Arizona Chickens

[Smiles-N-Sunshine]

Hi Bryan. I also have a couple chickens that look AWFUl. They're only 7-8 months old, which I think is too young to be going through a molt. I never noticed any feather loss, but two of them have have fuzzy feathering on their backs - feathers look frayed.

We have 13 pullets - no roosters. One hen is broody and another just finished setting on her eggs and is back with the flock (not laying yet). Out of the 11 that are laying, we are usually getting 9-10 eggs per day.

Other than the ugly feathers, they seem very healthy - we use DE and I haven't seen any mites. They eat a 20% protein feed while in their pen/run and free-range about 4 hours per day. Their run is shaded and they don't spend a lot of time in the sun when out, so I don't think the sun is what harmed the feathers (maybe it is the dry heat?).

All 3 of the following pictures were taken today.

Production red's feathers (ignore the two light splotches - it's the sunlight):
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/uploads/19548_broody_hen_-_ladys_in_waiting_004.jpg

My two barred rocks - the pullet on the left looks just awful (even worse in person)- the one on the right looks very normal:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/uploads/19548_weird-bad_feathering_br.jpg

This is the pullet pictured above that looks normal - just wanted to show how healthy she looks compared to the other:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/uploads/19548_broody_hen_-_ladys_in_waiting_009.jpg

I'd also love to know what is wrong with them. Anybody have any ideas?

Thanks ArizonaDesertChicks for the photos! Yes, that's EXACTLY how my birds look. My one roo has it too, so can't blame him for it. I guess if it were a big deal, there'd be more info about it???​

 

[Smiles-N-Sunshine]

Speaking of silly regulations: did y'all know we can't legally sell our eggs as "fresh" or "local"? Arizona law lets us sell "unclassified nest run" eggs (basically meaning not candled for blood spots, and not weighed), to our neighbors, co-workers, and at farmers markets, but we can't advertise them as fresh or local, even though they are the freshest, most local eggs around!!!

Here is the statute, if anyone's interested:

3-724. Misrepresentation of quality

A. No person shall advertise or sell eggs as fresh eggs or represent them to be fresh eggs unless they meet the requirements for grade A or better.

B. No person shall advertise, represent or sell eggs as local eggs unless the eggs have been produced within this state and meet the requirements for grade A or better.

So, "fresh" eggs can be several weeks old as long as they're grade A or better, and someone in Yuma can sell "local" eggs in Flagstaff. (Personally, I associate freshness with time, and locality with distance.)

I welcome any thoughts on this. Thanks!

Bryan

 

[ArizonaNessa]

Oh wow I did not know that about the eggs. I don't sell eggs but that is some handy information to have. I did know that you can't sell goat milk for human consumption no matter how fresh it is unless you are a licensed dairy BUT you can sell it for animal consumption

Thanks for the info on the eggs.

 

[Smiles-N-Sunshine]

Hey, just a few thoughts about zoning regs and dealing with authorities:

- Zoning regs are intended to be broad, to keep most of the people mostly happy most of the time. You can usually request a "variance" (i.e. exception to the rule) for many zoning regs, for your particular situation. If the procedure is like in Cochise County, they contact the neighboring property owners within a certain radius to let them know about it and solicit their opinions. If you have already contacted these neighbors with a dozen eggs and a slice of homemade egg pie, and a frank, honest discussion about what you're doing in your backyard (pros and cons), you may find the variance process easier than you thought.

- Zoning inspectors have one of the most thankless, underpaid jobs around. Honey definitely works better than vinegar. Which do you think he/she would rather hear: "Thanks for coming all the way out here, and for explaining the zoning regulations. I really want to do the right thing, but I have a problem with this one particular ordinance." or "Why are you hassling me on my land? This is America, I can do what I want!" Make it easy for him/her to say, "Yes".

- Focus on why your backyard farm helps the community and is not just a fun hobby for you. (Visits from homeschoolers and at-risk youth, hiring a teen for odd jobs, enhancing the rural feel of the neighborhood, supporting the local farmers market - use your imagination!)

Hope this was helpful and not preachy! BTW I have worked for Cochise County for 13 years, and my wife worked at the Planning and Zoning department.

 

[ArizonaNessa]

Yes I think in my situation kindness and a bit of humor went a long way. I seriously think that if I would have gone on attack the whole thing would have had a negative outcome for me. I find that life in general is this way.
I think it had something to do with the comment that I made to the officer about him and his puppy dog checking each individual chicken hiney for drugs that sealed the deal for me.

Now if I am out checking the mail or something they will wave or stop and ask if I have any eggs or ask if I have had any problems with neighborhood dogs.

 

[btrent94]

I just dont think chicken laws should be any more harsh than dog lawss .. Dogs bark much louder than a rooster crows and dogs wake me up much more than a rooster crow ... doggs poop stinks just as bad ... if you dont clean it up it would smell worse than a chicken coop in no time and they can be dangerous to neighbors if they got out ...

i mean these are all part of the owners responsiblity and so i owning chickens so if people are allowed to have as many dogs as they want regardless of sex it should be the same way with chickens !!

Sometimes the law just really frustrates me

 

[H2OKarensa]

Hey, did you guys see the chicken and poultry swap in Tucson set for June 28th?

Is that a BYC'er?

She says she's going to be doing it every month from here on out up in Marana.

Sounds interesting......

 

[Recla_Ranch]

Quote:
Hey, H2OKarensa, where can I find details about about the swap?

 

[BellLisamo]

Arizona Silkies is doing it! I will be there!!!!


HERES THE LINK
http://tucson.craigslist.org/grd/1210447954.html

 

[Huny]

Sounds good, I think I just want to get rid of a bunch more than buy more. Anyone want some five toed bald frizzles? Haha just kidding, I'm not going to bring that and shame my good poultry name. I might bring some of these B/B/S Cochins, Australorp Eggs, and maybe these columbian rock bantams.