Arizona Chickens

[joel david]

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Naw felt that way about Alice until I saw him without the make up at Golf N Stuff (Castles and Coasters for the kids on here).

 

[dofnup]

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Used to see him at Malee's on Main a lot.

OMG I am a Megadeth fanatic ... however my #1 man is Ellefson, not Mustaine. I have been in Phoenix 5 years and have yet to run into either of them, dangit!


... and we now return you to the on-topic conversation about backyard chickens ...

 

[AZKat]

I'm pleased to announce that Michael Raymond was born on the 19th at 11:46pm. He was 8 lbs, 8 ounces and 21 3/4 inches long. He's doing great, and it was a blessedly easy delivery for me. We're going home later this afternoon, and it will be so nice to have the whole family at home. Pictures should be up in a few days, I'll post a link here once there is one.

 

[gckiddhouse]

Wow! I have just spent 10 minutes just catching up! I missed a hunting discussion! Darn. Alice isn't much to look at, but he has his head screwed on straight! I like that guy!

AZKat! Congratulations!! My volunteer work is in helping moms and babies, so you are close to my heart right now!! Hope everything is going well!!! Did your husband get home okay and all is well? Let us know if you need anything. You have a lot on your plate and sleep isn't one of them, so ask!

Mahonri - sorry the eggs didn't go so well. Did you at least get some from each breeder? How did the ones in the brinsea do? And the new one?

I was going to tell you all that Food Inc. is on tonight. Someone already mentioned it. It is on PBS at 9 pm on program called POV. I have seen it, but will be watching it again.

So glad to know Kevin is doing well!

We have our own Kevin and a Steve. They are Policanas from Mahonri. I can't wait to see what they grow up to look like. Ours have the tiniest little crests on top. I tried to get a pic, but you really have to see them on person to see it.

My surprise rooster has started to crow and I think he tried to challenge me the other day! He will be 4 months on May 1, but he is not likely to produce a good meal - too skinny, no drumsticks! Maybe soup.

Laree - enjoyed the pics!! Looks like you are having a wonderful time - I am jealous!!

 

[CheerfulHeart2]

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Yippee for a happy report! Congratulations. So happy to hear that all is well with you and your new little one. Looking foward to pic's.

 

[AZKat]

gckiddhouse- My husband made it home just fine, and is doing very well. He starts out-patient physical therapy today, and it looks like he should be back at work pretty soon

joel david-I'm pretty close to you. We should have a meetup for the West/Central Mesa peeps, I think several of us are within a few miles of each other.

Thanks to everyone up-thread who offered to help. My sister and I went to the feedstore last week, and I got two 50 pound bags of flock raiser, along with 50 lbs of black oil sunflower seeds and a ton of grit and oyster shell, and a fresh bale of straw, so I should be pretty well fixed for chicken supplies. Although with this rain I may need straw sooner than I think, since the chickens tend to kick it out of the coop and into the run if the run is muddy.
We're set for human food for this week, although I might need help with a grocery store run next week.

Mahonri-I hope that your chicks are just slowpokes.

 

[gckiddhouse]

Phx - I use the "deep method", but here in AZ, it doesn't work like it does where they actually have moisture in the air. It will be dry as a bone. I have used wood chips (pine) for almost 2 years. They work great, but we didn't like that they ended up outside the coop and in our gravel. They are light and they fly around easily. We have recently switched to TerraMigo which is pellets of saw dust. We like that it is heavier and doesn't fly out of the coop. It may not be as effective at controling odor. The jury is still out.

We change our litter about 2 times per year. It is always as dry as a bone and dries out quickly after a rain. Well, I haven't seen the performance of the TerraMigo after a rain. If we actually get some today, I will let you know.

You won't have to use the amount of material that they say. We start with like 1 inch and have about 3 inches when we take it out. It is just too dry here to build up like other places. I like this method because it lets my chickens have access to the earth which I believe keeps them healthy. They need to dust bathe in the earth dirt. There are living organisms in there that are healthy for them.

I will second the thoughts on hay - step away from the hay! Eeew!

Be careful with DE. Don't use it where you have a mister or when the ground is wet. If you get the stuff wet, it turns to something like concrete.

Forgot to mention - we went to the county fair last week! DD had entered some beaded jewlery she made and got a 1st place ribbon! She was so excited!

I decided after visiting the chickens that we will NEVER enter chickens in the fair. We will find other 4-H projects to do. Those chickens were GROSS! About half of them were shaking their heads wildly indicating a spreading resp. desease and several had something growing on their feet. Droopy eyes and all kinds of yuk. Sheesh!

 

[Sock Puppet]

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Congratulations! How exciting! Cant wait to see pictures.

 

[redrocketrooster]

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CONGRATS! How wonderful! I am so glad is went easy, what a big boy!

I'm all giddy for you, when I get older I want three sons!

 

[cluckin_crazy]

Was just outside watching the girls (and one young CM buck who will need a home VERY soon... any takers??) chow down on some sliced turkey and noticed that to look at my flock, you'd think I had 5 layers but I only have one!

. Age, body size and comb color just has not proven to be very reliable for me. In defense of the RIW, she's recovering from a nasty cough/sneeze/runny nose-ish thing. *SIGH*