Arizona Chickens

[Enjaytoo]

AzNessa.....try these folks ... http://www.nipandsnip.com/

 

[Harry's Pollos 1G]

2 questions real quick:

1. Anything special needed to be done for our chickens during the winter months? I am in Gilbert.

2. Our 4 chickens are almost 6 months old and one or two of them has begun laying eggs, but together the 4 of them are being quite noisy lately and we're concerned its going to agitate our neighbors. I'm not sure if this is what happens as the egg laying process is about to begin or what. Is there anything we can do to keep their noise making down to a minimum? We have them in the coop and a small run and allow them to pretty much go back and forth between the two all day long. I don't mind the noise they make at all but I'm not sure if fresh eggs for the neighbors would be enough. Any help or insight would be greatly appreciated.

 

[ArizonaNessa]

Harry's Pollos 1G :

2 questions real quick:

1. Anything special needed to be done for our chickens during the winter months? I am in Gilbert.

2. Our 4 chickens are almost 6 months old and one or two of them has begun laying eggs, but together the 4 of them are being quite noisy lately and we're concerned its going to agitate our neighbors. I'm not sure if this is what happens as the egg laying process is about to begin or what. Is there anything we can do to keep their noise making down to a minimum? We have them in the coop and a small run and allow them to pretty much go back and forth between the two all day long. I don't mind the noise they make at all but I'm not sure if fresh eggs for the neighbors would be enough. Any help or insight would be greatly appreciated.

I don't do anything special for the chickens here in the winter. Just make sure that they have a safe place out of the wind or driving rain not that rain is that big of a factor here but wet and cold don't mix no matter what the temp is. As for the noise you are describing I don't think there is a way to stop it. I think what you are describing is the "egg songs" It's the hens way of announcing how proud she is of what she has produced. It's like a birth announcement of sorts. Completely normal and some egg songs are louder than others.​

 

[Enjaytoo]

Welcome Harry's Pollos 1G! In answer to your first question, IMHO, no. Just as ArizonaNessa said, make certain the girls have a place to escape the wind, and rain (when and if ever it comes

On your second question, I take that one a bit more personally... I too have researched the same, posted questions etc, and at this point still trying to educate myself on the subject. (usually met with "thats what chickens do, get used to it, give the neighbors eggs, dont get a rooster etc etc) Still, I'm certain there are ways to "deflect" or absorb general chicken cluckin and happy hen hub-bub... I have looked many options utilizing "sound deflection" or diffusing such as straw bales and acoustic tiles... At this point I'm considering toying with horse stall mats but havent found enough information to warrant the investment. Yet

 

[greenclogs]

We're sad tonight. One of the Barnevelder chicks didn't make it. She couldn't get up this afternoon. We separated her from the others, and hand fed her. When it was clear that she wasn't getting better, my son made her a little pillow and blanket and kept her warm and comfortable until she died tonight. He's devastated and I'm heartbroken for him. Poor guy.

 

[HippieChickens]

greenclogs, your son sounds like a wonderful human being. I understand his feelings (and yours). When the pain of loss is so great that I think I should never again allow myself to get attached to some small, fragile creature, I remember these famous lines from Tennyson:

I hold it true, whate'er befall;
I feel it, when I sorrow most;
'Tis better to have loved and lost
Than never to have loved at all.

One for you

One for your son

 

[ArizonaDesertChicks]

GreenClogs - I'm sorry too - it's sad to lose one. Two of our chicks ordered online didn't make it. One chick had failure to thrive - I just knew it wasn't going to make it within minutes of taking it out of the box (died the next day even with us babying it). The other had a deformed leg and after a few days it started to develop sores from hobbling - we (my DH) had to put it down (that was even harder for me than losing the first one). I hope the rest of your chicks stay healthy and thrive.

 

[Mahonri]

Quote:
My kids did some crying after we got our first shipment of Rainbow Layers from McMurray and they started dying one by one.
Sad, but it's a good way to teach kids about life.

 

[LarryPQ]

Greenclogs, I am sorry about your chickie. Thank you for trying to make it comfortable.

DM- I will be doing my first processing sometime this week. I am sending you moral support vibes! Wish me luck, too!


Everyone else- Good morning all!

 

[greenclogs]

Thanks, everyone. We've lost a chicken before, so they know it happens. I guess I didn't expect him to have such grief over one that had only been here 2 days. She was just one of nine until she started failing, and then she became his personal project. It was good to see such compassion in him, but heartbreaking too. For him, I don't think losing chicks will ever become easier. The good news is that the other 8 chicks all look to be very healthy.