Arizona Chickens

[ArizonaNessa]

Quote:
I was telling my DH about your ingenious tube feeders and how you said your whole flock used them without any fighting.

He said, "27 chickens?? How does she get them all on her lap?"

I have at 200+ in my lap at one time in the front seat of a pick up truck on several occasions.

It is totally do-able!!!


Of course they were just day old chicks but still that is A LOT OF PEEPING!!! It can be quite loud in close quarters.

 

[LarryPQ]

Quote:
I think I like your DH.

Only Nugget (BO) and Runt (mutt) want to be held right now. I have a buff brahma rescue who was hand-fed by her owners, and is starting to warm up.





The 2 OEGBs and 2 sizzles only want me for my treats. Any attempts for cuddles beyond that are met with disaproving clucks and squawks. You'd think I was trying to get under their sweater. They hang out with a EE (gender unknown) who thinks it is a banty. The other two banties are new and want nothing to do with us.




Remember--I just sent 9 to freezer camp. It was hard NOT to snuggle them, since they were all pretty friendly.

 

[CheerfulHeart2]

Quote:
Congrat's!

 

[ChrystalGail]

Quote:
Remember--I just sent 9 to freezer camp. It was hard NOT to snuggle them, since they were all pretty friendly.

LOL.... I caught one of my roos on Wednesday that my husband was about to "axe" and I gave him a big squeeze and lots of pets. My husband just rolled his eyes. I wasn't attached to the 5 that we butchered, so it was no big deal. He just thought I was silly. He said you can't cuddle them before they get killed! I told him "nonsense!"

We also dispached 25 quail yesterday, but I didn't cuddle any of them. They aren't into the cuddling and petting. Oh well....

Sorry it's been so long. I hope you all are well!

 

[brittneyshaleen]

Snarf meeting his new sisters!

 

[Mahonri]

I only know of two stores that sell purina.

Stock Shop and the Pet store on Cave Creek north of Bell.

Crystal... where did you order the nipples for your waterer?

I'm about to offer to pay you to come up and make one for me!

DW and I just got back from watching 2012. Great special effects!

 

[brittneyshaleen]

So the coop is almost done. I'm putting together the run, and then I need to put a door and a roof on the coop itself. The girls are in my corner garden chowing down on my nasturtiums and jalapeno plants. Hope they don't have heat receptors incase they peck into a jalapeno!

I am having trouble locating straw, which led me to think it would be better to go with wood shavings since they should be more readily available. FALSE! What do you guys use and where do you get it? I'm having a heck of a time finding some bedding!! Thanks everyone!

 

[ArizonaDesertChicks]

We use shavings for both the coop floor & the nestboxes and have been happy with that choice. I've heard that straw can (not always) be more problematic - possible impacted crop issues and moisture issues?

 

[ArizonaNessa]

You can buy "horse bedding" which is a compressed block of pine shavings from most any feed store. Make sure it is pine and not cedar. Cedar is toxic. Straw makes good halloween decoration and that's about it. Straw can hold moisture breeding bacteria and causing mold which as ArizonaDesertChicks said can be very problematic. I use bermuda hay in my boxes but quite a few people use the pine bedding that they also use for the coop floor. Aspen shavings can also be used but my goodness that could get expensive. There is nothing wrong with dirt or sand floors it just might be a little more difficult to clean.

Your right...chickens don't have heat receptors and as far as I know birds in general don't have them. Parrots eat peppers all the time. Heck it comes in alot of bird feeds. They will be fine. Here is a link to the wonderful treat chart here on BYC

https://www.backyardchickens.com/web/viewblog.php?id=2593-Treats_Chart

 

[Enjaytoo]

Welcome brittneyshaleen

I started using wood pellets (sold as stall bedding) for the floor substrate and either Aspen shavings or Timothy hay for the nest box. So far I really like the pellets, they break down nicely and mixed with DE and Stall Dry it makes a good, dry and relatively odor free coop.. edited to add I get mine at Tempe Feeds on University...