Arizona Chickens

[BlueBaby]

We've been keeping these hours since spring of 2015--do you think we'll ever have "normal people" body clocks again even after he retires? I kinda doubt it.

I doubt it. Once your body get's used to keeping a certain schedule, it's hard to change it. My DH worked the graveyard shift for many year's before he retired. He's already been retired now for several year's, and he still stay's up late (and wakes up late). I can't do that.

 

[Geckolady]

Something must have been outside last night. At around 2 am, and again about 40 minutes later, the dogs were barking like something was really wrong out there. I couldn't see or hear anything.

 

[BlueBaby]

Something must have been outside last night. At around 2 am, and again about 40 minutes later, the dogs were barking like something was really wrong out there. I couldn't see or hear anything.

Do you have a motion sensor light or a camera out there to either frighten away or see what it is if it's at your place around your coops?

 

[Geckolady]

Do you have a motion sensor light or a camera out there to either frighten away or see what it is if it's at your place around your coops?

There are motion sensor lights around the smaller coop, but not around the new, larger one. This morning I couldn't see any evidence of anyone or anything being around last night, but the dogs were barking like they meant business, so there's no doubt in my mind that something was going on. Looks like a trip downtown for sensor lights needs to happen soon.

 

[springvalley123]

Thanks! And yes…I wanted to have a variety of birds and some egg color variation. We really enjoy them. Yours?

that's beautiful! I'm very jealous of your big shade trees and grass. Your birds look very content!

 

[Yabadabadoo]

that's beautiful! I'm very jealous of your big shade trees and grass. Your birds look very content!

Thank you! We are really lucky to have such a nice irrigated yard still in Phoenix metro…and I often think those birds are quote lucky

 

[EmmaDonovan]

Thank you! We are really lucky to have such a nice irrigated yard still in Phoenix metro…and I often think those birds are quote lucky

Are you part of that periodic flooding program? I first learned about it on the Weed 'Em & Reap YouTube channel. That's brilliant, I wish we had something like that. It's a great way to keep a lawn!

 

[CaroleW]

I just got back from a roadtrip for work down to Tombstone, Tubac and Nogales. My DH texted me while I was gone that the neighbor (right across the small dirt road) lost about 20 ducks to a predator and the goose tried to fight it off. He found a duck head on our property. Thier animals are only behind a 4' high fence and there is a fenceline that runs in the same line as our property line that wildlife will follow (coyote, javelina, etc). Not sure what would be able to rip thru a duck neck, leave it and kill 20 ducks in one night. Our other neighbor also sharing that same property line lost her chicken flock to racoons last year I think. But I don't know that racoons could fight with a goose that well or even rip thru a duck neck let alone 20 duck necks.

We suffered no loss in our flocks. DH says the chicken fortresses held strong (so far).

 

[CaroleW]

Something must have been outside last night. At around 2 am, and again about 40 minutes later, the dogs were barking like something was really wrong out there. I couldn't see or hear anything.

I know there was a predator attack that got 20 ducks at our neighbor's a couple nights ago. I was on the road for work and commented on the "hunter's moon" since we were driving to our hotel in the dark. It is supposed to be that last time before winter for hunting... I was thinking humans doing the hunting but I think the predators have the same idea if you are in a place where winter actually comes soon.

 

[BlueBaby]

I just got back from a roadtrip for work down to Tombstone, Tubac and Nogales. My DH texted me while I was gone that the neighbor (right across the small dirt road) lost about 20 ducks to a predator and the goose tried to fight it off. He found a duck head on our property. Thier animals are only behind a 4' high fence and there is a fenceline that runs in the same line as our property line that wildlife will follow (coyote, javelina, etc). Not sure what would be able to rip thru a duck neck, leave it and kill 20 ducks in one night. Our other neighbor also sharing that same property line lost her chicken flock to racoons last year I think. But I don't know that racoons could fight with a goose that well or even rip thru a duck neck let alone 20 duck necks.

We suffered no loss in our flocks. DH says the chicken fortresses held strong (so far).

Sorry for your neighbor's losses, but glad that your are ok and were protected.