Bay Area BYCers!

[Wishing4Wings]

Your kitties are adorable. They both have striking eyes.

Western Farm Center in Santa Rosa has a good website that will list the breeds and dates they get chicks in. Little bit of a drive, but not too bad. There are probably other places closer, but this is the best place near me.

 

[InWrongCentury]

Thank you for the tip! I drive up that way occasionally for work, and at the very least it's a pretty drive past San Rafael.

I noticed their schedule goes out to mid-April and stops, and similar ends to schedules for others (except Concord, theirs goes to the end of May). Is there a reason for this? If I didn't get peepers til mid May, will that cause problems?

I forgot to mention, your Ming looks so much like my childhood Siamese, Tuki! Once a Siamese's human, always one.

 

[Wishing4Wings]

I think they add to the schedule when they can guarantee the deliveries. You could always call them to check because sometimes things show up that aren't on the list and occasionally expected orders are short. Chick season usually winds down by the end of May. Not that you can't get them, but the feed stores don't order much past then and there is less choice. Height of the season is now through April. If you ever want me to check at Western, just let me know. Seems I am there about once a week for something or other.

You'll have a good 4 weeks to build a coop while brooding the chicks with a heat source. (In the garage is my recommendation. They create an immense amount of dust!) Wild, active 4 week old chicks are a good incentive to build!!

Yes indeed, I am Ming's person. She is on my lap now, hampering my typing. She was also a rescue kitty (I could not resist her) and is very petite, at a whopping 5½lbs. They couldn't believe that she was able to deliver a litter of 3 kittens given her tiny size. We had our first siamese cross when was a kid. Murphy was a snowshoe. Big guy, but a big bag of bones when you picked him up!

 

[Country Chick at Heart]

Thanks everyone for all of your tips and making me feel so very welcome! I was thinking of going to Concord Feed & Fuel, and maybe Half Moon Bay Feed & Fuel. Concord F&F was the only one I've found so far that has a listing of their expected deliveries, and as the consummate planner, I was trying to source the chickies from somewhere where I could get them all within a week of each other. It sounds like I might have a bigger window than that, more like 2 weeks? Are there better feed stores to look at? Driving to Ben Lomond is certainly possible! (I went to college at UCSC - my favorite part was the mountains) To be honest, I initially considered breeders, but I was a bit overwhelmed by the prospect of contacting so many different people to source chicks, hence looking to a feed store. However, once I get the hang of this, it sounds like adding to the flock as you go isn't out of the question or unheard of. How... dangerous! And last but not least, Wishing4Wings: thank you for the compliment! Yes, he definitely has some of the bluest eyes I've seen on any cat! His name is Mushu: His "brother" has the greenest eyes I have seen, too. His name is Lyon: They are both goofs! And extremely cuddly - I got them as kittens from a feral colony and spent a lot of time socializing them. Now they are awesome "cat ambassadors."

Hi! And welcome to the wonderful world of raising and keeping chickens! You will find so many wonderful people and advice on this thread and the Northern California thread! I started out like you are about almost 4 years ago! We had chickens while I was growing up but I had never raised any of my own. And I tried really hard to get them all at the same time. I initially rounded up 9 chicks. I wanted egg layers too, but my boyfriend really loved Silkies...so we drove to Lincoln one weekend for the Silkies ...of the 5, 3 were roos. Next weekend was Novato for two Black Astralorps...one. turned out to be a roo and finally two weekends later Western Farm for my two Buff Orpingtons. So I can relate to running around to get the breeds you want. From what I have seen of the feed stores , I whole heartedly agree with Wishing4Wings, Western Farm Center is great! They seem to have the best set up for chicks and the staff is very knowledgeable. Concord is nice too, but the 2 stores I've been in their chicks are open and sometimes they don't reinforce the don't pick up the chicks rule. Western Farm is good, It is a drive, but a pretty one! Anyway, you definitely have a window to work with to mix your chicks. Good luck to you and don't forget pics of the new kids! PS..your kitties are indeed adorable! I miss having kitties around!

 

[sewandgrow]

Sandy if you got your chickens that long ago it seems time to "refresh" your flock. You certainly know enough breeders to get whatever you want from them. Are you coming to the party in May??? Now is the time to decide what you want & put the word out.....LOL

 

[Country Chick at Heart]

  Sandy if you got your chickens that long ago it seems time to "refresh" your flock. You certainly know enough breeders to get whatever you want from them. Are you coming to the party in May??? Now is the time to decide what you want & put the word out.....LOL

I am coming! It's marked on the calendar and highlighted and underlined! LOL! I guess it is time....just hard for me to get rid of the girls I have....My mom always had retirement pens. Lol! The ladies were good bug eaters in the garden and every now and then we would get an egg from that group. Pretty funny! But she has the space...I'm so limited here in town. Maybe you and Debbi can help me finalize my list at lunch! I have a couple possible dates and I'll PM them.

 

[mustangsaguaro]

I have fallen up some pretty hard times (some major life changes) and I am getting totally out of chickens. I have found homes for everyone but 2 birds. If anyone can help I'd greatly appreciate it. I have a pair of Black split Ameraucana (split to Lavender). I am moving on April 10 and I must rehome these 2 ASAP. As I can't take them where I am going. The male is a show quality bird. I am located in the Morgan Hill/Gilroy area, must pick up locally. I don't ship birds. I would like these guys rehomed by next weekend if possible. I'm asking $50 for the pair since the male is such a nice bird. If you can help I would be forever grateful. Message me privately if you are interested in these birds. They MUST go as a pair.

 

[calichickies]

Thanks everyone for all of your tips and making me feel so very welcome!

I was thinking of going to Concord Feed & Fuel, and maybe Half Moon Bay Feed & Fuel. Concord F&F was the only one I've found so far that has a listing of their expected deliveries, and as the consummate planner, I was trying to source the chickies from somewhere where I could get them all within a week of each other. It sounds like I might have a bigger window than that, more like 2 weeks? Are there better feed stores to look at? Driving to Ben Lomond is certainly possible! (I went to college at UCSC - my favorite part was the mountains)

To be honest, I initially considered breeders, but I was a bit overwhelmed by the prospect of contacting so many different people to source chicks, hence looking to a feed store. However, once I get the hang of this, it sounds like adding to the flock as you go isn't out of the question or unheard of. How... dangerous!

And last but not least, Wishing4Wings: thank you for the compliment! Yes, he definitely has some of the bluest eyes I've seen on any cat! His name is Mushu:




His "brother" has the greenest eyes I have seen, too. His name is Lyon:


They are both goofs! And extremely cuddly - I got them as kittens from a feral colony and spent a lot of time socializing them. Now they are awesome "cat ambassadors."

 

[wolftracks]

Hello everyone! We are in Alameda, and hoping to get our chicks in the next month or so. I'm thinking five hens (I'm already a victim of the "chicken math" phenomenon since I started out thinking I'd get only 3...) and once I get plans and materials, my husband, father-in-law, and I will get working on the coop/run.

I'm looking forward to learning a lot from this community!

The first place I lived In CA was Alameda. I was almost 5 and a Navy brat. I used to love Alameda. My baby sister has lived there for about 20 years. Glad you found us.

I have fallen up some pretty hard times (some major life changes) and I am getting totally out of chickens. I have found homes for everyone but 2 birds. If anyone can help I'd greatly appreciate it. I have a pair of Black split Ameraucana (split to Lavender). I am moving on April 10 and I must rehome these 2 ASAP. As I can't take them where I am going. The male is a show quality bird. I am located in the Morgan Hill/Gilroy area, must pick up locally. I don't ship birds. I would like these guys rehomed by next weekend if possible. I'm asking $50 for the pair since the male is such a nice bird. If you can help I would be forever grateful. Message me privately if you are interested in these birds. They MUST go as a pair.

So sorry things are happening, but I really understand. I also have some birds for sale or I would have taken yours. Hope this doesn't mean you're leaving BYC though.




Mentioned I have some birds for sale. Here are the links to the adds and also have them posted on the CA whole state thread.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/870991/bantam-blue-langshan-pair/0_20

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/870990/golden-phoenix/0_20

 

[jeremy]

Would anyone be interested in a Bay Area get together this summer?