Arizona Chickens

[itsredcandy]

Novaleigh, Great deal on the lumber. Wish I had patience to have waited to accumulate what we needed but. I just wanted it done to get the chicks out of the house.

BostonBryce, Beautiful Eggs

kevs-chickadees, Your son definitely deserved 1st place.

Mikey D, I think I remember you posting that you purchased 50# of Oyster Shell. If I recall you were looking to sell a bit of it? I could be wrong but if I am right, I'd be interested in buying 10# or so from you.

 

[itsredcandy]

Knowing it was going to get cold last night, I unplugged the 60 watt bulb in the brooder and set up the 250 watt heat lamp in the coop. with the brooder just under it. Oh, poor little chickies. It was 55 degrees in the brooder this morning and 41 outside. Not sure of the temp in the coop as the thermometer is in the brooder and outside. So, before I left today, I plugged the 60 watt bulb back in that is in the brooder, plugged the heat lamp into the brooder lamp. Hope they all warm up without burning the coop or house down. I am sure it'll be fine.

Catetori laid another egg yesterday. This one is darker olive colored and the same size. They are a tad smaller than store bought, I guess they'd be a medium sized egg. She laid it in a nesting box that I had pulled all the nesting material out of and have the brooder box sitting in. She pushed the box out of her way to do her thing. I was a little disappointed as I wanted to see her lay the egg. I went to check on her every hour all day to see if she had laid the egg. Went and picked the kids up at 5 pm got home around 6 and she'd laid it. I guess this timing will work out great if this is her typical laying time as we can get the egg shortly after she lays it. We're getting our weekend breakfast one egg at a time and should have enough for breakfast by Sunday. I may not be able to wait this long

Question 1: How do you keep your eggs (fridge, counter)? Do you wash them after you get them from the coop or right before you use them? I did a little research yesterday and looks like they last longer unwashed and can last 30-60 days on the counter top if unwashed. Because Catetori is the only one laying right now I know I am not going to have to worry about excess or the eggs going bad. But in 5-6 months I am hoping this might be a concern )

Question 2: What do you do for easy pealing of backyard eggs? Store bought eggs I keep in the fridge for a week before boiling to make pealing easier. There has to be some tricks that work for backyard eggs.


Thank you all for answering my questions. I have searched and searched but here in AZ I think we maybe a little unique )


~Selina

 

[Novaleigh]

Looks like one of my two blue Wyandottes is also a little boy! Sweety isn't the only roo in the yard anymore! (oh the things one realized week 3 of chicks raising!) Here is a pic of Lucy (I need to find a new name for him, haha!) Lucy is three weeks old today!


Here is a picture of my other blue Wyandotte, Crystal, who is also 3 weeks old today!

Here they are side by side

 

[momgoose]

It frosted here in NE Tucson last night so it was somewhere around 32 degrees! It's still winter but the way it has been going we are fooled (like the fauna and flora unfortunately) into thinking it's TIME for spring!!

Well, as is not typical of me, I put the chicken before the coop and bought 4 generic, leghorn cross chicks a few weeks ago (six weeks old tomorrow) and am currently keeping them (at night or when temps are below 50) in the garage in a large dog crate with a heat lamp. They poop tons and I have to clean it AT LEAST every other day, usually daily. They are happy to get in their crate at night, but as is typical of flighty breeds I guess, they do not like being caught!

I left them out until the temp dropped drastically yesterday evening and we got a few drops of rain, but had built them the temporary shelter (above) that they seemed to like but weren't in when the drops started falling! They are out there playing in it right now. Note the cholla ladder, they seem to like climbing around on that.

Well, I better get to building them a proper coop! Since plant pot, bricks, and plastic don't seem to be their preferred shelter!

 

[momgoose]

So CUTE! How about "Lucyfer"!

 

[Novaleigh]

HAHAHA!!!!! I laughed SOOO hard when I read your post, that I simply must name him that! HAHA!!! Thanks for the good belly laugh! ....My husband just came into the computer room, he said..what are you laughing about?? I asked, Oh...did I wake you up with my laughing? He said, Yup! *OOPS!* Lucyfer it is!!! Thanks Momgoose!!!!

So CUTE! How about "Lucyfer"!

 

[momgoose]

Glad you got a good laugh! I am hoping my chicks are girls but I suspect Rose is a rooster too!!!!

 

[Sonoran Silkies]

HAHAHA!!!!! I laughed SOOO hard when I read your post, that I simply must name him that! HAHA!!! Thanks for the good belly laugh! ....My husband just came into the computer room, he said..what are you laughing about?? I asked, Oh...did I wake you up with my laughing? He said, Yup! *OOPS!* Lucyfer it is!!! Thanks Momgoose!!!!

Quote:
And here I was going to suggest Lucius or Lucas. I like Lucyfer better, though! Especially with that spelling

 

[Sonoran Silkies]

Cute nest box!

It frosted here in NE Tucson last night so it was somewhere around 32 degrees! It's still winter but the way it has been going we are fooled (like the fauna and flora unfortunately) into thinking it's TIME for spring!!

Well, as is not typical of me, I put the chicken before the coop and bought 4 generic, leghorn cross chicks a few weeks ago (six weeks old tomorrow) and am currently keeping them (at night or when temps are below 50) in the garage in a large dog crate with a heat lamp. They poop tons and I have to clean it AT LEAST every other day, usually daily. They are happy to get in their crate at night, but as is typical of flighty breeds I guess, they do not like being caught!

I left them out until the temp dropped drastically yesterday evening and we got a few drops of rain, but had built them the temporary shelter (above) that they seemed to like but weren't in when the drops started falling! They are out there playing in it right now. Note the cholla ladder, they seem to like climbing around on that.

Well, I better get to building them a proper coop! Since plant pot, bricks, and plastic don't seem to be their preferred shelter!

 

[Sonoran Silkies]

I want to thank everyone for coming to the show last Saturday! I just wish I'd had more time to visit with everyone. and I missed the photo Oh well, next year. Or maybe we can schedule an Arizona Thread picnic/potluck sometime later in the spring.

Mikey--I love the shirt--I wore it for awhile--but it got too hot on top of my other shirt. Thank You SO, SO much for all your effort at getting them and then printing them. You are AWESOME!

I hope everyone had a great time