Bay Area BYCers!

[jeremy]

I've got 3 pips from English Orp eggs this morning! Come on babies!

 

[cherylcohen]

congrats! Must be a good hatching week!! I just had 4 buff - laced brahmas hatch! SOOOOO CUTE!

 

[jeremy]

It's been pretty good, if these little ones make it out of the shell I'll have 9 total in the brooder. Plus 3 Wheaten/Blue Wheaten Olive Eggers.

The little ones in the brooder are growing so quickly. They've already got teensy wing tip feathers coming in. So cute!

 

[wolftracks]

I got to see Karen's new pens this week. She and her son have been working like crazy over there. And in this heat!
Looks so nice and easy to take care of. I love it!

I've have some hatches lately, but not even near 50%. I don't know why I'm getting so many quiters and blood rings. I can get them from every incubator here and it's not making since. Maybe once in a while, but not this often and it seems the purebreds are either quiters or non starters. Frustrating, but them again it's been hot.

My broody FBCM is still holding down the fort. She's glued to those eggs. Thing is I've put eggs under broodies lately and same thing. Mixes hatch, pures don't. Anyway if I remember right her eggs are due the 10th, so I hope some FBCMs and SPPRs hatch from them. I did put a couple of other types on there, just so something hatches for her and she doesn't continue to sit.

 

[CowgirlJules]

wolftracks, that FBCM/Game cross cockerel that I hatched from your eggs is growing up to be quite the handsome boy! He's in charge of all of my black chickens, oddly enough, even though two are OE cockerels his age, and are bigger than he is. He's got his little harem, and my main rooster doesn't even look at them. He will, of course, eventually head for the stock pot, but I enjoy him for the now. The pullet takes after the gamey side, so I hope she goes broody, I don't have anything else that wants to.

 

[wolftracks]

Quote:
I'm sure she will. Every single one of mine has. They make great moms.

I got rid of all the cockerels since I haven't been able to afford a freezer yet. I have one pullet that's gorgeous out there, but I'm kind of thinking she might be from my OE. Just not sure. Sometimes she looks like she has Game markings and other times I she's just so different. My OE hen is crossed with Welsummer, so it could very well be her's. Just have to see what she lays later. One of the Games hatched her out, but had losts of different eggs.

Has your little roo gotten very big and is he a heavier bird?

 

[sewandgrow]

Since the new pens are up I have been studying the birds that were moved into them from the growout pens. Aaron (my son) & I had metal wing tagged them awhile back & I recorded who each was. Very interesting. Some I would have never guessed. Thank goodness for ID tags.....LOL.
Later today 4 to 6 I am going to Linden for the Pizza & beer chicken meeting at Pizza Plus with the Delta Meetup group. We are going to watch a movie about the history of chickens.
I had Aaron run nipple waterers on PVC pipe through all the individual rooster cages & it hooks right up to the regulator that the big founts run off of. Everything will be so much easier when it all gets buttoned down. We still have a ways to go. All the growout pens still need to be moved out there & there is one pen still left standing on the other side of the barn in the corral where all the chickens used to be. We left my son's Red Golden Pheasants over there & gave them a bigger run. Aaron was saying what a good garden area the corral area would be after years of chickens living there. We would lay straw down in the winter to help with the mud issue so with all the chicken droppings & straw rototilled in it should be good garden ground next Spring.
I have BCM eggs due to hatch tomorrow but I never hold out too much hope anymore on shipped eggs. I kind of got numb to the disappointments.
I am still struggling with what to keep & what to let go. I want them all!!!!!!! LOL
Karen in Turlock

 

[jeremy]

Karen you're up mighty early!

Good morning!

 

[sewandgrow]

Quote:
LOL........Yes I am....It is a terrible habit I have of waking up waaaaaaay too early.!!!!!! It's usually not even light out yet& heaven forbid I stay in the house & do house work.....LOL

 

[sewandgrow]

Is it Monday already? Where does the time go? More work to do moving & setting up the last of the pens. Ran a PVC pipe with nipple waterers through the line of individual rooster pens. I may have to put up solid dividers if they decide to spar through the wire. I have 2 more 10' pens to put up to start separating the juveniles into smaller groups. It has been so hot here. If I don't get to it in the cool of the morning forget it..!!!!! My hatches have been disappointing in this heat & with shipped eggs. What a waste of money.......When will I learn?????