Arizona Chickens

[Mikey D]

1st question - do any of you raise your chicks outside in the summer? I was telling hubby about my needs to raise baby chicks in the house and he says we can raise them on the porch.

Thoughts?

Also 2nd question - where do you like to get your chicks? Local feed store? Mail order? Craigslist?

Thanks!!!

Chicks need to be temp controlled & 110 outside will be too hot for them.

State vet said to stay away from feedstore & craigslist - get them from a hatchery

Everyone will have a different opinion about this though...

 

[AZTiff]

Chicks need to be temp controlled & 110 outside will be too hot for them.

State vet said to stay away from feedstore & craigslist - get them from a hatchery

Everyone will have a different opinion about this though...

That's what I figured about the heat. I will continue with my indoor plan.

I was going to check out some chicks today at a feedstore. Hmmmm

 

[Mikey D]

Quote:

Dr, Noon said that feed stores will frequently take back adult chickens from folks that do not want them anymore. They will commonly have diseases that will be transferred to the chicks.

He also said the McMurray is the only hatchery that guarantees and tests for mycoplasma in their flocks. I got mine from Ideal and was very pleased.

There is usually someone on here that will split an order with you.

 

[AZBootsie]

Has anyone tasted a lemon drop melon?? Might be old news....I am usually behind the trends. Yesterday I was at the walmart in Goodyear and bought one. My granddaughter and I just split it for lunch. It is amazing!!! Tastes like lemonade. There isn't much info on the web, what I did find was contradictory. It is either a cantaloupe grafted to an Israeli bitter melon or a hybrid cross of cantaloupe with a high citric acid melon.....anyway I love it. Think the seeds will grow?? Anyone have any info??

 

[Mikey D]

Has anyone tasted a lemon drop melon?? Might be old news....I am usually behind the trends. Yesterday I was at the walmart in Goodyear and bought one. My granddaughter and I just split it for lunch. It is amazing!!! Tastes like lemonade. There isn't much info on the web, what I did find was contradictory. It is either a cantaloupe grafted to an Israeli bitter melon or a hybrid cross of cantaloupe with a high citric acid melon.....anyway I love it. Think the seeds will grow?? Anyone have any info??

If it's a hybrid it will probably not grow true - try it anyway!

 

[pastrymama]

Hola!!!! back from vacay in penasco. it was fabuloso!!!!!!! si, mi espangnol es BAD! i took french

well, i came home to 15 ducks and 13 chickens, just as i left then. i had 2 other ducklings in hospice at The AZ Covey before i left, one appleyard died and the harlequin girl has neuro damage but is slightly improving. we don't know what they got in to, but the results were disatrous. it is not contagious or viral, appears to be a toxin of some sort.

my basque hens all are laying, including the basque/swedish flower whatever hen. my 2 muscovy ducks are laying green eggs and the 13 ducklings are 7 weeks old and quacking up a storm making the fireman crazy

oops. i have a basque roo that needs a new home or pressure cooker NOW!!!!!!!!! someone come and get this boy. he is pretty, a nice roo, but i have 2 and the fireman says he needs to go today! he is vocal! but a great hen protector. send me a pm.

 

[AZKat]

I've brooded chicks outside in the summer without a problem, but I kept mine on the patio, where they were in the shade all the time.

 

[AZBootsie]

Quote: I agree, but I like to have my baby chicks close at hand....easier to cuddle and enjoy that way!! In my opinion Hatchery chicks usually do very well. I love my Cackle Hatchery hens. I do have 2 points against buying hatchery chicks.........3 days in the mail isn't an ideal situation for any living being and if you are looking for purebreds to show or breed, Hatchery stock usually falls short of SOP (standard of perfection). Good points would be they are sexed, vacinated and a nice variety of breed available.

Feed store chicks are scary to me. Even if the store hasn't taken back any chickens, just think of the nastiness on the shoes of each person walking through the store. I liken the feed store to an emergency waiting room, without the daily sanitation. My feed store shoes never get close to my coops.

IMHO the healthiest chicks are those you hatch yourself, either with an incubator or a broody. We do have several Hatch-a-holics here. What breeds are you interested in?? I LOVE to hatch and would be happy to get the incubator out for you. BUT, can't guarantee sex, like the hatcheries do.... and you would have to take them away!! I have waaay to many cockerels at the moment!!

Speaking of Cockerels!!

Blue/Black Ameraucanas, Easter Eggers, Splash Plymouth Rocks, Beautiful Mutts, Lavs.....all scheduled for freezer camp over the next 6 weeks. Give a Holler if you need a rooster.

 

[City farm]

Meet my two new girls  (I hope they are hens).  We've moved away from Chicken Dish names for these two.  We've named them Frizz and Frazz

How fun !!let us know when they get older.. I love photos..

 

[Demosthine]

Speaking of Cockerels!!

Blue/Black Ameraucanas, Easter Eggers, Splash Plymouth Rocks, Beautiful Mutts, Lavs.....all scheduled for freezer camp over the next 6 weeks. Give a Holler if you need a rooster.

I'm not interested in getting them live, but I'm interested in coming up to help process them if you are doing it yourself. I want to do one from start to finish, but my wife said she'd knock me arse-over-teakettle if I brought one home live to process. Of course, you should have seen her go absolutely insane when I told her I was spending $10 a gallon for fresh, raw, unadulterated cow's milk yesterday, too. I swear, this woman needs to get in touch with her ancestors and the way food is supposed to be processed! Not all store-bought...

I'm about an hour away, so it should be a nice little drive. I'm off Sundays through Wednesdays, if you want some company.