Arizona Chickens

[ArizonaDesertChicks]

My hatched chickies, along with their friends from the Stock Shop are enjoying their new daytime quarters (I move them inside at night). I moved them out of the 6' x 6' pen in order to give that one to the broodys. Here they are in their 6' x 10' pen (not all pictured).

They usually have a roosting pole in there, but today is colder/windy, so I'm using the pole to hold up their heat lamp. We even have a chicken jail for the naughty buff orpington baby. I was shocked to find that she is the culprit with the pecking issues I've had. Several chicks had been pecked till bleeding and she's the one that starts it. I've tried a couple times to put her back in with them, but no luck, she's naughty (she is the only chick that does this). I'm giving her another week in chicken jail and then trying again - hopefully, that's long enough for her to forgot her bad habit.

They're 4 weeks old now - hopefully, I'll be able to figure out the roos in the next couple of weeks so I can start selling them off. We'll probably keep about 8-10 out of the 28 (16 chicks from the eggs I bought from Mahonri - and 12 pullets from the Stock Shop).

 

[Mahonri]

I'm so glad you were successful at hatching my eggs ADC.

I didn't make it on my feed store run. I've got enough to last me 'til Wednesday when I'm only working half a day.

Some photos from the backyard.

We'll be eating this cauliflower for Sunday dinner

My Giant Partridge Cochin X Light Brown Leghorn mix pullet

My 12 week old FBC Maran roo

Something interesting in the grass... 2 GC Marans and a FBCM

Cabbage and Tomatoes

Romaine lettuce

Table beets under the cabbage

12 week old roo with two of his girls

Green cabbage under some purple cabbage

Gotta go run an errand....

 

[LarryPQ]

Well, I am frustrated with my broodies. Dozer, the sizzle and Buffy, the buff brahma have been pretty persistant on the broodiness, but stink at staying on the egg. Buffy will try to incubate the stinking golfballs, no matter how many times I remove the eggs/golf balls. But-- both times I tried to set her up with an actual brooder, she leaves the nest. Doh! Dozer will get up if I take her eggs, but pecks like a mofo. She's awful sweet until she realizes you want the golf balls.

SO- today I tried to put the newly hatched chicks under Dozer, as she is less ditsy about the whole process. I was going to buy a chcik from Western Ranchman, but they don't get more day-olds until Wednesday, and...well I have chicks on hand.

Dozer was irritated and surprized when her golf balls *magically* turned into moving, itchy, chirping little tweeters. She rejected the "weakest" chick almost immediately, so it came back inside with me. I think i have been outside 20 times today, checking on them. No issues so far....although it is terribly cute when you see a little face poking out of the sizzle feathers.

Last time I went out, Buffy was sitting again. I don't want to try the weak chick again, but the other 2 I have are rapidly approaching 2 (maybe 3?) weeks old.

 

[redrocketrooster]

After to reading BYCs pain in the booty broodies, I am dreading the day mine decide to hatch their eggs. That will be fun...getting pecked to death trying grab breakfast.
Good luck with your broods. If all goes well we must have pictures of Dozer and those chickas. Sort of mean but every time that picture of Dozer shows up..."not the sharpest spoon now are we?".

 

[gckiddhouse]

Hi all!

Mahonri - the garden is gorgeous!! So are those chooks!

Laree - the kitchen is beautiful! I really enjoyed looking at your garden photo books. If I can get anything to grow in my garden I will be snapping pics. I loved the perspectives you took.

ADC - Your pen is so big. My chicks are jealous! I am wanting so badly to get mine out of the brooder! Gotta get them out there somewhere!

RRR - had a good productive day inspired by your productive day the other day!

So DD and I picked up my big produce basket this morning and then went to the chicken butchering class. It was good! I learned a lot and feel like meat birds are a good possibility for the near future. Took my chicken and went to pick citrus from a friend's trees. We stopped at Home Depot and got some fixins for the garden. Went home, finished watching the 1981 Clash of the Titans, took a nap and then completely overhauled the garden. Tomorrow we will make sure the irrigation is working and plant the garden! Yay! It is about time!

Remember how I tweetie bird proofed the coop? Well, the birds are gone! They have decided that the area is no longer a food source and they are just not around anymore! What a relief!

Also, Penny is sleeping in the nesting box on some of her own eggs. I think she is getting really serious! Do you realize what this means!? If she will incubate half my eggs AND the rest have the same due date, that means NO BROODER!! She will get them all once they are hatched! Next year, I am just going to wait until she goes broody. Forget this incubator thing! It's for the birds! Literally! Although, now that I got the thermostat, it is much less stressful! That thing works so well!! I love it!

BTW - I candled tonight, day 5. Nice spiders in BOTH Polish eggs, and all the W/BWA and all the other eggs that I can see into. No idea what is going on in the FBCM or the Welsummer eggs, but I might venture to assume that at least half of them are bound to be doing as well as the others! Very eggciting!

 

[ArizonaNessa]

Is anyone here familiar with the state or county fair and rabbit sales? I know this is an odd time but I have decided that I really NEED a Flemish giant or a continental giant. Just a pet nothing more but not just any rabbit will do. It's got to be the giants. I have no clue where to get them other than the fair or the occasional feed store and most of those rabbits are mini rex.

So....any of you into rabbits around here? I am willing to drive a fair way to get one. Heck I don't even know what these awesome critters cost. Someone got a reputable website or something? My searches have been in vain it seems. I don't know much about rabbits. I have owned a few but that's about it. These giant ones are most awesome though.

On a different note~ My hubby rescued a snow white pigeon. I don't think it is just any wild pigeon but it has no leg bands. It's not scared of us at all and barely flies when you try to catch it. It don't mind being held and it's rather sweet. It is solid white with red legs and feet. I think it is pretty young. So I guess I got a new baby!

 

[redrocketrooster]

Quote:
I HATE you. HATTTEEE. Auugghh! I just want to ram my head into the wall...just...like...this!

A while back after my chinchilla was put to sleep I took home a rabbit from a foster program in the vets office. I have never had a rabbit before and after having one all I can say is that I want one again! Of course my little house is little and we have so many animals already. It breaks my heart thoroughly and fills me with jealousy! UGH! Anyways rabbits are hard work, as I'm sure you know. Majority of the information commonly heard or told is wrong too. Very wrong. In fact roughly 34% of rabbits have shortened lives or die to bad diets and lack of important care the owners were unaware of they needed. So here is the Flemish Giant Club: http://www.nffgrb.com/ and here is the BEST rabbit source ever, http://www.rabbit.org/ . As far as getting one, you can try to contact http://www.bhrabbitrescue.org/ they do get in Flemish Giants sometimes and the list on the site often isn't fully updated yet. Veronica is also a fairly nice breeder (http://www.vpshoppinlops.com/) and normally has a nice tab on who breeds what and where. She is also heading to a few rabbit shows soon, where I'm sure some nice Flemish Giants will be. I used to have every breeder in AZ on tabs when we thought we were going to move to a bigger house. Wish I saved it.

You can try these, I have no idea if they are still running though:
Benjamin, Gloria & Robert of B & B Bunnies Rabbitry
FLEMISH GIANTS
Fawn & Sandy
77 Havasu Heights
Lake Havasu City, Arizona 86404
(928)764-3603
[email protected]

Lohn, Jordy & Carrie of J&J Rabbitry
FLEMISH GIANTS
Fawn and Sandy
P.O. Box 3673
Apache Junction, AZ 85217
[email protected]
480-358-1914

 

[ArizonaNessa]

First let me say I am so sorry you lost your pet.

Now if I get that much help from someone who hates me I would be scared to know how much help someone you love would get

Thank you very much for the info. I have raised a few mini rex in the past and I know how much the heat bothers them. This is why I only want one and it shall be the most spoiled rotten rabbit on the planet. My only reservation is that rabbits don't have a very long life span even when cared for in the best possible way. I hate losing a pet. It just kills me. Unfortunately there is no such thing as a 50 year old rabbit so it won't be out living me

Also I have to keep reminding myself that it is a rodent no matter how cute and any type of rodent pet has to have a lot of care to keep clean and sanitary. I am ready to commit to that but only if it is exactly what I want. I could go get as many bunnies as humanly possible at any given time but they are not giants. I have my heart set.

Thanks again for all the links and information

 

[redrocketrooster]

Quote:
I loved him a lot, even if his life or personality was pretty cruddy to begin with. My chinchilla was born blind due to irresponsible breeding and then neglected. We had our bonding moments though. Hope you know I really don't have any ill will towards you. Just jealous, enough to implode. No matter how much I think and dream about one, I just can't. Ah! Rabbits live pretty long actually from what I know eight years is pretty good but they can live into their teens! Almost like a cat or a large dog. They Lagomorphas too, not rodents. *snooty information vomit* I'm sure you can find a Flemish breeder. I really like Holland Lops myself and if I ever could I would buy one from VP. I should also mention rabbits are highly social. As much as having one rabbit (especially that big) might be easier or pleasing, they are so much better with a buddy. Like chickens, humans cannot take the place of a bunny pal. And of course that means more space, time and bla bla bla needed.

 

[ArizonaNessa]

Well I am in no hurry. I am just looking for information and possibilities at this point. I want to make sure I know everything I need to know first because I don't want any surprises or deaths due to my lack of knowledge. I think they are really cool creatures and would really love to own one. So far as I understand it these are some of the more pricey bunnies so I want to make sure everything is right.