Bay Area BYCers!

[dldolan]

Happy Easter, everyone!

My jblehm Ameraucana's are growing and are now "free ranging" in their 6 x 10 foot shed. It was hysterical to watch them yesterday when I first let them out of the baby coop, as they all ran around in the shavings doing wheelies, jumping up and down, and doing test flights. I was laughing so hard I thought I might pee my pants! Then the little silver AM who is now named Athena (as she looked like an owlet until very recently), climbed up on my arm (I was sitting on the floor with them), snuggled in and took a nap! I guess I was like a heating pad... I am pretty sure the white, the buff, and one Lav are boys (so far). But, will keep them another three weeks or so before I make any decisions.

Cheryl, a chicken gal up here in Santa Rosa with 2 acres took two of the Icelandic boys for her flock of 20 hens. Her rooster died last fall, and she loves the gorgeous colors and that they will be a bit smaller roos. The brothers will have some lovely gals to court at her farm! The other little dude I am keeping to see how it goes. He and Lil' Joe my Splash Marans cockerel were facing off today a bit. Posturing. Ha!

Lil' Joe tried to mount one of the LF cochins yesterday (he is only12 weeks old), and being a full-bodied gal about to tolerate no such NONSENSE from a hooligan, she whipped her head around to see what the heck was going on, flipped him off her in a flash, and then attacked him! He ran. Fast. Chicken TV. This week's show is apparently, "The Young and The Restless".

 

[OrpingtonManor]

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[HHandbasket]

Well, due to the multiple problems with incubation A-G-A-I-N, we had a low hatch & none of my 3 blue-wheaten ameraucana eggs from Jeremy hatched (two made it to lockdown, one was ice cold on day 21 & the other one stayed warm but flunked the float test today). On the bright side, Linda (gryeyes) took pity on me and brought me 2 of the ones she hatched (I think she had 100% hatch on those, if I'm not mistaken--you'll have to ask her).

I must say that those are two of the healthiest, hardiest chicks I've had in a while. Thank you for doing such a good job with the parents, Jeremy! I'm sure that's why the hatch rates are so excellent & the chicks are so vibrant. Good job, good job!

 

[jeremy]

Dawn,

Jerrilynn, I'm so sorry about your babies.

I lost one of my Meredith Ameraucana babies today, too. So now we have six little ones cheeping in the brooder. I would love to see pictures if your new little ones.

lisascenic, cool! We are in the deep East, almost to the San Leandro border. Are you considering bantams because you feel you don't have enough space for large fowl?

 

[HHandbasket]

Thanks, Jeremy. I'm definitely going to get pix of the new babies tomorrow. Out of 18 eggs we set, 2 hatched, mutt chicks from Linda's yard. I swear, though, she has this gorgeous EE rooster and a delaware hen & they keep producing the most GORGEOUS mostly-white mixes with muffs/beards, peacombs, lay blue eggs, but are white like the delaware mama. I have personally hatched out 3 of these from Linda's flock, and Linda's broody hens hatched out 2 last year, and they've grown up to be good layers of pretty blue/green eggs.

I think this is what they refer to as hybrid vigor, as the offspring are strong, solid, hatch easily, and grow up to be good layers.

 

[jeremy]

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I've got some Ameraucana X Delaware eggs under a broody and in the incubator right now! I'm really excited about this cross, my Delawares are egg laying machines with personality to boot. Hopefully with Claude's genes in the mix I'll get a couple lovely green egg layers.

I'm only setting eggs from one hen in particular who lays a lovely pale pink-beige egg with darker brown speckles, like that of a Welsummer hen. She's consistently laid a pretty egg like that over the past few months so I hope it's a trait she will pass on to her offspring!

 

[sewandgrow]

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So cute...!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[sewandgrow]

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You are very near me...I'm in the fruitvale.
I plan on going to the Alameda bike tour and would love to partner up if you'd like. You can tell me about keeping bees...I'm currently researching beekeeping.

Hey guys,
A trip down memory lane for me. I grew up near the Safeway Tower out off East 14th St. I think they changed the name of the street now. My Dad worked a second job at the old Fruitvale Theater & my husband & I spent our first 2 years after we got married living in Alameda. Waaaaaay too crowded there for me now but great memories. I now live on 6 acres in the country and we are retired & living the good life. Chickens keep it interesting for me but even as a kid in Oakland I had a chick or 2 off & on from my grandmother's dairy here in Turlock. Such fun.............Enjoy the bike tour. Hope you are able to get together. It is such fun to have someone to "talk chicken" with.....LOL

 

[PetRock]

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I hope that everyone had a wonderful Easter yesterday! We spent some time outside watching chicken TV too and enjoying the weather. We put our 9 brooder babies in a temporary outside pen. We had a great time watching the little roos square off. This is only our second year with chicks and last year bought sexed pullets. So this is our first experience with little boys and they are hysterical! We have 3 definite roos out of 7 straight run chicks with another possible 1 or 2. Our little Lemon Drop who is one of Jeremy's BW Ams and our Silver Am kept going after each other while the others just tried to stay out of their way. We can't keep any of the roos but we are going to enjoy them for what little time we do have with them.

 

[cherylcohen]

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Beautiful eggs!!! Congrats on the new layer! Too funny! She's an "Easter Egger" because she laid her first egg on Easter!

LOL Can you tell that my sense of humor is missing?? Congrats!