California - Northern

[ronott1]

she's a little over a year old, and not from a hatchery -- but we've not had the crazy heat that folks inland are dealing with, the highest we've had is 90° or so.


i gave her some yogurt this morning, which she was gobbling down when i left -- will add vitamins to the mix when i get home this afternoon. she'll definitely need a major cleaning, and i've never given a grown chicken a bath before -- any tips?

and such scary news about the Morgan fire -- fingers crossed that Megan's flock is out of its way!

90 is hot for a Cream Legbar. Make sure she gets electrolytes too.

 

[capayvalleychick]

she'll definitely need a major cleaning, and i've never given a grown chicken a bath before -- any tips?

I do it this way: http://www.pathfindersfarm.com/Washing.html

I didn't use bluing and I let them air dry in a cage on the lawn, since it was so warm.

If you simply need to wash a dirty rear, I've done that by holding their backside under the running water in the sink. No need to wash the entire bird for that.

 

[lawatt]

90 is hot for a Cream Legbar. Make sure she gets electrolytes too.

i've just got one of those "save a chick" packets, hopefully that'll be good -- but she can't have lost this much weight just from a couple of hot days, she's looking very thin. i'm angry with myself for not noticing it sooner.

and Kim, i'm hoping to get to the Heirloom Expo tomorrow, but i have no idea yet what time, as i may have to do some unexpected stuff on campus... what time is Walt's talk, do you know?

edit: and thanks for the bathing link! i'm hoping just the backside with some warm water will work... fortunately she's relatively calm around me, i have no idea how one would wash some of my more skittish birds, they'd be flapping wildly!

 

[PetRock]

Ditto! Wow, I'll be thinking of them. I'm not familiar with the area either - is it densely populated?

It is not densely populated. There are lots of ranches/acreages. The brush up the hills is dense, though, and very dry. All of her chickens are there.

 

[Ali707]

The Morgan Territory fire by Mt Diablo is still growing. As of 7:15 this morning, it had burned 1500 acres and was only 10% contained. Morgan Territory Rd is completely closed and that is the road that the ranch is on. Megan messaged me last night to tell me that they couldn't get in at all and they are just praying that all of their chickens are okay.

Is this the same Megan that is on here occasionally? The one with the Pita Pintas? So scary. Hopefully everything goes well. Do you know if there was a lot of defensible area around her house? Lot's of houses close together? Were here birds all outside? How awful. Let her know we are thinking of her and sending good thoughts her way.

90 is hot for a Cream Legbar. Make sure she gets electrolytes too.

You know, I don't have one of those but wanted one. I got 3 boys to hatch. Lucky me. I am thinking it may be a bad idea given where I live. Out of all my birds I have noticed that the Wheaten Ameraucanas are the least heat tolerant. They are panting way before anyone else. Even the extra big, fluffy Orpingtons. Maybe it is a blue egg layer thing. Your UofA's are good in the heat though right?

 

[capayvalleychick]

i've just got one of those "save a chick" packets, hopefully that'll be good -- but she can't have lost this much weight just from a couple of hot days, she's looking very thin. i'm angry with myself for not noticing it sooner.

and Kim, i'm hoping to get to the Heirloom Expo tomorrow, but i have no idea yet what time, as i may have to do some unexpected stuff on campus... what time is Walt's talk, do you know?

edit: and thanks for the bathing link! i'm hoping just the backside with some warm water will work... fortunately she's relatively calm around me, i have no idea how one would wash some of my more skittish birds, they'd be flapping wildly!

It's at 5:00. Hope to see you!
It's strange, but when you put a chicken into warm water, they relax. Sometimes they even fall asleep. I didn't believe it until I saw it.

It is not densely populated. There are lots of ranches/acreages. The brush up the hills is dense, though, and very dry. All of her chickens are there.

OMG, all her Spanish birds that can't be replaced! Sometimes sparsely populated areas are easier to defend. The firefighters clear around the houses, do a back burn around the property, and let the fire burn through the wildlands around them. I hope that's how this turns out.

 

[capayvalleychick]

Your UofA's are good in the heat though right?

I'm going to answer... yes.

 

[ronott1]

Is this the same Megan that is on here occasionally? The one with the Pita Pintas? So scary. Hopefully everything goes well. Do you know if there was a lot of defensible area around her house? Lot's of houses close together? Were here birds all outside? How awful. Let her know we are thinking of her and sending good thoughts her way.

You know, I don't have one of those but wanted one. I got 3 boys to hatch. Lucky me. I am thinking it may be a bad idea given where I live. Out of all my birds I have noticed that the Wheaten Ameraucanas are the least heat tolerant. They are panting way before anyone else. Even the extra big, fluffy Orpingtons. Maybe it is a blue egg layer thing. Your UofA's are good in the heat though right?

Yes the UofA Blues do very well in the heat. They only need shade up to 105 or so. Capayvalleychick had two Cockerels and one pullet in Guinda where it gets hotter and they were fine. They appear to be as good in the heat as the Crele Penedesencas. Hendersons chicken chart says the Penedesencas are Ultra Heat Hardy.

 

[lawatt]

It's at 5:00. Hope to see you!
It's strange, but when you put a chicken into warm water, they relax. Sometimes they even fall asleep. I didn't believe it until I saw it.

OMG, all her Spanish birds that can't be replaced! Sometimes sparsely populated areas are easier to defend. The firefighters clear around the houses, do a back burn around the property, and let the fire burn through the wildlands around them. I hope that's how this turns out.

hooray, Kim, i'm sure i can make it there by then! (a Skype meeting keeps moving around but currently is set for 12:30, so later afternoon is no problem).

and so strange about warm water -- but good to know! all of my teenagers that were raised by broody-moms (and have been scared by bobcat attacks) are wildly skittish, none want to be touched or handled -- fortunately Lucy isn't quite so neurotic, so it'll be good practice with her.

and is Megan keeping her birds on the same ranch that Cheryl used to have hers at? i've been there once -- it's down near the road & i don't remember tons of trees or brush around, so hopefully it's an easily-defended space. fingers crossed.

 

[juststruttin]

The Morgan Territory fire by Mt Diablo is still growing. As of 7:15 this morning, it had burned 1500 acres and was only 10% contained. Morgan Territory Rd is completely closed and that is the road that the ranch is on. Megan messaged me last night to tell me that they couldn't get in at all and they are just praying that all of their chickens are okay.

That is so scary. I hope her home and birds are okay.