Arizona Chickens

[ArizonaNessa]

Purina Flockraiser is a good choice when you have chickens that are laying mixed with chickens that are not old enough for the lay feed. That way everyone is happy and you don't have to worry about certain chickens getting into the layer feed and the layers getting into the chick feed

 

[LarryPQ]

Now if only my store sold Purina! I usually wait and go to the Feed Store when I am visiting my dad, and stock up. But the little chickies don't like it nearly as much as the unmedicated chick feed. Little turds just toss it around.

The DH has decided he wants to get a dozen eggs a day...but he wants to put a cap on the number of chickens I can have. He's so cute, trying to put his foot down.

Next time he gets lippy, I may have to walk him over to his gun safe and point. Or I could threaten to feed the feral cats!

Seriously though, I need to take a look at my flock. I want to stay "within the law" and "within sanity's limits". Because of the Aloha chicken breeding project, I will have chicks coming and going, but I need space for my hens too. I like hatching eggs (too much, I think) but then I end up with roos. The DH seems to think he is going to be stuck with "doing the deed", and won't listen to my assurances otherwise. Oh well.

ANYWAY--I am just thinking out loud. I have two BEAUTIFUL cuckoo maran roos that I hatched 9/25/09ish. I am amazed how large they are. The one has legs like tree trunks and a jaunty feather tail. No crows yet, thank goodness. The girls are feathering out nicely--there are 4-- but one pullet has yellow legs and some gold around her neck. I love a misfit, so she has been named "Goldy". Yes, I am a fountain of originality. I would hate to spit up the group, but will probably have to.

I also have a EE roo who thinks he is a banty. He was the only survivor of 6 pink hatching eggs, from Houndit. He hatched a week after my 2 OEGBs and 2 Sizzles. He still tries to sleep under the OEGBs. He is super-sweet and has the chipmunk-tufts, so he has been named "Sweetcheeks". Marvel at my creativity!

Hmmm...I will have to think on all this.

 

[ArizonaDesertChicks]

Quote:
That's what I thought.... For a second I was really confused.

I agree with you on the yuck, but figure I can't keep 100% watch on what my chickens eat. I know some are sneakysneaky and go for the chick food (currently we are using unmedicated anyway) but then I think about them eating bugs, rodents, any stray doves they can catch, poop....

I guess you have to pick your battles, or you'd make yourself nuts. Store-bought eggs are YUCK to me now, so I wont worry too much about the other stuff

Crockpot Kitties! The new Christmas Dinner!

I don't stress out if one of my hens gets into the chick starter occasionally and I know we wouldn't get sick by eating Tiger's eggs, it's just that part of the reason we have our own chickens is because I prefer natural eggs - no hormones, medications, etc. Bugs, etc, are natural and I fully approve of our chickens eating those (we don't use pesticides). I, myself, choose not to eat eggs from a chicken eating a lot of chick starter (because it's medicated), but others may not make the same personal choice. My mom only buys organic eggs (and mine when I have extras) for herself & her DH, but my dad buys the cheapest store-bought eggs he can find - personal choices.

Our store doesn't carry flockraiser for chickens, but they do carry a comparable gamebird flockraiser type feed - that's what I plan to switch the mixed flock to in about a month or so. Hopefully, Tiger is getting enough calcium - I give her layena pellets every morning when I let her out to lay her egg in the nestbox, but when she's back with the other chicks, she eats their food - so far, her eggshells are still hard.

 

[ArizonaNessa]

Quote:
That's what I thought.... For a second I was really confused.

I agree with you on the yuck, but figure I can't keep 100% watch on what my chickens eat. I know some are sneakysneaky and go for the chick food (currently we are using unmedicated anyway) but then I think about them eating bugs, rodents, any stray doves they can catch, poop....

I guess you have to pick your battles, or you'd make yourself nuts. Store-bought eggs are YUCK to me now, so I wont worry too much about the other stuff

Crockpot Kitties! The new Christmas Dinner!

I don't stress out if one of my hens gets into the chick starter occasionally and I know we wouldn't get sick by eating Tiger's eggs, it's just that part of the reason we have our own chickens is because I prefer natural eggs - no hormones, medications, etc. Bugs, etc, are natural and I fully approve of our chickens eating those (we don't use pesticides). I, myself, choose not to eat eggs from a chicken eating a lot of chick starter (because it's medicated), but others may not make the same personal choice. My mom only buys organic eggs (and mine when I have extras) for herself & her DH, but my dad buys the cheapest store-bought eggs he can find - personal choices.

Our store doesn't carry flockraiser for chickens, but they do carry a comparable gamebird flockraiser type feed - that's what I plan to switch the mixed flock to in about a month or so. Hopefully, Tiger is getting enough calcium - I give her layena pellets every morning when I let her out to lay her egg in the nestbox, but when she's back with the other chicks, she eats their food - so far, her eggshells are still hard.

I have to agree especially since I have a child. If the hens get into the chick food it's okay I don't freak out but I don't intentionally make that their consistant feed source because of the amprolium. My girls like to go get under my brooders and eat the food that the baby chicks fling out.

It's not much or even all the time so I don't worry.

 

[LarryPQ]

http://phoenix.craigslist.org/cph/grd/1511901837.html

These hens lay turds of GOLD, in addition to eggs and hatching feral cats.

Seriously though, you gotta respect someone who loves their pets!

 

[rufus]

Did anyone see the article about chicken coops in the city? Those folks remind me of the guys in the war that used to stand up and curse and make rude signs at the VC. They seemed to take an inordinate amount of fire.

Something in me says that the less people know about our chickens the better. Let's see what if anything happens. I may just be gun shy.

Rufus

 

[rufus]

Quote:
Nope, she is not Coleen, but they probably know each other. Personally, I do not see what people see in cats. We bought this house about thirty years ago, and we did not know that it came with a feral cat colony. At one time, we had 24 cats showing up to be fed. I don't like cats, but I do not want them to go hungry. So, we continued to feed the durn things.

I don't like dogs or cats in the house, so they have to stay outside. Matter of fact, last night one ran into the house and hid. The kids closed all of the doors and searched until they found it hiding in my wife's bathroom. It was snuggled up behind the toilet. I guess it just wanted to find a warm place for the night.

Those cats are so strange. They fight for the right to sit on my wife's car, even when it like a 110 degrees out there. The dummies sit on her car and stare in the kitchen window. What is so fascinating about me peeling potatoes or washing dishes?

At least the chickens keep the cats out of the backyard.

Rufus

 

[Mahonri]

Good evening y'all.

I'm bushed so I'm going to hit the sac


Sorry about the loss of the Lakenvelder.

Wondering how 10 Jersey Giant could be worth $2000.

I will be putting up some of my laying flock on Craigslist by the end of April. Nice healthy birds... to make room for my chicks that will hatch on Jan 1st.

By then I will also start selling some of my culls.... Pure bred Ameraucanas and EEs that I don't want to keep.

keep me in mind if you want any of the above.

 

[ArizonaDesertChicks]

Yikes - $2000 would be a lot -- I bet they meant $200 ($20 each for 10 hens), which would be a pretty decent price since they are just starting to lay and in their prime. I just sent off an e-mail to ask them (if they did mean to say $200, this will give them a chance to change their price and actually find a buyer).

 

[LarryPQ]

Quote:
It is only worth it if you can actually sell them...

I will be putting up some of my flock for sale too. Some tough decisions to make, since I love them all. But, I need the room. I have two VERY pretty cuckoo maran roos that are about 12 weeks old now. They have legs like tree stumps. Seriously, "Shanks" makes my full-grown roo look like he has, well, chicken legs. I will have to post a picture. Somewhere I have a picture of him as a chick, and it is hysterical. He looks like a grapefruit running around on two deer legs.

Anyway, I hope everyone is doing well! HAPPY WEDNESDAY!