California - Northern

[liz9910]

Ft. Bragg is my hometown. All relatives left there are in the cemetery so we are free to play tourist on our visits. We usually take the dogs and stay at Shoreline Cottages as there is a lovely dog beach a short walk away.

I'm out and about. Melting temps even an hour ago. This heat streak is obviously building. Everyone hang in there these next couple of days.

We make most of our chook supplies, but opted for the premade Costco Misty item. I have a compact coop/run and can get by with the shortest mister. Decided getting tested product with fast set up better for us than DIY option. Delivery is on the 5th, so will be ready the next heat wave. Meanwhile, my girls are getting used to seeing me come at them with the hose. I have learned to let the water run until all the accumulated hot water in the hose is out before I turn it on them. The first time poor babies got a hot shower when I neglected to take the time to flush it completely!

Oops!

 

[chiqita]

Grandma,
I can SEE the faces of the hot shower recipients! Indignity on top of indignity!!

it is going to be HOT here today, I'm home all day and expect to be miserable.

I was putting up my normal chick ad on craigslist and i got to thinking about a group i've been watching from England on facebook. They try and pair up local poultry people with people looking to feed raw to their animals. Since the california laws about selling processed poultry are a little loopy, i have been thinking about this for quail. I could grow a lot more quail then I do, and quail sales have dived off a cliff this year.

I'm not sure if it would be worth it, but I put up some feelers on CL for local raw feeders. had to word that one carefully to not weird people out. Might be cost prohibitive, however, at least for larger animals, and the big dogs are what I know people really really like raw for. Its one thing to grind up a couple of birds for your cat once a week, it's another to try and come up with pounds a day for a great dane.

Sorry if this is off putting for anyone. Mario originally talked me into quail to feed to Lhasa, my dearly departed kitty who was allergic to everything who did really well on raw and used to LOVE quail. Turns out if my animals know it, they will not eat it either! ( except for organs, mebby they smell like organs and not guy who was living in mammas special room ) .

I like the local idea , and if i'm not skinning and processing them, the law is less unhappy with me ( I may be fine under the california law selling to people, not retail or resteraunts anyway. But since I have 2 types of birds it is confusing. If it was just one or the other, i'd be ok for sure. Not sure WHAT they are worried about, but they are)

I will post again if I get any responces, If it is a wider thing, it might be a good humane and less time consuming place for extra boys. I know everyone is not comfortable with it, but in England some people offer live birds and some people offer dead but not plucked and gutted birds. t seems like knowing they are going to a good purpose and a humane use might help for a lot of people who breed.

 

[Grandmas Basket]

Another newbie lesson learned. Flip flops BAAAD idea in my sand based run! Especially with well hydrated birdies. The brilliant idea I had for rigging up a new roost inside the run dampened a lot when I felt sticky sandy smelly poo goosh between my naked toes. Icky poo!

I'm making several modifications to the run now that chicks are 3 months old. They've grown so much since they moved in that the water and feed needed to be raised. I want the containers to be secured so they don't topple. And I want to ensure my modifications don't create choking hazards. Don't want to have one dangling by the neck on a bungie cord. They are intensely curious and don't always realize they are growing and it isn't far fetched to think they might squeeze themselves into too tight spaces. At the same time, I want them to have a stimulating environment. That's where the extra roost comes in. I put it up temporarily to see if my placement even makes sense to my girls. I'm ahead of the fame so far in thinking from a chicken's perspective so hope they appreciate today's efforts.

 

[ChickNmamma]

Grandma,
I can SEE the faces of the hot shower recipients! Indignity on top of indignity!!

it is going to be HOT here today, I'm home all day and expect to be miserable.

I was putting up my normal chick ad on craigslist and i got to thinking about a group i've been watching from England on facebook. They try and pair up local poultry people with people looking to feed raw to their animals. Since the california laws about selling processed poultry are a little loopy, i have been thinking about this for quail. I could grow a lot more quail then I do, and quail sales have dived off a cliff this year.

I'm not sure if it would be worth it, but I put up some feelers on CL for local raw feeders. had to word that one carefully to not weird people out. Might be cost prohibitive, however, at least for larger animals, and the big dogs are what I know people really really like raw for. Its one thing to grind up a couple of birds for your cat once a week, it's another to try and come up with pounds a day for a great dane.

Sorry if this is off putting for anyone. Mario originally talked me into quail to feed to Lhasa, my dearly departed kitty who was allergic to everything who did really well on raw and used to LOVE quail. Turns out if my animals know it, they will not eat it either! ( except for organs, mebby they smell like organs and not guy who was living in mammas special room ) .

I like the local idea , and if i'm not skinning and processing them, the law is less unhappy with me ( I may be fine under the california law selling to people, not retail or resteraunts anyway. But since I have 2 types of birds it is confusing. If it was just one or the other, i'd be ok for sure. Not sure WHAT they are worried about, but they are)

I will post again if I get any responces, If it is a wider thing, it might be a good humane and less time consuming place for extra boys. I know everyone is not comfortable with it, but in England some people offer live birds and some people offer dead but not plucked and gutted birds. t seems like knowing they are going to a good purpose and a humane use might help for a lot of people who breed.

Let me know what responses you get, and how you worded your ad. I have my chickens for pets mostly, but it is always in my mind that these are food animals and they need to pay for their food in some way (eggs or meat). I am also very aware if you hatch and raise babies you have a huge chance of getting lots of excess boys that you need to take care of. I just hate processing my roosters.

I put an ad in over here to sell 4 young bantam cross hens and 18 chicks - no responses at all right now. My mother has two roosters I am trying to help her sell also - nothing. It also appears I may have about a dozen up and coming boys from chicks I hatched - mostly bantams but I fear 3 out of 4 Speckled Sussex are boys

If I can just make the money back I spent on the feed I would be happy. If it works for you I may try that route.

 

[chiqita]

Its a very slow chicken time. I am getting people who want eggs to put under hens, but people don't want to start chickens and go on vacation. Things pick up twards the end of august, iirc from last year.

But.. in better news!!!
I HAVE 3 FRENCH MUSCOVIES! Well, 2.5 one is almost out, but its a duck could sit for another 24 hrs thinking. One is looking a bit peaked, but she is only a few hours old so she gets a break. I stuck her and the over pipped on in the incubator to monitor them in case miss silkie was crushing them.
I will move them upstairs to the porch so they can have water soon. Too hot on the porch now.
Pictures then!

 

[lawatt]

wow re: muscovies!!

and even better news: it wasn't as blisteringly hot today! "only" got to 91 -- and a cooler breeze just started up! the thermometer is dropping! *so relieved*

 

[liz9910]

Quote:
You're lucky, it's 102 degrees here.

 

[chiqita]

wow re: muscovies!!

and even better news: it wasn't as blisteringly hot today! "only" got to 91 -- and a cooler breeze just started up! the thermometer is dropping! *so relieved*

Huzzah! Its still going up here.
( once it is not too hot, I have to share my chickens tory your amazing one reminded me of!)

You're lucky, it's 102 degrees here.

ouch
Supposed to be cooler tomorrow, right?

My poor sereamas I think have friend their eggs. The eggs i started taking away from nutmeg since she was stealing all the new eggs are hatching. Ill give them those chicks in a few days, it will be a VERY staggerd hatch.

I could not wait to see the duckling again, so here is a picture . They are in a filing cabinet the silkies think is the ultamite brooder.


Here is a bunch of birds set on the same day, but differnt ages ( turkey quail chickens etc..)

 

[liz9910]

Quote:
Cute duckling and chickies! Unfortunately it's supposed to be 108 here tomorrow

 

[chiqita]

what!! I thought tomorrow was cooler.
#78*&(%#&%@#