Arizona Chickens

[desertmarcy]

Is anybody doing any kind of chicken food co-op type of thing in Tucson? That is, are any people getting together for bulk orders on feed? I'm on the NW side. My last bulk order was with Modesto Milling. I'm starting to get a little low on feed now. It would be nice to go in with others to use it up faster before the bugs start multiplying and not have to put out as much $$ all at once. Last time I ordered the max. they put on a pallet, 50 bags. I have room to store feed in a controlled environment and am feeding both chickens and turkeys. I like the higher protein % in Modesto's grower (22%) because I can also use it for the turkeys, but I don't like how finely they have milled it. I need to switch to layer now for the chickens, they are starting to lay.

 

[pimachickens]

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No, they weren't on the birds themselves. I was filling up the feeder and noticed that there were multiple somethings stuffed in the little crack were the roost bar meets the back wall. Pulled one out and it exploded blood. If you've ever pulled a tick off a dog or cat, there is no mistaking them.

Gallo - You are a wealth of information...but I kinda have to agree on the weirdness thing. You performed experiments on them?! Only you.

Had my coffee break...better get back out there.

 

[mclevinson]

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REALLY glad to know about the DE. I'll step up my use, and maybe change to sand instead of shavings? What do you think?

I have mixed feelings about the sand. My DW loves it, but she doesn't clean the coop. Originally, the coop had our hard-pack dirt as a floor and it was very easy to rake up the droppings into a dustpan and carry out (which I did every other day). Now we have sand on the floor and I have to sift the droppings from it and I'm not too happy about that. I think the chickens like it though, so it stays. If you don't clean that often it's a pretty good cover on the ground to keep things dry and soft for chicken feet. It also might be better if you have more chickens than I do. I use shavings in the elevated part of my coop and I'm very pleased with that. I probably wouldn't ever use shavings on the ground, just because of the messiness they would cause with my coop situation. I used to be very skeptical about the effectiveness of DE and I still am about certain uses (e.g. using it internally as a wormer), but I've come to realize that it's very effective at controlling many creepy crawlies here in our low humidity environment.

I find the sand easy to rake. I had sod, they killed it, I thought "OK, I'll just wet it down to increase the humidity", now it's stinky. Ugh. I keep shavings in the coop, they were messy so I put a plywood skirt around the bottom of the coop. Now the shavings are contained and I'm looking forward to the deep litter compost.

Gallo Speaking of which, I just turned my compost and finally had a little pile to use. Which made me think about gardening and what a dismal failure it was this year. Do you have a link about your sunken garden? I really think that's the way to go rather than my beautiful raised beds. Next spring I'll put green cotton and Moringa in the raised beds, they LIKE the heat.

 

[Gallo del Cielo]

mclevinson, I got my ideas for the sunken garden from the Permaculture folks. I just looked for the link, but I was unable to find it. I'll look around for it when I have time later today.

pimachickens and TT!, you can call me weird, I'll take it as a compliment.

Just don't call me late for dinner.

 

[pimachickens]

This is IMPOSSIBLE!!!!

 

[squeakyballs]

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Heeeey I called you awesome.

 

[squeakyballs]

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*hugs*

 

[AZBootsie]

Took my roosts apart and rebuilt them....no ticks, no mites

I found a huge Sonoran Desert Toad and a scorpion. My misters are keeping an area outside of the coop, under the external nesting boxes moist and the toad looked pretty happy living there. I relocated him to my garden. The scorpion met a morbid demise.

Will the chickens go after the toads?? Will the toad secretion kill them?? I am moving my mister to a more open area just incase. But, those toads are everywhere after a couple good rains. Anyone ever have any problems with them??

 

[squeakyballs]

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I thought the toads were mostly nocturnal. Maybe?

 

[AZBootsie]

I usually only see them at night. This guy was hiding in the dirt under the nesting boxes. I was digging the dirt out, so I could get under there to check crevices for ticks and found him. He was way to big to get through the fencing into the run.

Yeah, you are probably right. If they are hopping around the run at night, it wouldnt be a problem.