Bay Area BYCers!

[MarinMama]

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Sooo cute.

 

[wolftracks]

Staying up tonight so I will be awake for them to come fix my cable and internet lines. Three days of not being able to get on here when I want has been killing me.

Jeremy you will love having the Fortnight lilies! This it the first house I've even lived in that I haven't planted them in yet. Bad year, so just now getting back into my gardnering. I have 10 of these on order, since HD was out of them when I went to pick them up. Slowly but surely adding to the plants for the landscape. I was only working on the front yard, but I love these and my other chickens always loved hiding under them. The only shade in my backyard is from things that need to be removed, but had to leave them for the animals for now.

I had another hatch yesterday and today. Things were going great and then my FBCMs started pipping, zipping and dying. I tried to save the last one, but it just died. I'm so bummed. Anyway I lost several eggs that pipped internally and then nothing. There were 3 SPPRs in there that actually made it to lockdown, but two DIS and one was a late quiter. At least I know they are now laying fertile eggs. I've had teo other people hatch a few out, but these are the first I actually came close to getting chicks from. And I lost the chicks from my Favs too. They are so nice and I want to make sure I have at least 2 trios of them.

I've lost s few of my quail, but I kind of expected that. I had some that were so tiny they just didn't thrive and a couple who's slade legs just didn't straighten out. I need to find something to put them in like I do with a coffee cup for my chicks, but I couldn't find anything that would keep the little buggers confined enough. Plus they pop straight up even if they're literally in over their heads. Hopefully I'll get enough breeders to actually do something with them.

I'm getting kind of excited about one of my few BCM chicks from my birds. Looks like I might have a really nice cockerel for later. He's sweet too! I have a few pullets also. So not bad, since I get maybe one or 2 out of a hatch. I figured they'd be all roos.

I'm down to only Silver AM cockerels. I lost my last girl. I love the Silvers, so again, bummed. Now I need to find more.

BTW, Deb! Trouble is still named trouble. Only because he ran into some with Sterling. Sterling has always been so sweet, but he got really upset when I finally brought Trouble out to meet everyone. Kept having to chase my little sweetheart away and Trouble actually jumped up on my arm and climbed till he could bury his face in my neck and hair. My 13 year old grandson was here and no longer like Sterling. Then yesterday I was out watering down the run and Sterling was dancing for the girls. Time to build a coop and run for him and get him some girls. He didn't turn out like a silver. He came from a lavendar breeding, so I have an off color bird, but he's gorgeous, so if he plays nice I'll use him for EEs or OEs. Figures he came out of the bluest egg. Maybe I just need to develop another color!

I have another hatch on the 29th and on the 30th???? Geese! I hope I have at least two in there. Need to take out two and one is iffy.

Since I'm up I think I'll go feed the zoo.

 

[cherylcohen]

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Why are you losing so many? Is it an incubator problem, predator?

 

[wolftracks]

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Why are you losing so many? Is it an incubator problem, predator?

Doesn't seem to matter the bator or the hatcher. The others pop right out, but the breeds I want the most I'm having a really hard time with. Everyone is eatting the exact same feed, no problems with their health, I'm just losing them. I did save a little bantam chick that I haven't identified yet and 2 AMs from earlier this week, by going in and getting them out. I figured if I don't they'll die anyway. I rarely can get them to hatch if the while thing goes more than a day.

Every chick that I found DIS was fully developed. The Marans chicks were huge, so I'm wondering if that's the problem with them.

 

[PetRock]

Thank you for the update on Trouble, Kim! I'm sorry that you lost your Silver girl!

This was our first year of having straight run chicks and cockerels. I've decided not to ask about the ones we have rehomed but still love to hear about them! We rehomed our little Olive Egger roo to a lady in Brentwood who has 3 1/2 acres zoned agricultural. She used to raise chickens and is just now getting back into them. She also raises heritage turkeys, goats, and rescue Anatolian Sheperd dogs. She has lots of animals! It was fun to see them. She does process her extra birds so I'm definitely not asking about LeRoo! He has a chance to have a good life with a small flock of mixed breed girls but he's going to have to be a good boy!

 

[jeremy]

Kim, where did you order the plants from? I've started to look online but haven't really found a good deal yet.

Debi, I think we share a similar view when it comes to rehoming cockerels. While they're with me I give the best "upbringing" I can, then I try my hardest to find good homes for the boys that I have. However I don't ask questions of those willing to take them because honestly it's none of my business!

IF someone needs a bird to raise in order to process and then put food on the table for themselves or their family then more power to them. I plan on doing the same with some of my own little boys!

 

[sewandgrow]

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Jeremy,
These are very common plants that you should be able to find in any big store with a nursery section be it Home Depot, Lowes, WalMart etc................ They are relatively inexpensive. If you have gardening friends that have them they can divide & share. They are easy keepers. I think Kim said she ordered hers from Home Depot. You may find it called Moraea, Fortnight Lily, African Iris & Butterfly Iris. The two names are often confused. The growth is very similar but one has the white flower with a purple blotch with yellow & the other is a pale yellow flower with a brown blotch. Both are very hardy & easy care.

 

[jeremy]

Quote:
Jeremy,
These are very common plants that you should be able to find in any big store with a nursery section be it Home Depot, Lowes, WalMart etc................ They are relatively inexpensive. If you have gardening friends that have them they can divide & share. They are easy keepers. I think Kim said she ordered hers from Home Depot. You may find it called Moraea, Fortnight Lily, African Iris & Butterfly Iris. The two names are often confused. The growth is very similar but one has the white flower with a purple blotch with yellow & the other is a pale yellow flower with a brown blotch. Both are very hardy & easy care.

Karen, I'll go check at The Home Depot this afternoon when I get off work. Our garden center here actually has a giant book that you can special order almost any plant out of. I bet these plants are in that book!

Thank you for your help!

 

[wolftracks]

They were $3.50 at HD, but they were out. I have a raincheck on the price and put 10 on the order. I did buy one, but it had been beat up a bit. They lowered it to $2. They can take abuse. I've had people mow over them, clip them back a little too far and they come right back. Anything that says Iris on them I have to have. I used to have 3 sized of bearded in from black to white and everything in between. Lilies are another one of my have to haves.

It's so hot out here in the summer I'm glad I found a good deal. They can tolerate less watering. I wish now I had actually ordered maybe 20 plants. I have a big big yeard, but I had to talk myself out of a larger number when I went for them. I want lots of different types of plants, but it I had to do a cheap landscape and one that needed little care, I'd plant the heck out of these.

 

[dldolan]

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Ditto. Rehomed my Icelandic "Mr Landeroo" today via Western Farm Store. I wasn't there 3 minutes when a lovely family wanted to take him home because "he is so beautiful, he will make our hens happy". Yippee! Kind of a re-home/re-purposed deal, I'm thinking! Lind of like the Habitat for Humanity Re-Store!!