Arizona Chickens

[rufus]

We had a problem with flies too. We were using those pop bottle traps, but they stank so bad the kids threw them away.

However, they did notice that the bottom of the city's trash bins were full of maggots. They sprayed them with Dursban. That did the trick.

Now, if I could just get my neighbors to close the lids on those bins!

On the question of cocci in the soil, we used to paint pieces of tin black and then lay them on the ground. It seemed like the heat killed everything in the soil. We were using this method to kill off Bermuda grass in the soil where we were going to plant the garden. I bet it will work on the cocci protozoa.

Rufus

 

[SchizoSkittles]

Quote:
Thank you for sharing! I want to try this sometime. I've had prickly pear jam before and love it! The prickly pear lemonade sounds delicious!
I had a problem with my jam never setting up either. I have 8 containers of strawberry, blackberry, and strawberry-banana freezer jam in my freezer just waiting to come out and turn to liquid again. I'm so sad by it, but it tastes great on waffles and pancakes anyway. I think my problem is I didn't let the berries soak in the sugar long enough before adding the pectin. But I was making freezer jam... so I wouldn't know what to do differently for cooked jam. But I do feel your pain. Except with the stickers, ow, maybe I'm not that brave.

 

[pastrymama]

does anyone know when i can move my 2 and 3 week old chicks outside? they are currently living in my very small laundry room at a comfortable temp of 84 degrees. i put them outside in the morning around 6 am when it's about 80 and they are happy, but by the time it hits 95-100, they seem so miserable, wings droopy and sleepy so i bring them back in. my delawares are getting very feathery, but my astralorps and speckled sussexs, not so much as fast. i am able to put them in a tractor in the run to keep them seperated from the 19 week old pullets until they are big enough, but how hot is too hot for these babies? i don't want to kill them.

 

[LarryPQ]

Hello everyone!

Sorry I have been absent lately....BYC got blocked from my work internet, and I have a "no computer while the kids are up" rule. Since the toddler has started staying up with his brother, I am pretty much wiped after 9pm

I went cold chicken from BYC. My withdrawl shakes are just starting to wane....

I hope everyone is doing well--nothing fancy going on here. Let's see...I had to give Dozer another batch of chicks--I wanted to give each of my broodies (3) two chicks apiece, but two of the broodies rejected the chicks, so Dozer ended up with all of them. *le sigh* The other two broodies are co-brooding 4 eggs and I have a batch of sizzles going into lockdown tonight.

The turkeys are doing well--I have determined the neighbors's darn turkey has 6 poults. I was able to count them when they raided my garden. No beans for us, this winter

The kids are well, the husband has re-named his company, and I am crazy busy at work. Other than that...nothing special to tell.

WAIT! It looks like it might rain at my house...that IS news--and the TV keeps spitting warnings about my area

ETA: I went back a few pages. I am sorry to hear people are having issues with neighbors. We processed 17 roos 2 weeks ago. Crowing cacophony cancelled.

 

[Mahonri]

Quote:
They are old enough to go out when they are about 4 weeks. They would do fine outside in the day... and if secure, they'd probably do fine at night... the low here was about 85 so that's good for 3 week olds... I also wouldn't put them in a tractor unless there was TONS of shade or the heat will kill them.

 

[gckiddhouse]

Glad to see you back online Laree! I was just about to ask about you.

So - about the bugs *shudder*. Thought I would share since we all deal with it at some point!

DD and I went to Western Ranchman this morning. We bought 2 cans (not enough) of Buhach (natural pyrethrin) and a bottle of coop cleaner that is supposed to kill bugs in the housing. We also bought new pine shavings and a bag of cedar shavings

We scraped the coop clean. Dug down to the original dirt. Filled 2 WHOLE garbage totes plus 2 garbage bags and a garbage can, whew!! That was a deep system alright. I just wanted to get rid of all the loose stuff that any bugs or eggs could be living in. I even brought the shop vac out there and vacuumed the ground until we got to hard packed dirt. We scraped up some old terrAmigo that had packed from the misters. We did away with the separate little coop that the three newbies were in. I scraped away the stuff outside the coop that the stupid chickens have been throwing out of the coop (I gotta fix that situation) We sprayed down the coop with the coop cleaner, too. Clean slate!!

Next we dusted all the chickens (15 done, 5 more to do this evening) with the Buhach and made it snow (DE) in the coop and around the coop. Threw it at the chickens, and put it in the nest boxes. They are now dust bathing in it.

For the pullet that has half her neck feathers missing with scabby, irritated skin, we put a combo of tea tree oil and coconut oil on her skin. We will see if that helps.

Tomorrow, we will make it snow again and add shavings, half pine and half cedar. I know that it is rumored to be toxic to chickens, but it is fine to mix it in. They are not in a closed in space, so they will be fine. I am not worried about it.

Below is a pic of DD and me ready to go out to dust the last 5 chickens. We will dust them once a week for 4 weeks and then every 2 weeks and then once a month. The Buhach is $12 a can and it takes a whole can to dust 20 chickens. Can you say, "EXPENSIVE"? But if we can't get this under control, then the chickens are losing their heads and we are out of the chicken game. EW!!!

Honestly, I have seen so many flocks of featherless, miserable birds. I just don't see keeping birds like that.

BTW, we SAW lightning, HEARD thunder, FELT the wind, SMELLED the rain, but we only got a few drops! What a big TEASE!!!

 

[NoSkiveez]

The rain here lasted all of 5 minutes. I didn't rain very hard. I should have known it would rain. I attempted to take the twins stroller apart and wash it because someone thinks its hilarious to drip their sippy cup on everything, but apparently you need a screw driver to take the seat covers off, so I scrubbed it with the hose, soap and a sponge. I got it all sparkly clean and put it on the porch to dry and it was dry and I left it for 30 more minutes to be sure before I folded it up and walked outside to find it raining on it. Just my luck.

 

[rufus]

It has been raining lightly off and on here since six thirty. At least it is settling the dust. I can tell it was not a significant rainfall. When it is, the pumps on the freeway kick in. I still have high hopes. It is supposed to rain again tomorrow, maybe it will be better.

Since I have been on my diet, we are not eating the eggs. The neighbors have all been "egged up." I guess I am going to have to send some eggs to my in laws.

They are notorious for complaining; I am sure they will find fault with them. Too small, too dark, a little dirty, but not a word about them being free.

They always seem to see the downside of everything. I bet when Jesus walked on water there was one of them there yelling "His toes are wet! His toes are wet!"

Rufus

 

[rufus]

Quote:
I am drinking this awful protein shake. It is kind of gritty, chocolate. Not very nice. I wish they would make this stuff in bacon flavor.

Rufus

 

[dofnup]

Did you guys hear about the egg recall? Due to salmonella ... I felt SO smug when I read it this morning ... and I only have 3 layers!

Yes, I am up to 3, yesterday I got 3 eggs: 1 Marans, 1 Production Red, and 1 of those no-shell eggs. Shquishy! NO idea who it came from though. Oh, well, once it has a shell I'll know more. Almost all my eggs will be color coded