New Mexico

[bumpercarr]

I used to drive up I-5 through the farmlands of CA and cut across the state through the valley. I was always shocked to see whole orchards of mature nut trees up-ended, stately walnuts and almonds. Made me sad. I hadn't thought that perhaps trees have production lifespans....kind of like chickens. However, I do have one little transplant in my orchard from a scion that came from a 100-year-old apple tree here in Corrales. So perhaps apples are the granddaddies of the fruit world..... Bet your old trees have lots of character.

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We dug the soil and sod, planted the little twiglets, watered them down and were going to make and put out rabbit wraps (chicken wire barriers) around the trees when the wind REALLY kicked up. We were exhausted, anyway, from putting in 10 fruit trees which was a lot more labor intensive than planned. Later that night we drove out to dinner and passed the orchard with the high beams on..... Dozens of rabbits!!! Darn! However -- and here's a shameless product plug -- I had at the last minute before going inside this afternoon opened up a bottle of Rabbit Scram I got from the Spray-n-Grow folks. It's a granular concoction that you sprinkle around what you want rabbits to stay away from made of blood meal, meat meal (probably rabbit), chives, garlic and white pepper. It's odorless but supposedly smells like Death to rabbits. Sprinkle it and sprinkle a little water on it and it lasts 30 days up to two months. I was kind of disheartened during dinner to think that all that labor today went to creating hors d'oeuvres for rabbits and when we returned home our orchard would be nothing but twig nubs. When we got back from dinner we donned the flashlights and -- lo and behold! -- nary a gnaw mark! Tomorrow the rabbit barriers get built just to be sure that we'll have a future fruit crop, but tonight I'm thrilled that a product actually worked and worked spectacularly.

We really enjoy the old trees, makes our place sort of special. We have 60 pecan trees that were planted in the 1940s by my husband's grandfather as well. We don't get very many nuts, maybe 2,000 lbs in a good year, but we really enjoy the shade that they provide.

I can relate to your planting story. We wanted a hedge, so we planted 130 hedge plants around the front of our place about 4 years ago in the fall. Of course, that that winter we had the -20 degrees here (I think it was colder up where you are). It took us days to plant all of those plants and I was sure that they were all dead. We did lose a few of them, but for the most part they lived. It took them two years to start growing again though.

If we ever have a rabbit problem, I'll remember your rabbit treatment. So far, I don't have rabbits in the garden or around our new plantings. Bigger problem with skunks, raccoons and gophers.

 

[bumpercarr]

New question. What poultry organizations are there in New Mexico (preferably southern NM) that I can get in contact with? I thought there was someone in Roswell, but I'm having trouble finding a name now. Thanks!

 

[curleygirl24]

I live in the mountains south of Gallup! I love it here and the geese are just growing like weeds. They really respond to me and follow me around whenever I take them outta their cage to clean it. My sons think it's hilarious when they chase after me and they flap their lil wings. I love 'em - lots of maintenance, but good for me!

 

[CibolaChooks]

My geese love to fallow me around the mountains also.

 

[starsmile85]

Howdy from Alamogordo!

 

[CibolaChooks]

Hey starsmile

 

[Whoops]

Hello starsmile!

I am looking for a little chick friend for my singleton surviving hatchling. He hatched yesterday, so a new hatchling would be good. Preferably a female. I am in ABQ.

 

[ChristyLou]

Hi Everyone, we are down in Cruces. We just started our chicken/duck flock .... my husband moved here from Georgia after marrying me and though he raised birds there for years we are just learning the differences of doing that here.

 

[Whoops]

Hi there! I am from Albuquerque, originally from Oregon. I hope you enjoy your chicken ventures in the desert.

 

[bumpercarr]

Hi Everyone, we are down in Cruces. We just started our chicken/duck flock .... my husband moved here from Georgia after marrying me and though he raised birds there for years we are just learning the differences of doing that here.

Howdy from Alamogordo!

Welcome to both of you! I'm in Tularosa, starsmile85. Tell us a little bit about what you are raising or thinking of raising!

I raise LF brahmas, I had a dog attack about 12 days ago and they killed almost everyone in the coop. So, all I have left are partridge brahmas, but I have some LF darks and bantam darks in the incubator. We'll see what hatches. I also have a barnyard roo left, but he's destined for the pot unless I find another home for him.

Anyway, welcome everyone!