Arizona Chickens

[Beckyhsinglsc]

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If it works I promise I'll post something!

It sure has seemed to take a long time, but then my honey and I haven't been probably the most attentive to the little buggies. One weird observation - the worms are vaguely musty smelling, the pupae thingies flat-out stink, but the beetles actually smell good in a strange way....they smell sweet and floral almost. Bizarre!!

Not that I'm sniffing bugs, mind you, but it's hard not to notice when I take the tops of their various containers

I actually did raise meal worms in high school (I had an independent Biology class and had to feed the salamanders) and I remember that smell distinctly.
I won't tell you how long ago that was, though!

 

[NoSkiveez]

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Thank you so VERY MUCH. All three were beautiful. Nice to meet your DH and daughter. I was just getting ready to go teach my class in Spanish so my #4 son got them in a box with starter and a waterer and made sure they all had a drink.

The broody is a bit temperamental. We had to wait till dark, I'll go out sometime later this evening to see if they are OK. I'll feel badly if she kills them, but I waited for a little while after I put them under her and they were peeping and she was clucking so we'll see. It's just so dang hot in that coop, I've got to get an new AC unit. I suppose that's why it only cost $99 last year and I didn't do as Rufus said and run it a little bit every week to keep things in tune.

In the morning I'll take them all outside and see how she does with them.

I'm glad you like them. There is one in there that I just loved its cheek fluff. Hopefully mama hen likes them too. My husband said he liked how your nesting boxes are set up. I understand what you mean about a hot coop. We mist our coop to try to keep it cool. The slw chicks are on my porch (enclosed) and its a good temp without a light. I will have to bring them inside during the day.

Last time I opened the bator, my son found 2 baby doves. A cat ruined there nest . Today he finds 2 baby sparrows in a wind torn nest rolling across the drive way. There were 3 egg shells but we only found 2 babies. I couldnt leave them to die. They are eating much better than the doves did.

 

[pdx2phx]

Quote:
If it works I promise I'll post something!

It sure has seemed to take a long time, but then my honey and I haven't been probably the most attentive to the little buggies. One weird observation - the worms are vaguely musty smelling, the pupae thingies flat-out stink, but the beetles actually smell good in a strange way....they smell sweet and floral almost. Bizarre!!

Not that I'm sniffing bugs, mind you, but it's hard not to notice when I take the tops of their various containers

I actually did raise meal worms in high school (I had an independent Biology class and had to feed the salamanders) and I remember that smell distinctly.
I won't tell you how long ago that was, though!

If you have successfully raised them, maybe we should nominate *you* for the mealworm raising page!

I asked about the beetle progress at home last night, and they don't appear to be breeding....just hanging out & eating baby carrots and bran. Do you remember what you did to encourage them to reproduce? My honey is getting frustrated and just thinking of letting them go. It took us a lot of time to get to this point so I'm not wild about that idea.....

Anyone have any ideas? Mood music??

 

[Mahonri]

The chicks survived the night so they are now in a pet carrier with mama, a couple of golf balls, waterer and starter crumble. They went out from under her over to get water and she was clucking at them so I guess she has accepted them as hers.

 

[LarryPQ]

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lol Are they loud?? I assume you try and get a tom for butchering ? Totally new to this the idea hit me out of the blue

Also um anyone out there that could help me with the processing part since i have NO idea how to do that? Maybe i shouldn't do this just yet LOL (yes im scared of the processing)

Shaun- unless you do a mdget white, you will end up with a 45 pound tom. Probably more turkey than can fit in your oven. So, you'd either have to off him early, or be happy with your pet.

Mine are still so little. They aren't loud, but you can hear my neighbor's Hen in Tom when in my back yard. Not obnoxious, and certainly 10xs quieter than her roos. The neighbor's hen was wandering again yesterday. I am afraid she will jump into my run, which is only covered with bird netting. She'll knock it all down, get tangled up, croak, and I won't get my sweeet, shweeeet turkey dinner revenge.

 

[smjacob]

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lol Are they loud?? I assume you try and get a tom for butchering ? Totally new to this the idea hit me out of the blue

Also um anyone out there that could help me with the processing part since i have NO idea how to do that? Maybe i shouldn't do this just yet LOL (yes im scared of the processing)

Shaun- unless you do a mdget white, you will end up with a 45 pound tom. Probably more turkey than can fit in your oven. So, you'd either have to off him early, or be happy with your pet.

Mine are still so little. They aren't loud, but you can hear my neighbor's Hen in Tom when in my back yard. Not obnoxious, and certainly 10xs quieter than her roos. The neighbor's hen was wandering again yesterday. I am afraid she will jump into my run, which is only covered with bird netting. She'll knock it all down, get tangled up, croak, and I won't get my sweeet, shweeeet turkey dinner revenge.

wow i could have a pretty big dinner party at 45 lbs LOL

I should probably hold off on this until i know what I am doing with processing...

Shaun

 

[LarryPQ]

Anyone have any thoughts?

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=367200

 

[newchickmom09]

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That is a very tricky chicken.

The comb and rounded feathers all say hen but that tail and stance just says roo to me. By now at 5+ months old and no saddle feathers comming in and such a dull color comb I say hen.

smjacob~ I have a friend with turkeys (can't remember the breeds) but those toms are loud. They were always going GOBBLE GOBBLE GOBBLE any time someone walked past, a bird flew over, or the dogs walked past. I think they chatter not much louder then a chickens egg song but they can get loud. I was thinking of getting 2 or 3 until I went and visited my friend. Maybe you can find someone with turkeys and get a feel of how they are.

 

[AZKat]

I voted pullet. I've got an EE pullet who looks almost identical.

In other news, I looked up my address on Google Earth, and the run is clearly visible. Yes, my coop and run are visible from space!

 

[squeakyballs]

Ohhh no, I went out to the coop and the three 5 month old chickens were huddled in the corner in a heap. I chased the two hens away and the poor rooster was under both of them, kind of on his side, all messed up. I brought him inside and ran him under cold water thinking he'd gotten to warm... now he is convulsing on the floor! I don't know what to do! He just lays on his side and his head goes all the way back until it touches his back and he twitches.