Arizona Chickens

[dewey]

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Hi ttfoster

Not sure how cold it is where you or how old your girls are, but our layers had roofed, basically open-on-3-side coops and they did fine during winter (in the low desert).

 

[Beckyhsinglsc]

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Buying local is good if you can find what you want but ordering is a lot easier if you have a few hard to find breeds. I ordered 10 from Ideal. They arrived healthy and active and at 17 weeks all of them are still healthy, happy and friendly (even the leghorns).

 

[Lyongirl]

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I think you'd mentioned earlier about wanting to avoid a brooder/chick dust, but the average low temps in February, January, and December are pretty much identical, so February chicks will need a heat source for a couple of months the same as December or January chicks.

Every year my neighbor would mail-order at least 300 chicks, typically without much incident. If I couldn't find what I wanted locally I wouldn't hesitate to mail-order from a recommended hatchery, also your feed store might be able to order what you want. Hopefully you'll find a good source here.

Yeah that was more in regards to buying older chickens that wouldn't be inside with a heater. We just had four Barred Rock chicks that we bought in October and all the dust that room gathered was horrendous..which is why if we buy chicks we just want to make sure we buy them at the same time so that I don't have to keep cleaning the room over and over again. I'd rather just do a thorough cleaning after all the chicks go outside instead of raising two chicks then cleaning then raising two more and cleaning again

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Hmm which feed store sold your friend the speckled sussex? Maybe they'll do it again and I'll be lucky

that's one of the breeds that are high on my list. Of course I want a lot of different breeds I know I can't have but them, brahmas, EE, delawares, RR, etc. are just a few to name

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[Sonoran Silkies]

Chicks: The Feed Barn at I-17 just south of Deer Valley usually has chicks and also older birds. Aden's Hay Oasis on Williams Field Rd just west of Power usually has chicks. Higley Feed carries chicks, but it is probably too early in the season for them, based upon history. Anyways, call ahead of time to see who has what that you are looking for. Realize that chicks at a feed store have almost certainly been shipped.

Keeping birds warm. If you attach tarps or blankets to the top edge of wire siding, and a 1x1 or 1x2 or dowel to the bottom of the tarp, the weight of the 1x1 will hold the tarp down. And you can roll it up during the day or anytime it is warmer, to give access to fresh air and sunlight. A small cord attached to a nail near ear end at the top can tie up the rolled tarp.

For birds in cages on the porch, I either cover with blankets or better yet WarmWindows window shade insulation from Joann's. It is beyond awesome--but fairly expensive--be sure to get a coupon from the Sunday paper--they usually have one for 40-50% off of one item.

 

[5pinkarrows]

My friend got her speckled sussex chicks from AZ Feeds on 6th Ave in Tucson. That is also where I got my chicks. I was looking for some blue egg layers and chocolate egg layers. We came home with 2 Ameraucanas, 2 cuckoo marans (one died 2 days later), and one polish just for fun. They are supposed to be 90% guaranteed to be pullets. If you get a roo, they will give you $4 for him, or any roo for that matter.

 

[pastrymama]

i got my speckled sussex at the feed barn off the 1-17 and deer valley over the summer. one of them is already laying, but i don't have a matching roo. i do have a pair of black astralorps if anyone wants to try hatching out her eggs. i just got my cochins, but they are young and won't be broody for a while i suspect. when they are, i will be sure to come knocking on some of y'alls doors! maybe icelandics, mahonri?

 

[NoSkiveez]

I have been putting my chicks in a 50 gal bin and covering it with a metal screen. Its worked well. I just hate having to change water because its filled with shavings.

 

[65browneyes]

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You're right, this roo is a jerk. However, I am confident had I gotten him as a younger chick rather than a hormone-ridden teenager, he would have been a different bird. I want his chicks because of his beauty, not his demeanor.

I believe in the power of imprinting. And, if I am wrong, if his chicks are NOT tame, they will join their daddy in the freezer. I just want to try, that's all.

 

[NoSkiveez]

Oh wow Bob, I just saw the pic of the roo. He looks very uncomfortable. Did he respond to anything? Did you try LA200? I had gotten some of that for the goats (they brought home pneumonia and pink eye and a wicked case of the runs) and ended up fixing everyone up with some. Within an hour the little congested doeling that I was sure wouldn't make it thru the night was bouncing around and acting like a "kid".) Whatever it is on his head/face looks infected. Poor roo.

 

[ArizonaDesertChicks]

Hi Laree - I'm here, but usually lurking cause I just can't keep up with this fast moving thread.


Lyongirl -- I've purchased chicks in the mail twice and was very happy with both orders. I ordered 25 EE chicks last year (Fall - 2009) during MPC's fall special of 25 chicks. The 25 chicks reached me two days after being shipped. 1 chick died shortly after arrival and another had something wrong with its foot - MPC refunded me for both chicks. The other 23 were very healthy and grew quickly - I chose my favorite colors (the unusual ones) and sold the rest.

This year, I ordered another order of chicks so that I could some new breeds - The package also arrived in 2 days (on a Wed). 1 chick was a little weak upon arrival, but picked up by the end of the day and all chicks lived. Mine are now 16 weeks old and quite healthy -- I ordered Black Copper Marans, Welsummer, Speckled Sussex, Delaware, Barnevelder, Partridge Plymouth Rock, and 4 different colors of Polish (I had to rehome the Polish - the others kept pecking at their crests).

I have been happy with both my feed store chicks and and my mail order chicks. I've also been very happy with my Ameraucanas I hatched from Mahonri's eggs.

#1 Here are some of my mail order Easter Eggers before they were fullgrown - a much bigger variety of colors than what I could find from the local feed stores:

Some of the pretty Ameraucana girls I hatched from Mahroni's eggs (they've just now started lay! I'm so excited!)

#3 My Splash EE, pictured in pic#1, has finished her first molt -- quite unusual coloring:

If purchasing chicks locally, my favorite feed store is The Stock Shop (I love the open tub that enables you to see and choose your own chicks). 2nd. favorite is The Feed Barn (large selection). Although..... I live on the west side and I've only been to a total of 3 feedstores that sell baby chicks : )

If I needed any more chicks, I'd also be very interested in those Aloha babies from Laree or AlohaChickens, but now that I've got my dark egg layers added, I think I'm done with baby chicks for awhile.



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