Bay Area BYCers!

[CorvusFarm]

We can change that.

 

[All Ball]

I'd love to participate in a Bay Area BYC meetup!

For folks' information, what I've found re local groups: active Yahoo groups for chicken people in Silicon Valley, City of Alameda, and wine country; and an East Bay homesteading Meet-Up group mainly based out of Vallejo. On BYC, Northern California seems more active than Bay Area, and includes some Bay Area people but mainly folks farther north/east. I am in the East Bay. We had a great urban farming non-profit group that people could join that included group buying of wholesale organic feed, but were unable to keep it going when it needed to transition away from that non-profit. There is also a Bay Area Homesteading email list run by K. Ruby Blume of the Institute for Urban Homesteading. She has recently moved out of state. Lots of homesteaders are moving away as the Bay Area is changing; renting chicken-keepers like myself are getting pushed out by dramatic rent increases; I know of homeowning folks leaving as well for the foothills or other states.

 

[CorvusFarm]

Great reply. Thanks.

And yes, "Bay Area" makes for a far-going group. Maybe we could do a rotating meet up every 3 months or so, which could make it more accessible to people from various areas.

And the rent issue is huge. I had to leave Los Gatos because I couldn't afford the cost of living. Corralitos is so much better for farm/homestead renting, but it is work to stay connected now.

 

[All Ball]

Yes, me too - I like the quiet and quail calls out here, and the fact I can have a rooster without guilt, but sure miss a walkable, BARTable neighborhood.

 

[Stephine]

Hi there!
Here is an update on my little survivor flock (home burned to ground, coop ok, chickens locked in coop for 4 days little feed no water in 85 degree days and all survived!) - I got them back from their temporary and super iffy shelter a few weeks ago and all but one are now done molting and have plumped out again and I am even getting some eggs again. I am so happy they seem really well....
Any other firewalkers here? How did your chickens fare?

 

[micstrachan]

Such a cute survivor flock! I did not know your story. Where are you exactly?

Also, I missed all this talk of a Bay Area meet up. I’d be game!

 

[Stephine]

Such a cute survivor flock! I did not know your story. Where are you exactly?

Also, I missed all this talk of a Bay Area meet up. I’d be game!

We were in Glen Ellen and got hit by the fires the first night. I said good bye to my chickens several times over the next few days, first believing they burned up along with everything else, then thinking they would die of thirst in that heat, or from the effects of the smoke... we tried a few times to get in an get them out but I was turned back by police... Then finally on Thursday my friend managed to get them all out - 14 chickens in a 18”x40” bunny cage....
Two were pecked bloody when I got them out, so I kept them with me for the next four weeks and pampered them. The rest of the flock went to a farm in a really unsafe set up, but it was the best I could find. When I finally got them back 4 weeks later they looked terrible... the two I had kept with me were nice and plump, fully feathered after the molt with shiney feathers... the others were so scrawny and raggedy looking... I gathered them all up, put them back in their freshly cleaned out pen, started giving them lots of treats, their high quality feed, clean water, a round of Corid just in case (since they had been in a new environment and I could not watch them closely to make sure they were acting fine), fresh greens and weeds from what was growing back in after the rains... Now they are all fine again - I am so relieved!
I too missed the talk about a gathering!Where will it be? If it’s close I would love to go!

 

[All Ball]

We were in Glen Ellen and got hit by the fires the first night. I said good bye to my chickens several times over the next few days, first believing they burned up along with everything else, then thinking they would die of thirst in that heat, or from the effects of the smoke... we tried a few times to get in an get them out but I was turned back by police... Then finally on Thursday my friend managed to get them all out - 14 chickens in a 18”x40” bunny cage....
Two were pecked bloody when I got them out, so I kept them with me for the next four weeks and pampered them. The rest of the flock went to a farm in a really unsafe set up, but it was the best I could find. When I finally got them back 4 weeks later they looked terrible... the two I had kept with me were nice and plump, fully feathered after the molt with shiney feathers... the others were so scrawny and raggedy looking... I gathered them all up, put them back in their freshly cleaned out pen, started giving them lots of treats, their high quality feed, clean water, a round of Corid just in case (since they had been in a new environment and I could not watch them closely to make sure they were acting fine), fresh greens and weeds from what was growing back in after the rains... Now they are all fine again - I am so relieved!
I too missed the talk about a gathering!Where will it be? If it’s close I would love to go!

Stephine, so happy to hear your crew survived! I remember you were worried that the temp quarters would not be secure. Your flock looks absolutely lovely - congrats on your great care-taking skills. Sending best wishes to you and yours in coping with the post-fire recovery.

 

[Stephine]

Stephine, so happy to hear your crew survived! I remember you were worried that the temp quarters would not be secure. Your flock looks absolutely lovely - congrats on your great care-taking skills. Sending best wishes to you and yours in coping with the post-fire recovery.

Thank you All Ball!

 

[micstrachan]

Hello Bay Area BYCers! How are your flocks handling this storm? I got hone from work at aroubd 4:45 or so tonightcand they all scrambled to the gate to greet me hoping for a romp in tbe yard! So I let ghem run aroundxs bit. The six pullets went back in after just a couple minutes, but the three hens stayed out until 5:20! Crazy girls! I hear it pouring right now, but haven’t noticed the strong winds that were predicted. Anyone else? All my coop windows are uncovered, so I hope the rain doesn’t get blown inside. I did not close their “shutters” that protect the windier side. I’m tempted to throw on my rain gear and check if I should close them.