Arizona Chickens

[dofnup]

Ok so this is an interesting development ... all this time I was sure that after having the chickens for a while my hubby would warm up to them and get chicken obsessed. I was SURE he had gotten the bug when he agreed to expand the coop/run, it will now be 15 x 6 x 6. More room for more chickens, I thought!

Today he looks at me and says ... "Sweetie, I want ..." (here it comes, here it comes, MORE CHICKENS!!!)

"Ducks!"

Errr ... what?

I have NO idea how to raise or keep ducks. Dunno if the same laws apply to ducks than to chickens. I am a duck n00b. Who knows where he got this idea but I promised I would ask you guys for advice.

Would we have to have a pond?
Can we trim their wings so they don't fly away? (would we want to?)

And anything else you might have to add to enlighten me on ducks would be GREATLY appreciated!!

 

[redrocketrooster]

I know little of ducks but the water- A MUST!!!!! Ducks are not ducks without water. They are indeed water fowl after all. :3

http://www.duckhealth.com/basecare.html

 

[smjacob]

sorry been a long day.

We almost had to put another dog down today. We are trying meds first but may have to put her down early next week.

I also came home to find one bird missing... Not sure what happened. The bird is just gone. No sign of him/her anywhere. That SUCKS! Dont see a hawk getting in there and my dogs cant get in there so??? Just have no idea. Maybe the bird got out? but the dogs have been around all the chickens out now and didnt really react to them at all so... No clue.

Ohh well its just been one of those days.

Here is a link to my Flickr account to see some pictures of the chickens.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/smjacob/sets/72157623952250356/

Shaun

 

[redrocketrooster]

Quote:
:C I'm sorry to hear that Shaun! Maybe you'll find that chick of yours somewhere. Some BYC members have their fair share of lost & found chick stories.
Thanks for the photo link, your new hens are really quite something to look at it. I like the Cuckoo in particular.

My best wishes to your family and I hope the medication helps your dog out some.

 

[CheerfulHeart2]

RRR - fun story with pics about the bird taking your tub hostage!

Shaun - so sorry about your puppy. I hope your missing chicken re-appear

dofnup - what a great story about your DH...how funny he wants ducks. My dad keeps hinting that I should get duck eggs for my newest broody. Yes, just today Jumbo has decided she too needs some babies.

Thank you all for the well wishes with Squiggles. I am so happy for her and the chicks. I spent an hour just watching them this evening when I got home. She clucks when they are out from under her and has another sound that means come now RIGHT now. One post I read somewhere (maybe not on BYC, but likely so) said no hen would dare mess with the babies of a broody hen. I saw Brown Eyes go over to eat some of the food by the dog carrier. A baby chick came out and ate with her. A full grown hen and a baby eating side by side without incident!

 

[NoSkiveez]

Does anyone have any Cuckoo Maran chicks available? Or know someone who does? I do very much enjoy the chick stage so I am open to youngsters. I'd be happy to pay cash, or make a chicken swap (we've got all kinds of polish).

 

[CheerfulHeart2]

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This is a great post. Love it!

 

[ArizonaDesertChicks]

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I was referring to the Ameraucanas that Shaun bought from AZDC. She hatched them from Mahonri's birds. I have some that we hatched from Mahonri, too. Those Ameraucanas are just so sweet and friendly!! We have EEs from him, too and while they are friendly, they are not as friendly as the Ams. It must just be in their nature.

It's funny - with mine, it's the opposite. The EE pullets are much friendlier than the 3 wheaten/BW pullets, although the pure Ameraucana roos are super sweet. But... most of my EE pullets came from pure Ameraucana hens and roosters, but the colors are mixed, so they are now easter eggers

 

[ArizonaDesertChicks]

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Mahonri -- Which one? I so hope that I didn't give Shaun a roo - I usually can pick the EE roos out by 8 weeks, but hatchery EEs are much easier to sex than these were - hatchery EEs tend to have more standard roo/pullet coloring. I have some that I am 100% sure are roos and some that are definitely pullets and then the ones in the middle that I am 90% sure on, but not 100%. How old are your Ameraucana mixes/EEs before you can tell their sexes? Should I post pics of mine?

Shaun - I love your setup - I'm sure the chicken are happy to be in the run. I'm wondering if your missing chick got out at the slightly larger opening near the bottom of your gate. Maybe you can block it till they get a little bigger. Very cute silkie - is it blue?

Vanessa - I saw your coop in Shaun's van -- it was very nicely done - great job!

 

[gckiddhouse]

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You have Polish??? Tell me what you have! Do you have any youngsters? Not that I need any more chickens, but DD and I are fascinated with Polish right now... Sorry I don't have any Marans for you. Western Ranchman usually has some.

Shaun - I am going to have to agree with AZDC. Those curved openings at the bottom of your chicken yard where the panels come together are very large. Also, the one by the gate is even bigger. They could easily squeeze through there. Not sure why the chick disappeared, though. If the dogs got it there would be feathers everywhere. If you have hawks, that is a very real possiblility. Or a neighborhood cat. You might want to wrap the bottom with chicken wire or something. A cat could also have come right over the top. Hope it turns up.

Yes, my EE turned out to be a beautiful blue rooster. I thought he was a pullet, too. I bought him at like 7 weeks old. It wasn't for another several weeks that he started looking like a rooster. I have 3 of Mahonri's EEs right now that are almost 8 weeks old and I can't tell yet. I have my suspicions, but I am not sure.

BTW, does anyone want my beautiful blue rooster? He is just about 4 months old, so to freezer camp he goes...