Arizona Chickens

[kevs-chickadees]

The Phoenix Permaculture Guild does a bulk tree order in the winter, and you can get good prices that way. I got 2 grape vines and a female mulberry tree through them this year, and have been quite happy. One of the grape vines seems to have not taken, but the other one is doing great, and the mulberry has added four or five inches of new growth already. They also get in trees that are harder to find elsewhere.

I've also had very good luck with trees from A&P nursery, which is where I got my three peach trees. The two full sized trees gave us a lot of fruit in their second year, and this year are absolutely loaded with fruit. The dwarf peach bloomed, but didn't set fruit last year, but has set fruit this year, so I'm hopeful.

The only other nursery I've gotten trees from is Tropica Mango. They are a bit more expensive, but are a good source for exotics, and for varieties that are a bit harder to find. The orange tree I got from them last winter took awhile to get established, but has set a lot of fruit this year. The fig I got from them has been growing really quickly for a fig, and has more than doubled in size in a little less than three years. I'm hopeful that we'll get figs next year. I think that this was not a good year for figs, weather-wise, since a couple of the established trees in my neighborhood don't have much fruit on them.

I'm gonna check that website out, now I just need to find somewhere local that has a western schley pecan tree.

 

[azhenhouse]

So, I searched on the Arizona Poultry Organizations website for a breeders list, and found a small listing of breeders listed. Was that it? Is there a list anywhere else of Arizona breeders? My family and I have decided to raise two breeds of chickens, Chanteclers ( partridge or white, large fowl or bantam) and Orpington bantams (buff). It is proving to be a difficult challenge to find these close to home. If you have a contact for these breeds, please let me know.

 

[Mikey D]

Serious question:

It's been 24 hours, when would it be safe to start eating the hen's eggs again? They were on Tylan for 3 days.

 

[AZBootsie]

MIKEY
Here is the withdrawal chart that I use for meds. Tylan for Layers is an off label thing...hasn't been approved for use on egg layers (as many of the meds we have to use...ivermectin, denagard etc.) BUT- If it is safe to slaughter and eat the meat, I don't see how the eggs could be any less safe.

So- anyway chart says 24 hours. Here is the link http://www.cfo.on.ca/_pdfs/PoultryWithdrawalTimeChart-Mar30-07.pdf

 

[AZBootsie]

If I remember right last time I waited 3 days and am still alive to tell about it.

 

[Memphisjourney2seramas]

If I remember right last time I waited 3 days and am still alive to tell about it.

But are you all still there mentally!!! Just kidding. I couldnt resist!!

 

[AZBootsie]

Quote:
No stable baseline for comparison

 

[constance]

Noodlegirl -

Glad to help. A couple of things to keep in mind about using the ice packs, which you have probably already though of:
1 - It is not hard to find fertile eggs to let her hatch if you want the experience. Just mention it on here, we have plenty of enablers!
2 - Don't give her frost bite! I made sure the ice-packs were covered well, but a terry towel seemed to be too much.
3 - The hen will need extra food because she WILL try to warm up the ice pack. At least mine did until they gave up after a couple of days.
4 - I also removed the hens from the nest and carried them around for a while, a couple of times a day, then set them down as far as possible from the nest. I don't think it helped much, but I really wanted them to lay eggs, not try to hatch plastic ones.

Good luck!

We only have girls; so no hatching.
Update:
I tried the butt dunk today. And for a while I thought it worked because she stayed off the nest for a good 3 hrs. But then she snuck back in this afternoon.
I'll try the freezer pack-thanks!
If that doesn't work, I do have a the dog's crate.

THANKS!

 

[AZBootsie]

Gardening, Chooks and Family have eaten into my BYC time and I am hopelessly behind here. Billiam- congrats on the eggs. Someday i want to get some [FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]astralorps. The hens looks so girly with their small faces and tiny combs. Fuzzy- Beautiful pics and wonderful story. If it is a voting thing, of course I will vote for you. Mikey- sounds like you have conquered this chicken health thing!![/FONT]

all you new people!!

Who ever posted about destructive rabbits, you have my sympathy!! My garden is fenced with welded livestock fencing, to that I have added chicken wire and dug sheet metal about 8 inches into the ground. Each plant has chicken wire wrapped around it and they still eat my garden to death. Last year they even ate all the rabbit deterrent plantings I made....mint, marigold etc. This year I am planting datura outside of my garden across the front fence...safely away from my critters and grand-kids. I will let you know if it works or not.

Last frost here is around 4/15, so I am pulling weeds and adding compost like a mad woman trying to get the garden ready. As usual I started seeds indoors too early and they are more than ready to go out. Wanted to post pics, but batteries are dead.

To all of you that posted info about fruit trees, thank you!! It is a subject I need an education on. Hopefully someday 1/4 of an acre in the back will be full of fruit trees. There are 7 now, but all small. I am going to check out the Phoenix permaculture tree sale. Great information, thank you. For the past couple of years I have been looking for Pistachio trees with no luck. Has anyone out there planted any??

3 chicks hatched last night out of the brinsea. 8 more are peeping, but no pips. Guess this is going to be one of those long drawn out hatches.

I found the LG at 104 yesterday, so that hatch may be a bust. I really hate that LG but had to use it for my Easter hatch, because my fav incubator was full.

 

[AZBootsie]

Noodlegirl -

Glad to help. A couple of things to keep in mind about using the ice packs, which you have probably already though of:
1 - It is not hard to find fertile eggs to let her hatch if you want the experience. Just mention it on here, we have plenty of enablers!
2 - Don't give her frost bite! I made sure the ice-packs were covered well, but a terry towel seemed to be too much.
3 - The hen will need extra food because she WILL try to warm up the ice pack. At least mine did until they gave up after a couple of days.
4 - I also removed the hens from the nest and carried them around for a while, a couple of times a day, then set them down as far as possible from the nest. I don't think it helped much, but I really wanted them to lay eggs, not try to hatch plastic ones.

Good luck!
Quote:
I would love to give you some fertile eggs.....yes, enabler here too.

AND I forgot to mention my broody stuff. A couple of weeks ago a neighbor that buys eggs from me wanted a couple of laying hens. So I picked 4 hens and a roo for them to start a little flock. Last week he came back because one of the hens was broody and sitting on 1 egg. We collected some fresh eggs and he put them under her. I was so proud and excited for him.

Yesterday when I collected eggs I found my Lav Am in the nesting box, flat as a pancake and making guttural noises. I added 8 eggs to the 1 she was sitting on. This is my first Broody Ameraucana!!

Gallo- You probably posted this info and I missed it....How did your broody do?? Any little peepers running around??