Bay Area BYCers!

[dedicateddourly]

Hey Jeremy,

I thought you'd like to see some pics of your babies. They're 13 weeks old now.

Wickham (the black one), Marianne, Willoughby and Lizzie. What are the technical color terms for the boys?

Willoughby is the one who was scalped a while back. He has recovered perfectly. Saul took great care of him. I love his coloration.

Wickham has a bit of cross-beak, but it doesn't seem to slow him down.

They're so adorable. I hope to be able to keep both boys. They get along now, but who knows how they'll tolerate each other when they're older. Have you been able to keep your Ameraucana roos together?

 

[jeremy]

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Debi, he looks great. His size really impresses me, he looks to be a big boy even at this age. That's good.

His hackles seem clearer than Claude's, which is something I was trying to clear up in my line so I'm glad to see that improvement.

I really, really wish I could take him back, he's a nice young guy. Do you have any idea where he'll go to live yet?

 

[jeremy]

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Renee, they're all grown up!

Thank you for the picture update. How is life down South?

Wickham is Wheaten Ameraucana and I believe Willoughby is a Blue Wheaten Ameraucana, his color though is very pale. I almost want to say he is Splash Wheaten but he definitely has a blue hue to his feathers, so I'm betting he's just a lighter Blue Wheaten boy. The only way to be certain would be to test breed him and see what colors his resulting offspring were. I like Willoughby, the red of his hackles and saddle really creates a striking contrast between his blue feathers. When he is mature he is going to be striking.

They look like a happy bunch, I'm glad you got such a variety of color and gender. How is Bridgett doing by the way?

 

[PetRock]

Quote:
Debi, he looks great. His size really impresses me, he looks to be a big boy even at this age. That's good.

His hackles seem clearer than Claude's, which is something I was trying to clear up in my line so I'm glad to see that improvement.

I really, really wish I could take him back, he's a nice young guy. Do you have any idea where he'll go to live yet?

Thank you, Jeremy! I'm glad to hear that you think that he is maturing nicely! I'm hoping to find someone who wants to use him for breeding more AMs! Kim did say that she would take him if I can't find him another home. She has a definite soft spot for roos!

How does my little Cosette look? Her comb has reddened up so much in the last week. I have 6 pullets that range in age from 21 weeks to 24 weeks and not a single one has started to lay. I am waiting impatiently for eggs especially for the blue and olive eggs!

 

[dedicateddourly]

Jeremy,

Yes, I love the blue and red contrast on Willoughby.

Thanks for asking about Bridget. She just seems to be my problem child. Everything seems to happen to HER. She is currently going through a bout of the dry form of avian pox. No other symptoms besides the scabs. And it should be clearing up soon. It doesn't seem to have spread to the others, though I know it's a slow-progressing ailment.

Fallbrook is really nice. But just when I decided I could live here for quite awhile, Saul up and quits his job! He'd only been there for 2 weeks, but his boss was a complete jerk and micro-manager AND he wanted Saul to sacrifice quality medicine for quantity. Luckily, we had just sold our Berkeley house, so we have a bit of a buffer, but we had to back out of a purchase here in Fallbrook. So we're looking for work again, and it COULD mean moving back up north if necessary. I'd like to give this place a chance though.

 

[Country Chick at Heart]

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Kim - I just got back from vacation and catching up on the posts here. It was really great to meet you! And I'm so glad the little Silkie Roo is working out!! Fortunately, this time, we got back from vacation and no crowing was coming from the backyard!!! Just really glad he found a good home!

And I'm still trying to get a day off to go to the Heirloom Exhibit. Which day was decided?

And I believe the name of the no-kill rooster rescue ranch is Brookside Ranch.

 

[PetRock]

We are meeting on Tuesday at 11:30 for brunch and then on to the Heirloom Expo! Tuesday is the day that the chickens are being judged.

 

[calgal98]

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I loved talking to Kate. She called about my birds and we must have talked an hour. OK Karen knows, with me that's a given. LOL

I bet those goats have a great home with her.



I think we all have the "Oh, I want one!" disease. I know I do. So hard to pick just a couple of breeds and then when the varieties are an option, oh brother. If I had the room the two of you had, I'd be in trouble. Thing is I hope that happens in the next year or two. First time I saw the Swedish Flower chickens I told Bill I had to have some. I love those birds.

I had so many clear eggs that went into lockdown this week. I had like 3 dozen and only 14 (some I couldn't candle) made it. Don't know why, but every SPPR and bantam Fav had bloodrings or were pretty early quiters. So upsetting.

I'm trying to remember to take my phone out with me so I can get some pics of some of the birds today. I tried this week once and every single one was so blurry I deleted them. Those little suckers sure can move. Hoping to get a couple of quail pens together with some scap stuff this weekend and also fix a run area for my dogs. It flooded this year and I still don't have it fixed enough for my doggies. Lots to do and I have at least 63 quail eggs going in the incubator today. Hopefully I'll find a few more when I get out there this morning. I can barely move today, so sitting here waiting for an Excedrine to kick in.

Yes, I have a bit of room, but you forget I also have horses and a lot of goaties on the property!! LOL. I'm swedish heritage (from turlock area) so the flower hens were a given. I absolutely love them! They are friendly and seem super bright. I have two more shipped birds coming to me this week, so keep fingers crossed that they arrive safely.
I just gave my two polish chicken to a young gal for her son's poultry project. Turns out she works with my daughter at Memorial. Really small world!

 

[wolftracks]

Haven't been able to sleep.

I have quail hatching and thought they were due the 11th. Nope, today. I hurried up and moved them from the two incubators to the hatcher. I have 3 only out and some rockers and nothing else. Found the first one on the bottom of the Sportsman. This isn't the first time that's happened but those were all early hatches. I guess I'm ok hopefully. The are due the 7th, so maybe they'll all make it out.

I also found something I didn't want to. I had a hatch on the 2nd. I had 2 eggs ooz and one of my FBCM eggs stuck to the turner. I switched turners and I'm still trying to get the other 2 eggs loose. They did this when I went to lockdown the hatch for the 2nd. I just don't want to have them explode on me. Can't stomach that right now. So I go to see if they are loosening and of course the 2 oozers are not, but I was able to take the FBCM egg off. It had a low pip. It wasn't able to go into the hatcher and I figured since it had ick all over it that it was a goner.

I feel so bad that it tried to hatch and couldn't. Thing is this egg is more round than oval. I can't see through the cells with anything until right around lockdown. I couldn't candle this one because it was stuck. I think I may have set it upside down. I mean this egg was really round! I get a few of these. I need something stronger so I don't have the problem of not being able to see the aircell. Anyone have a suggestion? I know it could have just had a problem with pipping low which kept it from hatching, but I'd like to know for sure in the future.

 

[Country Chick at Heart]

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Thank you! Thank you! I'll work on getting Tuesday off - I'm looking forward to going!