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Rachel's Discussions
Pecking orders
Replied Nov 29
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If you get mesquite, be sure to get a sweet tasting mesquite like honey mesquite. All mesquite flour tastes "mesquite-y" but some tree varieties produce pods that have a sort of skunky taste. I think it would be worth the effort to get rid of the gr…
The cabbage looper worms are usually only a serious pest on cabbage/broccoli etc. It seems like they spread to other plants that are close, so it may just be an issue of proximity... I doubt they will harm your dill. I pick them off by hand and give…
I think that temperament is a much more important issue than size. Of course if you end up with a small bird way down on the pecking order from some Jersey Giants or something, then that's bad news. When you say bullying, does that mean there's bloo…
Is your chicken better?
Holy smokes! Way to go!
I love beets. So much so that I'm growing 8 varieties: Crapaudine-- a thousand year old heirloom (fantastic name, I know), albino, detroit dark red, chioggia, golden, bull's blood, Letherman's green top and early wonder. Hopefully by next year the s…
Yes, like Ericka said, it sounds like your problem is that this is the highest place in the coop. They will naturally sleep in the highest place they can get too, so your nest boxes should ALWAYS be below the roosting bar. They poop a lot at night,…
How often is she sneezing? Lots of sneezing isn't a great sign. Here is a post on BYC that may have some useful info for you. I don't have personal experience with a chicken with cold symptoms, maybe someone else on here does?
http://www.backyardchi…
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- About Me:
- I paint, have chickens, ducks, quail, gardens, fruit trees, preserve food and create alternative-powered appliances (at varying levels of success). Here's my art website: www.rachelbess.com and here's my permaculture/urban homesteading blog: rachelstinyfarm.blogspot.com.
- Website:
- http://rachelstinyfarm.blogspot.com
Comment Wall (48 comments)
- At 8:54pm on November 14, 2009,
Michael and Lylah Ledner said… - Hi Rachel.....wondering if you know scottsdales zoning rules for chickens...how far from another's home kind of thing....
thanks...lylah
btw...cute blog!
- At 9:58pm on October 28, 2009,
Beth Kramer said… - Rachel- my hens are all on strike this week. I think this has happened to a few others. Is this a common fall/winter thing. Will production cease until spring?
Any reason to worry about this weather?
Thanks as always for your insights !
beth
- At 10:14pm on July 15, 2009,
Judy Tobar said… - Hi Rachel,
Just wanted to send you a pic of the polish you sold us a while back. We named her Ophelia to go along with our Shakespearean naming theme. She has adjusted well to her new home. It took a couple weeks for the others to accept her into the flock and stop pecking at her, but now she's just another one of the girls. She mostly pals around with Juliet, the white leghorn.
Stay cool!
Judy
- At 10:10pm on July 15, 2009,
Judy Tobar said…
- At 9:42am on July 13, 2009,
Susan said… - Rachel,
My husband has caught the chicken bug. He built a roof for the coop and a matching hen box, added misters and fans. He wants to get a Cochin but asked that I ask you about them first. He's more into the pet-side, where as I am more into the eggs, meat , fertilizer and of course pets....=0)
- At 6:48am on June 26, 2009,
Susan said…
- I"ll be checking both places out this weekend! I've heard the name Pratts. Any thoughts?
- At 10:03am on June 23, 2009,
Susan said…
- I have one americana or Auaracana and a Buff Orphington. These two girls are huge and about a year old one lays green and one lays brown eggs. the green eggs are huge and the brown eggs are small. The girls came from the midwest on the back of a truck and we adopted them from a young couple who were moving and couldn't keep them in their new place. I have one girl from the 4 chicks I got from my friend who has a small farm here in S. Tempe. Dixie is about 11 weeks old and is brown with yellow legs. she is a mutt but looks like the americana with a small head and yellow comb. I also have Phillis, a polish bantam,who acts like a Phillip sometimes trying to be the big chick in the coop...but doesn't crow...she...or he, was hand raised by college guys who thought it would be a cool project. When they moved, they posted 'her' on Craigslist. Phyllis is about 5 months old and just a stitch to watch. I don't see any tail feathers but she has the strangest personality..She likes to be held like a baby and rocked while I scratch her head....=0) I would like to have a total of 5-7 various girls that lay interesting eggs and are dependable. I have neighbors who are getting impatient for their weekly dozen! They keep me supplied with their garden bounty and I owe them big time! Your input is greatly appreciated!
- At 9:05am on June 23, 2009,
Susan said…
- Thanks Rachel for getting back to me. Can you recommend replacement breeds for my roosters? I want some different variety egg layers. These guys were hybrid mixes off the farm. What is a good place to look for new chicks? I would be up for a class from Vanessa. I'll keep you posted on how it goes. Susan
- At 7:19am on June 23, 2009,
Susan said…
- At 8:17am on June 23, 2009, Susan said…
Rachel,
I'm interested in raising chickens for meat. I have two friends who are also interested in sharing this project. Can you suggest some reading or someone with experience to talk to? I also have 3 chicks turned roosters. They are about 10-12 weeks old and have started crowing. I am thinking about them as my second project...The three of us processed 4 roosters a few weeks ago to see if we could manage by ourselves) that were totally range free on a farm and only fed scratch. They were about a year old. One was roasted and was too tough. One was in the crockpot and made into chicken-a-la-king. (sounds like the three bears!) That was ok, but still a bit 'gamey'. We are thinking about doing around 50 birds and want to make sure they are worth the effort....any input would be much appreciated. I really like the idea of growing organic, no hormone chickens for meat....Thank you, Susan Delete Comment
- At 11:30am on June 22, 2009,
Lisette Volkmar said… - Rachel,
Did you see the pics I posted of the ducks and their tub? Is Errol's coloring unusual for Muscoveys? Any ideas on how to make the ramp easier for them to use getting in? They can get out just fine, but haven't managed to get in by themselves yet. Two or three times a day I chase them around (Please don't throw me in that briar patch echoing in my head) catch them and put them in the tub. Usually they stay in for about 20 minutes each time.
Thanks!
Lis
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Thank you Johanna!!
This time of year, it's easy to drive around ABQ and find bagged leaves waiting for disposal by the city, at least that was the case a few years back. You only have another week or two to collect them before they're gone for another year ....
Now that is a chicken tractor!
I really thought this was clever too! I would think that Craig's List would have many of these listed pretty cheap. I believe that they had 3 chickens, but this setup could handle quite a bit more, and it looks so darn cute!
Wow, Inspiring and Beautiful!!!
She can dump out the bin in an area where she would like to create a new garden bed, preferably in a sunny location. Cover it with a black plastic bag or any other medium which will absorb the heat. Piling LOTS more leaves on top and saturating ever…
Thanks for the advice Chris... I'll pass it along to my friend...
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