies is sitting on 13 eggs that should have hatched yesterday. I'm waiting to see if they're going to be late or just not at all.
We also have 2 cayuga ducklings.
Keep in touch. I'd like to see how we all fare through the summer.
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The chickens at OK feed seems to be a good deal. The 6 we got are healthy and interact well together. My wife informed me this morning that I got their age wrong the chickens are 9-10 weeks old. They cost 6.75 each, but you don't have to go through the 1st 2 weeks of baby chicks. The only draw back I see so far is that they aren't acclimated to human interaction, so we are ending up spending time so they get used to people being around them.
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I am in the NW Tucson area and there are hawks everywhere. Our chickens are in an enclosed stable, and if we do put them in the open pen, we are out with them. We are in the process of enclosing the open pen, too.
We have had reports of small dogs in our area taken by large birds, so we don't free-range our birds, but they do have a lot of room.
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The chickens at OK feed seems to be a good deal. The 6 we got are healthy and interact well together. My wife informed me this morning that I got their age wrong the chickens are 9-10 weeks old. They cost 6.75 each, but you don't have to go through the 1st 2 weeks of baby chicks. The only draw back I see so far is that they aren't acclimated to human interaction, so we are ending up spending time so they get used to people being around them.
We got our first layers from OK Feeds, in Feb. 2008. We got a buff orpington, barred rock and a red sex-link. They are all great egg layers.
We will be setting some eggs within the next week or so. I have two broody hens right now.
Since we are done with the fair, which is where I have been for the last 10 days, we are looking forward to hatching some egg layers, and my DS showbirds for 4-H.
I went by OK feeds, the birds were typical brown egg layers, nothing fancy or fun. Barred Rocks, RIR, Sex Links. I asked where they got their stock and they said Privett Hatchery. I have 30 from there, and they are healthy but for sure not to breed standard. My Silver Laced Wyandotte Pullet has some feathers all black, some black with white lacing, and come white with black lacing, and their head look more like a Silver Penciled. I have set up arrangements to sell all of these, I am going to stick with purebreds.
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Thank you Sock Puppet. I got my black australorps at Mesa Feed Barn. They didn't have many kinds when I went to get my chicks so I researched all the ones they got in and determined these would meet my requirements: friendly, lots of brown eggs, medium/heavy wt. We are enjoying them very much.
It is nice to share with AZ folks.
Thank you for the tips on the ventilation and the coup rules. I live in old Mesa. Chickens are not uncommon in my neighborhood. In fact, my neighbors are very interested in mine. My coup is on wheels so I can roll it around the yard. We got it off craigs list form someone in queen creek who designed at built it. One day I'll post a picture. I am glad to know the definitions of coup for the rules though.