Bay Area BYCers!

[Wishing4Wings]

New to BYC and from oakdale california have some bantam chicks and standard lace wyandottes. Looking forward to learning about the chicken habit. I raise sheep and cattle and have horses so why not chickens too.

Welcome chickventure!

Chickens can be addictive, so build a big coop!

 

[dldolan]

Wine barrels are so awesome!

 

[dldolan]

Hi @dldolan ! I thought about you the other day, we finally cut the last wine barrel we got from you years ago, and planted citrus trees. The inside of the barrel was a beautiful deep purple/burgundy color. My Orps are consistently broody every year, though not every hen will try to hatch eggs. So I don't think they're quite as persistent as bantam Cochins. My oldest hen, Thelma, has decided to sit already, which surprised me. I haven't had a broody this early in the year before. She should have chicks in about two weeks. I've gotta give her an A for effort... she's sitting on 11 eggs! She's a smaller girl, I think she only weighs around 3 pounds.

How did Thelma do?

 

[jeremy]

She hatched 5 chicks, squished 3 (including 2 Blues), the remaining 2 are now being brooded with a batch of chicks that were a week older. She wouldn't take to her babies, which is something I've never experience with a broody before, especially one as committed as Thelma was to hatching those eggs! Oh well, the two remaining chicks are growing, & Thelma has since forgotten all about being a mother.

ETA: the two chicks that survived are feathering in, one is Chocolate... & the other looks pure white. My guess is that it's Splash, but I've never hatched such a white/pale Splash before. There isn't one spot of gray on the little guy or gal. I'm almost wondering if there's a chance it could be recessive White... we'll see, I'm glad she didn't squish that one!

 

[dldolan]

Wow. Well, how nice to get a chocolate, at least. How old? My Splash Marans start getting spots coming in about 8-10 days old.
Here was the group that included Dolly and Jolene at ten days.

 

[Laurieks]

Back to BYC! I've missed you guys
I'm happy to see you're still here.
I met someone who would like one small goose to live with his chickens, as a pet not a guard. His mother would not allow him to have a goose as a child, so now is his chance! He has small children, and I was chastised on Facebook for even thinking of enabling their endangerment. He's not going to leave them alone together, really!
1. Is one breed or goose smaller and/or less aggressive?
2. Who has one for sale? (hopefully in Sonoma County)

 

[dldolan]

Back to BYC! I've missed you guys

I'm happy to see you're still here.
I met someone who would like one small goose to live with his chickens, as a pet not a guard. His mother would not allow him to have a goose as a child, so now is his chance! He has small children, and I was chastised on Facebook for even thinking of enabling their endangerment. He's not going to leave them alone together, really!
1. Is one breed or goose smaller and/or less aggressive?
2. Who has one for sale? (hopefully in Sonoma County)

Hi Laurie! Welcome back!

 

[jeremy]

Wow. Well, how nice to get a chocolate, at least. How old? My Splash Marans start getting spots coming in about 8-10 days old.
Here was the group that included Dolly and Jolene at ten days.

Yeah, I was pretty shocked by the whole situation.

The little "White" chick is about a week or so old, so it's barely begun to feather in. I'll definitely be keeping an eye on it.

The Chocolate chick, if a pullet, will be sold. If it's a cockerel, he'll be a contender for next season's flock leader. I'm trying to reorganize my flock so that it's sex-linked for future breedings. I'll be keeping a Chocolate or Mauve (Choc + Blue) male, over Blue and Black females. This will yield BBS males, all split to/recessively carrying Choc and Chocolate or Mauve pullets. They'll be sexable as day olds, thanks to the Choc gene. It's taken me almost 2 years to get to this point, as I started with a Black split to Choc male initially. I've been focusing on type, trying to get my birds smaller and rounder, so it's definitely been a process. I'm hoping the effort shows in this generation that's growing up.

 

[Birdbrain Farms]

Yeah, I was pretty shocked by the whole situation.
Hey Jeremy, any chance you have chicks for sale?
The little "White" chick is about a week or so old, so it's barely begun to feather in. I'll definitely be keeping an eye on it.

The Chocolate chick, if a pullet, will be sold. If it's a cockerel, he'll be a contender for next season's flock leader. I'm trying to reorganize my flock so that it's sex-linked for future breedings. I'll be keeping a Chocolate or Mauve (Choc + Blue) male, over Blue and Black females. This will yield BBS males, all split to/recessively carrying Choc and Chocolate or Mauve pullets. They'll be sexable as day olds, thanks to the Choc gene. It's taken me almost 2 years to get to this point, as I started with a Black split to Choc male initially. I've been focusing on type, trying to get my birds smaller and rounder, so it's definitely been a process. I'm hoping the effort shows in this generation that's growing up.

 

[Sidney J]

Hello BYC folks. I live in Fremont and am considering adopting a couple of rescue chickens. I would love it if I could visit someone in Fremont or Union City to see what is involved with keeping backyard chickens. If you can help me I guess you use the mail here.

Thanks!