Arizona Chickens

[gckiddhouse]

Just came in after hearing DD's shrieks coming from the yard. She saw a snake behind the coop. I was about to get in the shower, so it took me a few minutes to grab clothes and the shovel and some shoes and get out there. We couldn't find it anywhere!

From what she describes, it was a rather large king snake. I sure hope that was what it was. She saw its tail and said there were no rattles and it was black and yellow. Still could have been a gopher. Either way, hopefully it was a harmless guy just passing through.

Made me realize how grown out all my bushes are. Need to get out there and clear things out. I try to make sure there are no hiding places out there...

 

[trolldollkim]

Just found this on cl.... what a nice big chicky mansion it would make. worth the materials alone.
http://phoenix.craigslist.org/nph/for/1743869654.html

 

[a2ms4chickens]

Quote:
Sure wish one of my hens would go broody now. I had one prior to fair, and as soon as we got back home, she was done.

My DS would like to hatch out some of his showbirds eggs, but I don't have an incubator, yet. I plan on confiscating my DH's broken wine cooler and making an incubator out of it. I'm thinkin' I need to tell him in case I need some help.

trolldollkim-

Angie

 

[gckiddhouse]

For those interested - my love affair with the TerrAmigo is over. While looking for that stupid snake, I discovered that there is a think layer of TerrAmigo about 2 foot out from the chicken coop. It ends up in the rocks even worse than the wood chips. I think the answer will have to be a barrier. The 1/2" mesh isn't small enough to keep any material in there.

Any cheap suggestions? I hate that there is a mulched mess all around the coop. I want my gravel back!!

 

[Mahonri]

CH2: FBCMs lay the super dark eggs.

Rather than boil it (without opening the egg), when I scramble them, I put them in the bowl first and look for the bullseye to see if they are fertile... then scramble them.

 

[smjacob]

Quote:
yea basically.

I get eggs from them that are about the size of a dime or a nickel lol so YEA but they are fun and CUTE.

Shaun

 

[smjacob]

So i have a button quail sitting on a clutch of eggs we will see if anything happens. She has been moved to a new cage so the others dont eat the babys if they do hatch. We will see what happens.

Shaun

 

[cap1717]

Quote:
The emergency appointment that I saw today is working for the census.

She said, "There are a bunch of crazies out there"... I said, "How's that?"

She says, "Can you believe that some of them put "Human" for their race?"

I say, as a matter of fact, I started that movement, on ANY form when it asks for race, I mark "Other" and write in Human.

We then had a lively discussion about how those types of questions in reality "divide" rather than 'unite'.

She did a lot of back tracking...

I smiled.

So glad I'm not the only one who does that. "Race" is a concept that just does not apply to human beings! As long as we can interbreed, we are all of the same race! These ideas that skin, hair, eye color, language, accent, country of origin, etc., make us "different" is just not supported by gene analysis. . . .. there is more diversity within native peoples of the African continent than there is between those who are classified as "different races" in the U.S. Hooray for you! Mahonri!

 

[dofnup]

OMG you guys!!! Two nights ago right before going to bed I heard this ... noise. I couldn't even describe it, it sounded like a cross between a cat wailing and a baby crying. I thought maybe there was a hurt animal so i went to the big window and listened ... nothing. For a minute I almost convinced myself I had imagined it.

Then this morning around daybreak I woke up, convinced my 2-year-old was crying for me ... went to his door to listen ... nothing. Only then did it occur to me that it was the same noise from the other night. Went back to bed and heard it again. Determined it WAS coming from the yard. "What a weird bird call," was my last thought before drifting back to sleep.

Finally I got up, showered and came downstairs for breakfast. As I was sitting here with my cereal, having checked this forum already, I heard it! And again!

Then, and only then, did it get through my thick skull: one of my roos was crowing!! This should have been "bad" news because my poor neighbors, but to tell you the truth I felt excited and proud like a mama!! My babies are growing!!!

hahaha

I ran outside to see if I could catch him in the act ... was it the Marans or the Silkie? I've given up hope that the Marans is a hen but I still blindly cling to the fact that maybe I just have a butch Silkie. Unfortunately as soon as they all saw me they clammed up so I dunno who it was. But still, I feel like this proves I am taking good care of my chickababes, since they've made it to this milestone!

And now for the serious business ... my poor neighbors! ... I've already got a taker for the Marans ... anybody interesed in a black Silkie roo?

 

[cap1717]

Mahonri. . .this morning, for the first time, I found Autumn, my blue Ameraucauna, sleeping in one of the nest boxes, on top of an egg that must have been laid yesterday. . . .wonder if this indicates that she is going broody. . . . .do you have that happen with yours? I've had no experience with broody hens, so far. . . .but without a roo, I won't want to waste the eggs. . ..Thanks, Carol