Bay Area BYCers!

[Stephine]

I don’t think you can expect a broody to be ripped out of her environment and put her in a brand new situation with already hatched chicks and expect her to go right into mothering them. It is extremely stressful for her to have that much change and just because a hen likes sitting on eggs doesn’t mean that she’ll be a good mother - as you just found out with your hen. This big change is very likely to snap her right out of her broodiness. And what will happen to her afterwards? You shouldn’t integrate just a single hen into your flock. Plus what about quarantine for a new flock member??
The thing to do is to make a quick brooder and raise them yourself!

 

[eyralis]

Well, it worked out pretty well.

We found a persistent broody hen on craigslist, brought her home, and put her in the chick nursery (a permanent brooder setup & playpen inside our house) with some fake eggs under her.

Late in the night, we slowly removed the eggs and replaced them with the chicks. By the morning, she was clucking and cooing to them. Within 24 hours, if we even got near one of the chicks, she’d growl like MIIIINE

The chicks actually took a little longer, but by that evening they were OK with having just her in the nursery (before they’d insist that we stay there) and within another day they were looking at us like “who are you again?”

Mabel is now in the summer camp (we have five separate enclosures for our girls) with her babies, they have their own run, coop, heated tent and cooling mist. They can stay there as long as they like, and need never reintegrate with the rest of the flock unless they feel like it.

 

[DustyChick]

Hi! This is my first time posting here. Not sure where this belongs, but here goes. Anyone in the Bay Area (specifically San jose) know where I can re-home a 9wk old Easter Egger Rooster? Thx!

 

[SavKel&RynKel]

Hi! This is my first time posting here. Not sure where this belongs, but here goes. Anyone in the Bay Area (specifically San jose) know where I can re-home a 9wk old Easter Egger Rooster? Thx!

This spot is good. There is also a Northern California thread that is a little mor active (although this one has been busy lately).
Good luck finding a home!
Maybe showing a pic will help?

 

[Kacey Elle]

Hi DustyChick!

I am in San Jose too. I haven't had to do it so can't verify this but I heard that you can give roosters to Prusch Park and they can live out their lives there. Good luck!

 

[Honora]

1. I have a 2 month-old rooster that needs rehoming also if anyone is able to take him. He is a black Orpington with a few red feathers (mixed with Partridge). He has grown a lot since these pics; should be very large.
   
   
   
   
   

 

[micstrachan]

Is this the most currently used Bay Area thread? How are everyone’s feathered friends handling this heat wave? Mine are having a little trouble.

 

[SavKel&RynKel]

Is this the most currently used Bay Area thread? How are everyone’s feathered friends handling this heat wave? Mine are having a little trouble.

Yes and no. Most of us are on the Nor Cal thread, so this one is less often used.our birds are great so far, but the weather has picked up pretty heavy this week!

 

[micstrachan]

Ok, I think I posted there, too. Do you see that post? Thanks!

 

[Stephine]

Not sure - but I think so?
Ugh - it’s always rough when it first gets hot. Where are you? We are in Glen Ellen, so we reached 100 today. Which is not at all unusual, but we have been spoiled by cooler summers last year and this year so far...
I have a mister over the run which helps at least some. My flock is fine with temps up to 92 or so (I have a double layer of shade cloth over their run and down the south side). Higher than that and I turn on the mist. They are fine with that up to about 102. If it gets hotter I bring out the ice (to add to their drinker - it is an insulated cooler, but does warm up a bit in those temperatures) and the cold watermelon or frozen blueberries in big bowls of water. They dip their whole heads in ti get the berries at the bottom and it cools their wattles... I have offered water to stand in, rocks in water to stand on, ice bottles and they will never use them.
A couple years ago we had a day go up to 116 - I filled buckets of water with ice cubes and placed them around their pen, and kept the cold treats coming. They survived.
How about yours?