Arizona Chickens

[BlueBaby]

Well, at least you still have a dozen hopefuls. I've been told that shipped eggs have a poor hatch rate in general, so it sounds like you're doing pretty good.

There's still 10 days to go on the first setting yet, so let's hope that some make it all the way to hatch.

 

[Coffee N Chickens]

There's still 10 days to go on the first setting yet, so let's hope that some make it all the way to hatch.

 

[nuthatched]

I'm trying to pad out my order from Murray McMurray, does anyone need chicks for next year but not interested in a full order? I can toss them in.

 

[Hermits Garden]

We officially have a frost free water faucet out by what will be the coop now. Poor hubs has worked on it for ages--had to hand dig a trench a couple feet deep and six or so feet long, but it's there. Also, we'll have footers within a week (or next week, depending) so after that, we can start on the coop.

Hubs calls it "Our Winter Project" as if we have one of those every year. Sometimes he puzzles me. But YAY!!! This way I can be in there working on the interior, have it painted and dried/aired out well before it's time for chicks.

Not sure how we'll run electricity out there. At first it'll be an extension cord, but he's said we'll bury conduit from the electrical box out by the carport.

Baby steps, baby.

(And thanks to some on-sale Ace Hardware Mis-Tints, I already have all the paint!)

 

[BlueBaby]

We officially have a frost free water faucet out by what will be the coop now. Poor hubs has worked on it for ages--had to hand dig a trench a couple feet deep and six or so feet long, but it's there. Also, we'll have footers within a week (or next week, depending) so after that, we can start on the coop.

Hubs calls it "Our Winter Project" as if we have one of those every year. Sometimes he puzzles me. But YAY!!! This way I can be in there working on the interior, have it painted and dried/aired out well before it's time for chicks.

Not sure how we'll run electricity out there. At first it'll be an extension cord, but he's said we'll bury conduit from the electrical box out by the carport.

Baby steps, baby.

(And thanks to some on-sale Ace Hardware Mis-Tints, I already have all the paint!)

Hey, sometimes even baby step's on a project is still making progress!

 

[springvalley123]

We officially have a frost free water faucet out by what will be the coop now. Poor hubs has worked on it for ages--had to hand dig a trench a couple feet deep and six or so feet long, but it's there. Also, we'll have footers within a week (or next week, depending) so after that, we can start on the coop.

Hubs calls it "Our Winter Project" as if we have one of those every year. Sometimes he puzzles me. But YAY!!! This way I can be in there working on the interior, have it painted and dried/aired out well before it's time for chicks.

Not sure how we'll run electricity out there. At first it'll be an extension cord, but he's said we'll bury conduit from the electrical box out by the carport.

Baby steps, baby.

(And thanks to some on-sale Ace Hardware Mis-Tints, I already have all the paint!)

Wonderful news about the water!
I would'nt worry about the extension cord, especially just for a while, but I'd watch for critters. Once, I had a pack rat or other creature chew thru the insulation of the cord, into the copper a bit. I had no repeat offenses after I sprayed a mix of oils of cinnamon, rosemary, mint, and cedar on it. Also had to just keep the junction between the extension cord, and the heater cord, weather tight. There are adapters for that.

 

[Coffee N Chickens]

OK, this thread is way too quiet.

@BlueBaby, I'm going to tattle on Mari.

When the four Dorkings were together, Mari was Head Chicken even though she was the smallest. Then I put the Dorkings in with the four adult Leghorns, and she kept challenging Big Ben, sticking her wings out and squawking at him. He would just fly up to the perch and look at her like "what's with this hen?" until about two weeks ago. I was out there and she was giving him heck again. A few hours later I came back, and a very quiet Mari had peck marks all over her comb. I haven't seen her challenge him since.

She used to occasionally stick her wings out and squawk at me while trying to rush the door. I'd stick my arms out and squawk back, and she'd turn around and run for the coop. LOL! It was funny. But she hasn't tried it since somebody (Big Ben???) gave her a good pecking.

Her comb is fine now, and she seems to have accepted her new position as Assistant CEO of the coop.

Any updates on the eggs?

 

[BlueBaby]

OK, this thread is way too quiet.

@BlueBaby, I'm going to tattle on Mari.

When the four Dorkings were together, Mari was Head Chicken even though she was the smallest. Then I put the Dorkings in with the four adult Leghorns, and she kept challenging Big Ben, sticking her wings out and squawking at him. He would just fly up to the perch and look at her like "what's with this hen?" until about two weeks ago. I was out there and she was giving him heck again. A few hours later I came back, and a very quiet Mari had peck marks all over her comb. I haven't seen her challenge him since.

She used to occasionally stick her wings out and squawk at me while trying to rush the door. I'd stick my arms out and squawk back, and she'd turn around and run for the coop. LOL! It was funny. But she hasn't tried it since somebody (Big Ben???) gave her a good pecking.

Her comb is fine now, and she seems to have accepted her new position as Assistant CEO of the coop.

Any updates on the eggs?

Seems like the 2 flock into 1 adjustment turned out ok over there. So, Mari is top hen in there now?

I was just outside trying to clean up around the outside of the chicken run over here. The molting was terrible. I had dead weed's that held up the feather's from being able to blow away with the wind. It looked like I had a forest of mini feather tree's growing out there. I got them all into a pile and burned them. I still have more yardwork out there to do this week. The weekend will be used to prep the brooder and such for the hatch on Tuesday, and then will have to go to the store after the hatch with my DH to pick out the supplies for watching the Boat Racing on the 19th, 20th, and 21st. We do come home every evening to take care of the animals and then go back there in the morning.

 

[Coffee N Chickens]

Seems like the 2 flock into 1 adjustment turned out ok over there. So, Mari is top hen in there now?

I was just outside trying to clean up around the outside of the chicken run over here. The molting was terrible. I had dead weed's that held up the feather's from being able to blow away with the wind. It looked like I had a forest of mini feather tree's growing out there. I got them all into a pile and burned them. I still have more yardwork out there to do this week. The weekend will be used to prep the brooder and such for the hatch on Tuesday, and then will have to go to the store after the hatch with my DH to pick out the supplies for watching the Boat Racing on the 19th, 20th, and 21st. We do come home every evening to take care of the animals and then go back there in the morning.

I hope you have a great time at the boat races. It's just too far for me, so do a little cheering for me too, OK?

There are plenty of feathers here, too. Something weird--you know how about half of my Leghorns hatched out cuckoo, and the other half white with cuckoo spots? Well, the ones that were white with spots are changing over to cuckoo as they get their adult feathers. The famous chicken guy from the show told me that his did that, and mine are doing it, too. You wouldn't even think they're the same birds.

The flock adjustment turned out OK after Mari calmed down. Yes, she is the boss hen out of the seven hens, but now Big Ben is at the top of the pecking order over Mari, too. I'm surprised he ignored her for as long as he did. I went out there and found Mari with a pecked comb, and Big Ben came over to get patted. All seems to be peaceful now.

 

[BlueBaby]

I hope you have a great time at the boat races. It's just too far for me, so do a little cheering for me too, OK?

There are plenty of feathers here, too. Something weird--you know how about half of my Leghorns hatched out cuckoo, and the other half white with cuckoo spots? Well, the ones that were white with spots are changing over to cuckoo as they get their adult feathers. The famous chicken guy from the show told me that his did that, and mine are doing it, too. You wouldn't even think they're the same birds.

The flock adjustment turned out OK after Mari calmed down. Yes, she is the boss hen out of the seven hens, but now Big Ben is at the top of the pecking order over Mari, too. I'm surprised he ignored her for as long as he did. I went out there and found Mari with a pecked comb, and Big Ben came over to get patted. All seems to be peaceful now.

Peaceful is a good thing!