California - Northern

[zooweemama]

I am worried. I have chicks in lockdown and the humidity was 50% when I woke up. Not sure what happened as I see water in the wells. It was 70% when I went to bed. I took out the chicks that hatched put and squirted the rest of the eggs with warm water. Humidity is back up to 70% but not much is happending. Ohhh. the frustration!! They all looked great going into lock down. So far, only 12 of 32 have hatched, 4 more have pipped. Not too good. Urg... I am not a happy camper.

Good news. the ones that hatched look great.

Oh no! This is what worries me about hatching! eek!

 

[Papa Brooder]

My broody hatched 1 chick. It pipped on Monday night. Today, the chick was out from under mom, but she would not leave the nest, so I pulled her out to check the other 2 eggs. They did not develop Glad I checked though! I would be heart broke if this sweet little thing died because mom was waiting on the other eggs! ETA: I just called 3 local feed stores to see if anyone had chicks. The soonest will be Friday. I thought I MIGHT have better luck grafting a couple to her, if i could get some today. Thoughts?

I have chicks. Some just hatched today some Sunday.

 

[Wishing4Wings]

Hi everyone! I'm not sure if we're really considered Northern California (I'm a Portland, Oregon girl, myself) but we recently relocated to Penngrove, CA. It's a rural community right by Petaluma and Santa Rosa. We have ordered 25 chicks from McMurray. They should be here the 19th or 20th of February. I'm really nervous about them getting here okay, seeing all the sad stories of people getting boxes of dead chicks. I ordered the heat pack for them and am hoping for the best. We are getting:

2 Black Australorp hens
2 Buff Orpington hens and 1 rooster
2 Columbian Wyandotte hens
1 Partridge Cochin hen and 1 rooster
1 Rhode Island Red hen
and 15 of the Brown Layer Assortment

I am also planning of getting 4 Silkies when the feed store gets them (hopefully! I heard you have to get there and wait in line before they open) which isn't until March 29th. Unless anyone in the area has Silike eggs or chicks they would sell?

Nice to meet everyone I've wanted chickens for about 20 years (since I was 5) so this is a long time coming and I am so excited!! I just hope the babies get here okay.

Hi Deerling! Welcome. I'm just up in Santa Rosa and enjoying my backyard flock a great deal. Chickens are even more fun than you expect. If you don't get a reply about the Silkies, post again, because this thread goes at lightening speed on some days and things can get missed. The more I hear about Silkies, the more I like them-- little lap dogs in a chicken form.

 

[ChickNmamma]

Hi everyone! I'm not sure if we're really considered Northern California (I'm a Portland, Oregon girl, myself) but we recently relocated to Penngrove, CA. It's a rural community right by Petaluma and Santa Rosa. We have ordered 25 chicks from McMurray. They should be here the 19th or 20th of February. I'm really nervous about them getting here okay, seeing all the sad stories of people getting boxes of dead chicks. I ordered the heat pack for them and am hoping for the best. We are getting:

2 Black Australorp hens
2 Buff Orpington hens and 1 rooster
2 Columbian Wyandotte hens
1 Partridge Cochin hen and 1 rooster
1 Rhode Island Red hen
and 15 of the Brown Layer Assortment

I am also planning of getting 4 Silkies when the feed store gets them (hopefully! I heard you have to get there and wait in line before they open) which isn't until March 29th. Unless anyone in the area has Silike eggs or chicks they would sell?

Nice to meet everyone I've wanted chickens for about 20 years (since I was 5) so this is a long time coming and I am so excited!! I just hope the babies get here okay.

Hello and Welcome.

I ordered 25.. ok.. well - 35 chickies from McMurray last year. My 4 old birds were showing their age and I wanted some new blood - and to find some broody mommies so I wouldn't have to keep ordering chicks. All arrived fine, except I squished one teeny bantam with the water jar when I didn't see it. I lost a few more tiny bantams over the next few days, and McMurray gave me credit for them for the next order.

It looks like you got quite an assortment of layers, all large fowl - none of my large birds had any problems. Only the bantams.

I got my silkie at the feed store here, they were in the mixed bantam cage and I recognized it by the black skin, 5 toed feathered feet and the poof on its head. I was fortunate to get a female who has already gone broody and is taking care of her chicks. I have added 3 more Silkie girls and a rooster so I can make more Silkies in the future. They are still in quarantine separately so I don't have any fertile Silkie eggs yet. There are several members here who have Silkies, keep asking... somebody probably has hatched chicks or fertile eggs.

 

[debs_flock]

So are any of you venturing down to the Fresno show on the 16th? I haven't seen a thread for it yet.

I am!!! I have 25 birds entered this time. And this time we'll laze about in a hotel room instead of driving RT every day like we did with Stockton. One advantage is coop out is on Saturday, yay!

I know most of you just do chickens but we actually do a greater number of ducks.

I actually have four cayuga eggs going into lockdown today. I am SO excited, I've never tried hatching ducks before.

Quote: Deb said hers sold the same day they hatched.

Yes, just hatch them!

They did, I hatched for the NYE hatch last year. I had a hispanic family come and take every one of them. They said the family matriach wouldn't eat "nasty brown eggs", they even chuckled a bit about that (she wasn't with them). The family patriarch was there and he planned to eat the boys.

Hi everyone!
Nice to meet everyone I've wanted chickens for about 20 years (since I was 5) so this is a long time coming and I am so excited!! I just hope the babies get here okay.

Deb

 

[zooweemama]

I am!!! I have 25 birds entered this time. And this time we'll laze about in a hotel room instead of driving RT every day like we did with Stockton. One advantage is coop out is on Saturday, yay!


I actually have four cayuga eggs going into lockdown today. I am SO excited, I've never tried hatching ducks before.


They did, I hatched for the NYE hatch last year. I had a hispanic family come and take every one of them. They said the family matriach wouldn't eat "nasty brown eggs", they even chuckled a bit about that (she wasn't with them). The family patriarch was there and he planned to eat the boys.




Deb

I am thrilled to hear that. I know I would have to over set to get what I want and I would not be able to grow out large amounts if large amounts hatched. LOL

Hello and Welcome.

I ordered 25.. ok.. well - 35 chickies from McMurray last year. My 4 old birds were showing their age and I wanted some new blood - and to find some broody mommies so I wouldn't have to keep ordering chicks. All arrived fine, except I squished one teeny bantam with the water jar when I didn't see it. I lost a few more tiny bantams over the next few days, and McMurray gave me credit for them for the next order.

It looks like you got quite an assortment of layers, all large fowl - none of my large birds had any problems. Only the bantams.

I got my silkie at the feed store here, they were in the mixed bantam cage and I recognized it by the black skin, 5 toed feathered feet and the poof on its head. I was fortunate to get a female who has already gone broody and is taking care of her chicks. I have added 3 more Silkie girls and a rooster so I can make more Silkies in the future. They are still in quarantine separately so I don't have any fertile Silkie eggs yet. There are several members here who have Silkies, keep asking... somebody probably has hatched chicks or fertile eggs.

A friend on Instagram ordered chicks from McM hatchery and all the Polish keep dying. Just the Polish. That is happening this week. I felt so bad for her.

 

[OR4-hmom]

We have had the same problem with ordering polish. I'll be looking for a SLP at the Anderson show. One of my 4-H girls has been trying for at least 3 years to get a girl that makes it to POL.

 

[ElitePoultry]

I think PapaBrooder breeds silkies...

 

[JerseyGiantfolk]

Hi everyone! I'm not sure if we're really considered Northern California (I'm a Portland, Oregon girl, myself) but we recently relocated to Penngrove, CA. It's a rural community right by Petaluma and Santa Rosa. We have ordered 25 chicks from McMurray. They should be here the 19th or 20th of February. I'm really nervous about them getting here okay, seeing all the sad stories of people getting boxes of dead chicks. I ordered the heat pack for them and am hoping for the best. We are getting:

2 Black Australorp hens
2 Buff Orpington hens and 1 rooster
2 Columbian Wyandotte hens
1 Partridge Cochin hen and 1 rooster
1 Rhode Island Red hen
and 15 of the Brown Layer Assortment

I am also planning of getting 4 Silkies when the feed store gets them (hopefully! I heard you have to get there and wait in line before they open) which isn't until March 29th. Unless anyone in the area has Silike eggs or chicks they would sell?

Nice to meet everyone I've wanted chickens for about 20 years (since I was 5) so this is a long time coming and I am so excited!! I just hope the babies get here okay.

Woot! Another member aboard the Nor Cal thread! Welcome!

 

[OR4-hmom]

Welcome Deerling!
I'm still on the wrong side of the line but many really wonderful people here on this thread and just as close or closer than most OR folks.
Janet