Arizona Chickens

[AZBootsie]

I live in Southern Gila county and have been raising chickens off and on for over 40 years. I have never used water sprays, or cold water bottles, or resorted to any other kind of unnatural cooling. Sure you may loose an occassional chicken due to the heat, but mostly you just need shelter from the hot wind, adequate shade, good ventilation and plenty of clean water. I have an elevated henhouse that is well ventilated and I have a nipple watering system both inside and out. I also keep a water trough in the run, which I check on regularly during the summer. I keep 6-8 laying chickens which keep us adequately supplied with fresh eggs. Keeping more chickens than you need is expensive and a money loosing proposition.

It's good to see another point of view. Thank you for posting!!

For me the meat and eggs are just a side benefit. My main reward is more of a life enrichment. I take tremendous pleasure in studying their behaviors, cuddling my spoiled hens and breeding towards type improvement. What some may call too many....I call not enough!!

 

[Mikey D]

Hey Peeps, thanks for the condolences. I knew she wasn't long for this world with her problems but it was sad to be faced with it. I've been extraordinarily fortunate this far in my desert chicken raising adventure and this sad passing pales in comparison to what many of you have dealt with in your flocks. It's nice to have a place where others know what it's like to be sad over a simple bird.

On the upside, Waldo walked off and began foraging right after I took Kevin away. Maybe there's something to be learned from that. I need some ice cream.

Double chocolate Klondike bar...

 

[Mikey D]

Quote: X2 - they are quite fun and I've been losing money since before I started this adventure.

 

[AZBootsie]

Gallo just read about your loss. I am so sorry.

It being your first and only loss says a lot about the care your flock receives!!

 

[AZBootsie]

OK Fuzzybird- Here is another flood of pics.

Your dark chicks are from my Lav Am project birds. Though not yet an accepted Ameraucana color, a lot of people are working to improve them and they should be accepted soon.

Momma is Morticia. She is one of the chicks that AuroraRose bought from Wayne Meredith last year. Experts on the Ameraucana thread had great comments when I posted her pic there.

Daddy RiffRaff is a Lav Roo from MugsMagee. He has his flaws and that is why I am breeding him to Morticia.

​

Your dark chicks will grow up either black or blue, with a recessive lav gene. If you breed them together, you should get lavs, blues, blacks and splits. The lavs will be an improvement over RiffRaff.

One of my little splits: This one will probably be a very dark blue or black. Some of them are lighter or have white markings that will grow in dark with their grown up feathers.


This is a little lav with an imperfect comb, but nice color and feather quality.


And finally some blues and blacks that hatched from shipped eggs. I am hoping to get a nice blue roo to breed with Morticia.



I did have some Wheaten Ameraucanas that hatched last summer. The quality was iffy....so they have been rehomed to laying flocks. I can't remember if that was before or after I collected your eggs. You could have some pet quality Wheatens in the mix also.

 

[kevs-chickadees]

Did Jeffers start doing their deliveries by bicycle? This is ridiculous!

 

[In2Ice]

I went to release the chickens this morning and found my poor Kevin dead under the roost. She's the first chicken I've had die since raising chickens in AZ. She had some kind of internal problems. She grew abnormally fast and large compared to her flock mates and laid only a few dozen eggs in her short two and a half years. But she was one of the sweetest birds I had. When I laid her on the ground while I dug the hole to bury her, her actual sister and inseparable best buddy, Waldo, kept nudging at her. Then she sat and preened Kevin's feathers until I took her away.

She was so fun and adorable. When we were outside she always came up and sat right next to us, wanting to be part of the group. RIP Kevin, we'll miss you.

So sorry Gallo. I sounds like she had a great 2 1/2 years with you and lived to her full potential given her circumstances. You gave her a better life than she would have had with anyone else.

 

[Mikey D]

So about tranking my chicken...

 

[AZBootsie]

So about tranking my chicken...

What's tranking??

 

[AZBootsie]

AFK to run out for a:

Double chocolate Klondike bar...

The diet is ruined and I hold you responsible Mikey!!!