California - Northern

[debs_flock]

Quote:

it's not just a slower start here. It's been over 80 this time of the morning the last few days. Good luck to you (and us)!

 

[ronott1]

DH was watching the news and told me that the forecast for us today is 102! What happened to 90??? I lost my first bird to the heat yesterday. I feel so bad and I'm dreading another day of 100+ temps.

Intellicast has Novato at 85 for a high today and Clayton with a high of 88.

You should be fine.

For the Sacramento area we matched the record for the number of days over 105--7 days. All of my chickens made it--even my middle DDs Bunny! He stayed inside the house during the heat. Now to recover and improve some things before the next heat wave!

 

[liz9910]

Maybe it will get darker. Those first eggs can be wonky colored until everything gets working. The first egg that my dark egg OE laid was a medium brown. Then the next few had some dark on them. It was a progression until her "spray equipment" was working correctly and covering the whole egg. I thought that I had a pic of her first eggs but I can't find it. The same thing happened with her sister, the OE who actually lays olive/khaki eggs. Here is a pic of her first 3 eggs.

That is true maybe it will get darker. I think it must have surprised her since I found it on the ground near the feeder lol.

 

[MossyoakLane]

We were at 59 degrees this morning when I woke up, now we are at 61......I can totally deal with this. It is going to be a beautiful day. AHHHHHHH relief!

 

[liz9910]

We were at 59 degrees this morning when I woke up, now we are at 61......I can totally deal with this. It is going to be a beautiful day. AHHHHHHH relief!

That sounds wonderful my chickens would be so happy at that temp

 

[Miss Molly]

7:49 am and 69 degrees.............................

< tears of happiness!

Going to be a great day...chicken Chores will be so much easier with the temp drop

 

[Ali707]

Well at least someone likes fatty lovers.......thankfully.

That's a good story Ron. The egg is brown but not dark brown. Maybe she will lay another egg today and I will get a pic this time.

Did you crack it open last night? Did I miss that post?

7:49 am and 69 degrees.............................

< tears of happiness!

X2

DH was watching the news and told me that the forecast for us today is 102! What happened to 90??? I lost my first bird to the heat yesterday. I feel so bad and I'm dreading another day of 100+ temps.

That can't be right?!?!? Can it? It reached 110 here yesterday....... I thought I was going to fry. I have spent more time trying to keep those chickens cool. Yesterday I put the electrolytes in their water yesterday because after 7 days of this I figured they would only benefit from it. I don't know if it was that or not but they seemed to do better yesterday and it was the hottest day so far.

I am sorry you lost your chicken to this awful heat. I have been dreading walking outside and seeing that.

The misters have seemed to help a LOT! However the Polish poofs suffer in the misters.... lol. They look pretty funny with their feathers all plastered down to their head.

Going to be a great day...chicken Chores will be so much easier with the temp drop

I actually don't mind chicken chores too much when I am not dripping sweat the minute I walk out the door.

 

[ronott1]

Going to be a great day...chicken Chores will be so much easier with the temp drop

Last night I cleaned out the nest boxes and dusted the wood under the nest pads with poultry dust. I waited until 7:30pm but it was still so hot that I was drenched before I was done. I did not have a dry spot on my shirt to wipe my glasses!

I still managed to get 11 eggs yesterday--mostly Olive colored--Crele Pennes x Cream Legbars lay eggs in the heat!

This morning I heard the egg song so I expect to come home to a bunch of eggs--along with the Bresse pullets first eggs? They were playing in the nest box yesterday.

 

[Ali707]

Question for you Polish people. I have heard that sometimes the Polish crests can get pulled out by the other birds without crests, and I haven't had that problem before. I have 3 Polish currently all different colors but it seems that one of them is getting the very middle of the crest feathers pulled out for some reason. Only the center. Is there anyway to prevent that? The other two aren't getting picked on.....?

I see some new pin feathers starting but I find it weird only one is having this issue.

Not life or death obviously, but more of a curiosity.

 

[Ali707]

I am staring to get impatient for some eggs!!!!! They are only 10 weeks, but I want some now.

I know the laying breeds especially the Stars and the RIR's can lay really early, around 18 - 19 weeks, but does anyone know the approximate time frames for:

Polish:
Orpington:
Leghorn: (These are MFL's so it may be different than a White Leghorn)
I know Welsummers take FOREVER! My last Welsummer was around 10 months and the last holdout.
Ameraucana:

Making this list I realized I didn't end up with the diversity of breeds I was hoping for. I ended up with all Roosters for the CL, and DLBB's

I do have a second list of must haves for the second hatching go around though. Is that a surprise to anyone?