California - Northern

[Ponyfeather]

Nice to see there are so many people in N. California. Does anyone here have recommendations for breeds here? The only chickens I've have experience with are Leghorns and Jersey Giants that are my friends. I know I want another Leghorn I lost my hen at my friends she was the most love able chicken. But I'd like to know what chicken breeds are the most happy here in California. I'm also a tiny bit interested in showing so a good show breed/egg layer breed would be loved.

 

[AmyPaperlady]

Nice to see there are so many people in N. California. Does anyone here have recommendations for breeds here? The only chickens I've have experience with are Leghorns and Jersey Giants that are my friends. I know I want another Leghorn I lost my hen at my friends she was the most love able chicken. But I'd like to know what chicken breeds are the most happy here in California. I'm also a tiny bit interested in showing so a good show breed/egg layer breed would be loved.

What part of Northern California are you in? 'Cause there're quite a variety of climates to account for! For instance, I don't have to worry about heat-hardiness or cold-hardiness, since getting up to 70 and down to freezing are both pretty rare, while others in the region have triple-digit summers and/or below 0 winters.

 

[Ponyfeather]

What part of Northern California are you in? 'Cause there're quite a variety of climates to account for! For instance, I don't have to worry about heat-hardiness or cold-hardiness, since getting up to 70 and down to freezing are both pretty rare, while others in the region have triple-digit summers and/or below 0 winters.

Thank you for the welcome. I live in the heart of 'wine country' Sonoma. I think I might need a heat hardy breed the Valley I live in has micro climates we get upper 90's and low 100's regularly in summer. Sometimes we'll be upwards to two to three degrees different then the rest of the valley. We don't freeze here often thankfully and normally don't drop blow 40 in winter. I'd also love an economical friendly breed of chickens.

 

[chrissyr]

​

What about calking the spurs?
LOUD

his spurs are about 3/4 " long. Do you think it's the spurs? I see the nails being a problem, but are spurs a culprit too?

 

[Country Chick at Heart]

.
Muscovy's eat ants. Guineas are big bullies!! My boy launches himself at my turkey toms when they go to eat marans food. He has bad aim however so he bounces off. They are supposed to be nasty in groups however and remember.......
LOUD​

I agree with the LOUD! Back in the day.......My parents purchased a pair for a friend of theirs and kept them in the backyard near our chicken coop. Unfortunately they were under my bedroom window! I think they alerted at every gnat that flew by! I didn't get a lot of sleep while they were there! They are great birds, and fun to watch, but loud! LOL!​

 

[ronott1]

Thank you for the welcome. I live in the heart of 'wine country' Sonoma. I think I might need a heat hardy breed the Valley I live in has micro climates we get upper 90's and low 100's regularly in summer. Sometimes we'll be upwards to two to three degrees different then the rest of the valley. We don't freeze here often thankfully and normally don't drop blow 40 in winter. I'd also love an economical friendly breed of chickens.

Economical is a bit hard to figure out with chickens. Feed conversion to eggs is usually best with leghorn based breeds. Unfortunately they do not make a good conversion for meat.

Basque Hens or Pita Pintas do well with both feed to egg and feed to meat conversion. They lay light brown to pink eggs. They are calm, friendly and heat hardy. They do well in our winters too.

Later someone here will introduce you to California Grays. They lay white eggs.

Oh boy, wait until we get into Olive Egg layers and blue egg layers. Of course there are some amazing heat hardy(ultra heat hardy} Dark brown layers around here too,,,,

 

[sewandgrow]

Well I am bummed. I have shingles. Its rather horrible. I'm stuck at home wishing I could rip part of my face off. Yes it's that bad. I'm only 36 and a nursing mother so it took a while before they diagnosed (too young for shingles) and then I can't have the antiviral (nursing) so I'm stuck miserable.

What kills me is that I'm bored and my incubator doesn't work. I can't even shop for eggs. Shopping for eggs is so much fun! There you have it. I have shingles and I'm mad that I can't shop for eggs.

Rebecca.......I am so sorry. I have always dreaded getting them but so far have been too cheap to get the $210 shot.
I live close. Is there anything I can do to help you? My incubators are full until the 18th but you could borrow one after that if you want. Can I shop for you or do errands for you. I am not as physically strong as I used to be but it's just my legs I can drive & have a reliable car.
Let me know

Thank you for the oil tips. I do use them (oils). In fact, I think that is why it was so slow coming on. I thought I had a big spider bite and was treating it topically with Melaleuca alternated with immupower. When the lymph glands started to swell, I treated them. They are still not as big as typically seen on a full-fledged shingles outbreak. Yes, I'll admit it. I was under too much stress lately - for the last 6 months solid - from outside sources. Severely ill/dying grandparents, in house company (both sides of the family) for over a month solid, starting a new business, you name it - we've had it! Stress hasn't abated yet. Hoping for a break soon! My husband has been out of town working every week for several weeks. No other family help so I'm on my own (I simply can NOT imagine how wives of service-men cope). He did come home last night for a few hours and left again this morning. We are hoping that this Friday is his last out of town day for a couple weeks. Having him around will reduce my work load significantly! That alone will help me rest and heal.

In 38 years I have never been without my husband for very long & I missed him even then. I can't imagine being trapped without your best helper there.

This post is aimed at Modesto Area people. (Stockton to Turlock = both easy driving to my house)

I'm getting together a chick order coop for birds from Duane Urch. I'd like Dark Brahma's and don't need 25.

Chicks end up being $8.40 each after shipping.

Let me know if there is something you want. PM me for the list.

Evidently I don't have permission for attachments.

Thank you

I will look at the list Jules sent me. I was looking for LaFleche or Crevs but decided to do California Grays for my white eggs instead.

The plastic bins work well. I use them indoors and have also moved them outside into the floor area of one of my outside aviaries. You could also set them up on something insulating (like wood or newspaper) so the cold from the concrete floor in the garage isn't a factor.

I have used peach bins. They are raised off the floor by a pallet type structure attached to the bottom & are solid wood sides all around. My neighbor sells old ones to me for $20 & they are 4' by 4" and about 2 & 1/2 ' high. I make a hardware cloth & wood framed hinged 2 piece top for them that I can drop a light down from. It has worked well for me when my regular brooders got full.

I've given up trying to be good. I don't do very well at it. Fortunately my hubby is mostly an enabler. I was good last fall and pretty much cut my flocks down to just the birds I would be breeding this year (plus a few pets like my little charity case rooster). So now the cycle will be in full swing again with two incubators full and two brooders reaching capacity. Oh hubby??? I need some more growout pens please

(I usually build them myself, but I have to pretend to ask..)

Jules, you can borrow some of my peach bin grow out pens. I had Aaron store the extras out back along the side of the chicken coops. I think I still have some of the 4 nipple "lick it" 5 gallon water buckets out there too. It made watering pretty simple in them before I added the hanging bell founts.
Anyone coming to the party in May that wants peach bin I can make arrangements for them to be available that day. The neighbor I get them from lives right around the corner on West Main. Most people coming will drive right past her house to get here.

Well I am bummed. I have shingles. Its rather horrible. I'm stuck at home wishing I could rip part of my face off. Yes it's that bad. I'm only 36 and a nursing mother so it took a while before they diagnosed (too young for shingles) and then I can't have the antiviral (nursing) so I'm stuck miserable.

What kills me is that I'm bored and my incubator doesn't work. I can't even shop for eggs. Shopping for eggs is so much fun! There you have it. I have shingles and I'm mad that I can't shop for eggs.

My new incubator isn't scheduled to arrive from Brinsea until the 20th, but the Genesis will be empty before that. That is the one you can borrow or I can look in the shed I think I have a Little Giant stored out there that I used to use before I got the others.

 

[Hangtown Farms]

Nice to see there are so many people in N. California. Does anyone here have recommendations for breeds here? The only chickens I've have experience with are Leghorns and Jersey Giants that are my friends. I know I want another Leghorn I lost my hen at my friends she was the most love able chicken. But I'd like to know what chicken breeds are the most happy here in California. I'm also a tiny bit interested in showing so a good show breed/egg layer breed would be loved.

Penedesenca are California's best kept secret . If you free range there is No comparison

 

[sewandgrow]

Looking for suggestions all you pro-hatchers out there. The eggs I ordered were supposed to be here at most 1 day apart. I've got 18 that have been coming to room temp and resting for 14 hours. The other dozen might to here tomorrow and no idea how the air cells are going to look. Should I go ahead and load the 18 and get them going or wait till the others get here? I hate to stagger the hatch but I only have 1 incubator. I'm also wondering about the increased humidity affecting the late arrivals when bumping it up for the early eggs. Am I over thinking this?

I see you have already gotten help on this. I was told to put shipped egg in the incubator for the first few to several days not turning, pointed side down then have them turning up to lockdown. It was supposed to help them settle.

I totally understand about the grow out pens! I always seem to need more brooder and grow out space! We are going to process our quail this next weekend and that gives me two more 3 x 6 outdoor brooder/grow out pens. I was feeling good about that when I suddenly realized today that I have one group that are 2 1/2 weeks old, 1 group that hatched this past weekend, another that is hatching Sat, and another next weekend. I think that I am going to have enough brooder space but I only have 2 heat lamps! Need to make a trip to Lowes or Home Depot and pick up another one. I was going to order a couple premier heat plates but they are back ordered until April which will do me no good for these hatches. I don't want to think about how high my electricity bill is going to be!

I got several of mine at Tractor Supply for less than Home Depot or Lowes. Do you have one close by?

I havn't been a champ that's for sure! Got one on my eye. It's bad. Going to see the DR again tomorrow AM. I am told that the 1st doc is wrong because other people have been nursing and on the same meds. So I'm going to a different doc. It's hard not to be whiny!

That said, I think it would be awful if my oldest (son) got them, he'd become a complete invalid. That's just his way. If he has a headache he worries that it is brain cancer!

I have a daughter like that.....LOl When she was growing up we called her "Chicken Little" because her sky was always falling........LOL She is grown & much better now.

Make him eat eggs from Walmart for two weeks! He will understand then.....

I know..........I so have trouble going out to eat breakfast. I can hardly face a store bought egg.

Argh! The poultry enablers have struck again. Thanks you guys.

I didn't really know what a Guinea Fowl was. So I finally looked them up and now...I WANT SOME. Do they hunt gophers? Will they eat red ants?

We need to talk to Jules. She will be at the show with me Sunday.

Nice to see there are so many people in N. California. Does anyone here have recommendations for breeds here? The only chickens I've have experience with are Leghorns and Jersey Giants that are my friends. I know I want another Leghorn I lost my hen at my friends she was the most love able chicken. But I'd like to know what chicken breeds are the most happy here in California. I'm also a tiny bit interested in showing so a good show breed/egg layer breed would be loved.

You have Sooooooooooooooo many choices here on this thread. You are surely going to have trouble with chicken math.....LOL There are a couple of Sonoma area people here too.

 

[PetRock]

Good Friday morning! I

Fridays!!!

Who has chicks hatching this weekend? I have 26 eggs set to hatch. Tomorrow night it will officially be 21 days. Of course, I'm looking for pips already! These Pita Pinta/PP mix chicks seem to hatch a little early.