Cluck if you are from the San Francisco Bay Area

[sfcityfarmer]

I'm in SF.

 

[mthrclckr]

Sorry, didn't see this post before.

Hi, neighbor! I'm in Hercules

.

You can subscribe to California Chickens (another Yahoo group) and find a few more of us in West CoCoCo. I bought my incubator from a lady who lived in Pinole and has moved to El Sobrante. She's a member here and on CA Chickens, but doesn't post much. In case you're looking for Seramas, she's selling quite a few of them right now.

What breeds do you keep?

-Naomi

 

[sfcityfarmer]

I'm limited to four chickens in the city so I've got an EE, rhode island red, and two wyandottes, one gold and one silver. They're 16 weeks old, in theory they'll be laying soon...

 

[mthrclckr]

Funny about stuff "in theory"

I'm SO frustrated right now because one of my bantam Orpington pullets turned 5 months old and she's really showing no signs of wanting to lay

. And thanks to this awful heat wave this week, I suspect she may wait until fall to bless us with the big event. My first hen (EE bantam) didn't lay her first egg until right after she turned 10 months old and the only other hen that lays at all is one of my two Faverolles bantams. The other is well over a year old and has never laid at all. Been at this (chicken-keeping) two years and have TWO hens that give me eggs

. "In theory" by October, I should have seven ladies a-layin' (my non-laying Fav is exempt) but I think there must be a chicken curse in Hercules.

SF isn't as hot, so I think your girls will probably lay on time. Good luck!

-Naomi

 

[starshrike]

cluck cluck! Also from SJ area, member of CA Chickens and pending for sv

Waiting on my chicks to start to lay.. 2-3 more months now

In the meantime, looking for quail (coturnix & bobwhite for meat/eggs). I might just keep these inside or in rabbit hutches to keep them low-profile.

 

[jaybme]

Starshrike, I have button quail, which of course are too small to bother eating. I keep them in a pigeon coop I got on Craigslist. It is wonderful- easy to take care of them. I like that they are higher off the ground. The coop is rather like most rabbit hutches, but in this case has a hard floor due to their tiny feet.

My chickens have not hatched yet- due the 30th!

Jaybme

 

[beccahp]

I'm in the temescal neighborhood of Oakland-

there are 4 or 5 other chicken owners nearby!

 

[starshrike]

Jaymbe, I just picked up 7 free laying Coturnix from Craigslist (they might have a hiccup in the laying due to change)... now looking for a rabbit hutch or some other type of housing for outside. They're currently in a spare bedroom enclosed by a 'girdcube pen', but they STINK inside. These are too old to eat (I guess stew, maybe), but if they're laying I'll settle for eggs now

.

I will probably put them on wire (1/2" x 1/2") as they are larger than buttons. Buttons are so colorful, but I don't want any more ornamental pets.

 

[jaybme]

Thanks for the heads up! I will keep an eye open. Funny you mention the rabbit hutch, I saw one advertised in my area and thought to myself, "should I get it?" LOL I think I have enough right now.

Today I woke up to a horrible rough growling this am, and went out to find my pairs had unpaired- one male and one female had flown over the 3foot tall divider and the male was protecting his side. Poor little guy. I quickly got them back to their sides, and low and behold the female laid another egg.

Two of my buttons are calm, and two are totally freaked out by anything. Guess who is laying! My sweet, calm cinnamon. Today she started building a nest, so I have hopes for her.

Cheers, Jaybme

 

[shirauo]

Quote:
We have 5 hens here in Santa Clara (South Bay/ Silicon Valley). I feel your pain, Naomi. With 5 7-m-o hens, we are getting 1-2 eggs a day this week!

of 2 EEs, 1 hasn't laid yet and the other has an impacted crop, so she stopped laying 2 days ago (altho' she was pretty regular everyday until then).

our Buff Orpington has gone broody and stopped laying 2-3 days ago.

The 2 Barred Rocks are solid everyday layers, but 1 has skipped a few days and we think she is the one who laid a scary abnormal egg. But that's another post on another thread...

Our friends are getting 3-4 eggs a day in Sunnyvale with just 3 hens! (They think their RIR is laying twice most days). Wow!