California - Northern

[caychris]

I spent seven years living in the neighborhood that's between Piedmont Ave & Grand Ave, after 8 years in SF -- we used to joke that it was "Baja Piedmont," down at the bottom of the hill below the much wealthier neighborhood of Piedmont -- but it was perfect for the casual carpool, as all the Lexuses and Mercedes would come swooping down the hill from Piedmont, pick up us scruffier types in the lowlands, and then swoop off to SF.

I actually miss living in a real urban area in some ways, although i'm not complaining about where i landed in Sonoma Co. -- once I got the job at SSU, the commute from Oakland was brutal, so I spent a couple of years living on a boat in San Rafael, then rented a place near Sebastopol, and finally found my lovely house up here on Sonoma Mtn.

I love either city or rural -- what i dislike is suburban.

I commute everyday between Antioch and Alameda right through the heart of that 24/980 corridor. If I could make a living in the country I would go in a heartbeat.

 

[chickee]

If I am right @wolftracks is very familiar with that area & even worked at the Clairmont Hotel.

She did? I used to go to the Clairmont all the time for their special holiday buffets when I was a kid growing up in Berkeley

 

[ronott1]

ive always come here for info, but hadn't signed up. glad I finally did! trying to figure out how this whole forum thing works and replying .... is there a spot for trying to figure out the sex of a 3 month old hen ?... well maybe not a hen

It is great that you joined us!

Post a picture here--make sure we can see the comb and wattles. It also helps to see the side so that we can look for hackle and saddle feathers.

 

[sewandgrow]

My grandparents lived in piedmont! They bought a house in the 50s that was very antiquie then and positivly ancient when they sold. They both had kids when they got married and forsaw the need for metric tons of space. They were right we can't all meet anyome too many digits in the family.

We got to see thw whole neigherbood gentrify as I was growing up. You could tell the whole story in pets I say.
This makes me miss dear departed louie.

So sorry Shantih, Yes Big Boy will be missed when he goes & he will have a place in our "Pet Cemetery" which so far has had only dogs & cats. I put my woodworking to use & make each of them a special cross.

I commute everyday between Antioch and Alameda right through the heart of that 24/980 corridor. If I could make a living in the country I would go in a heartbeat.

My husband couldn't make a living here when we first moved either................ Modesto (our first house) had not heard of electronics yet & my husband was an electronic tech & had been for years. He took odd jobs working on TVs at a Television repair shop then electronic cash registers at a business machine shop to have a job. Luckily I transferred within the phone company at a great pay cut but still a good job to have & we made it until he hired on at the local power company in their electronics dept. 31 years later he retired from that job with a decent pension......Yeah for us. We love it here.

She did? I used to go to the Clairmont all the time for their special holiday buffets when I was a kid growing up in Berkeley

I am sure while visiting with her that is what she said. I think it had something to do with waitressing or catering. She is mostly on the California whole state thread that she started but she chimes in here too. She is a new Gramma again so is really busy with the new Mom & baby.

 

[caychris]

My husband couldn't make a living here when we first moved either................ Modesto (our first house) had not heard of electronics yet & my husband was an electronic tech & had been for years. He took odd jobs working on TVs at a Television repair shop then electronic cash registers at a business machine shop to have a job. Luckily I transferred within the phone company at a great pay cut but still a good job to have & we made it until he hired on at the local power company in their electronics dept. 31 years later he retired from that job with a decent pension......Yeah for us. We love it here.

I've only recently started looking into moving to the country. However being an insulin dependent diabetic there are certain concerns for me. (I am in reasonably good health otherwise) I'm not sure where to go though. Around Placerville seems like somewhere Id like to be but I don't know so for right now I'm doing my best to slowly turn my suburban lot into a micro farm. Learn what I can so it wont all be so new should I do it.

 

[CackleJoy]

I think I may have what is considered a 100% hatch. The new Brinea's maiden flight had 25 eggs. The 5eggs that did not hatch were clears & all the others produced chicks that are running around in the brooder now. I think I will try this again.....LOL

Oh happy day! That is exciting! Someday I may have to try one of those automatic humidity control incubators. As it is, the little styrafoam ones are working pretty good. I'm cleaning yours up to return it. Then you can fill it up too

I'm so grossed out right now one of my chickens has mites? Lice? I'm sure they all do. Ewww I have advantage for dogs and for cats will either of those work?

Finding that on your chickens is so gross! I feel your pain and itchiness. When our chickens had it, I felt the need to shower regularly! We used permectin on the coops and ivermectin drops on the skin. It worked for whatever bugs we had. I was pleased. We did the treatment 10 days apart. I think we should do it again just to be sure. Cleaning all the coops can be terrible hard work. Worth it though to get rid of the bugs! Sorry you had to deal with them - it's not fun.

OkOKI had a ????....... Day today.

I'm out looking to/see if floppy is hiding her eggs because I'm low for an order and I have not seen her egg in 3 days. I saw a pile of feathers under the daeck and become alarmed. No body so I figure its just a weird thing and continue to look for eggs. No luck so I go to gather turkey eggs and see a more feathers on the stairs leading down to the gazebo and follow them up to pumpkins nest. She sees me and jumps up.

She has a clump of feathers and then... Her entire Brest is exposed!! I go to grab her and she is running around like a loon. When I finally corner her she has torn an Lshaped hole in her skin exposing her crop her muscle.... Everything. W...t.....h.......

My vet friend called for something else as I came in and rushed over. Pumpkins took an hour of stitching.how can you lay an egg when you need an hour of stitching?

I don't know if fowl run into disasters more then mamels or if the number of chickens makes more disasters per hour owned. But man they keep coming.

Just when you think you are going to have a normal day the chickens completely reroute all plans!

Ohh, they are doing wonderful! such joys to have.. All are busy growing their cheeks and beards, and their colours are simply gorgeous. For 9 wk. old chicks, they are quite nice size. I have been taking your chicks' photos once a week to see their development. Last week, I transferred them to the large cage in the chicken house, but they were terrified; had to bring them right back into my studio. I mean; they were standing right by the cage door, lined up right next to each other, making the saddest, loudest chirps and trying to jump out when ever they took a glimpse of me. Well, at this point, I have no idea when they will be moved back out again : )

Lual

Such beautiful birds! I really wanted some like that... maybe some day! I just like Ameraucana's. I like their face - I like their expressions, and goofiness - and the facial hair. (SWOON) Who doesn't love a bearded girl?

First pea egg of the season!



-Kathy

Oh fun! Will you be hatching these?

 

[highcountrybell]

It is great that you joined us!

Post a picture here--make sure we can see the comb and wattles. It also helps to see the side so that we can look for hackle and saddle feathers.

thanks its not the greatest pic , but she was suppose to be a hen but looks nothing like her sisters. and theres deff a comb and wattles. all my chickens are hens, so roosters are very foreign to me, but if shes a he. hes the sweetest boy.

 

[sewandgrow]

I've only recently started looking into moving to the country. However being an insulin dependent diabetic there are certain concerns for me. (I am in reasonably good health otherwise) I'm not sure where to go though. Around Placerville seems like somewhere Id like to be but I don't know so for right now I'm doing my best to slowly turn my suburban lot into a micro farm. Learn what I can so it wont all be so new should I do it.

I totally understand. It is a big leap. I was born here & had family everywhere already in place so it was like coming home. My husband was born in Oakland & wanted to escape it. His company had just closed their doors after many years & it was time for a decision ....... off to Silicone Valley for his electronics or take a leap of faith & go for it & come here. Neither one of us are risk takers but we were young & full of hope & happily made the right decision for us.

 

[lawatt]

If I am right @wolftracks is very familiar with that area & even worked at the Clairmont Hotel.

the Claremont is quite a bit north of where i lived... had my first-ever photo exhibit there.

 

[tommysgirl]

Pretty excited, these are our first non-hatchery birds and they all have such personalities! They all came from NorCal Chickens; seem to be growing faster than the hatchery chicks we had last spring. Sure hope one of the roos end up as pretty as your Big Boy!

I hope to get some cochin eggs from them this year. I would love to see pics of the chicks and they grow up.


@PetRock was it you who said that hens "catch" broodiness from seeing chicks? Yesterday p.m. both mamas had their babies out in the pens when I let my other girls out to range. Beak Face...my first proven girl took one look at those babies and started the buc buc buc buc buc buc buc walking pine cone impersonation. Seriously...she was out for under a minute and I heard her. She spent all of her ranging time in a state and I fully expected her to get in her nest but she didn't. As of this morning she was not broody but @lawatt I expect that she will be and since I know what a great mama she is she will get special eggs. I would love to put her on 8-10 Birchen Marans eggs when she committs.

In other news I am donating a dozen eggs to a classroom for incubation. Most of them will be sex links but there may be a couple of Dels in the mix. I told her I would take any of the chicks that didn't have homes back. Would you grow out all pullet chicks to 6 weeks before selling them? What about the cockerels? I will be marketing them as meat birds. Seems like people would be more willing to buy boys that they would only be feeding for 10 more weeks.

Also how should I list the mixed boys?

Mommas are either CA Grey or Dorking or Delaware
Dads are either BQ Del or hatchery NH

Is it OK to say "Heritage Hybrid Meat Birds" or something like that?

Also I am thinking of charging 5.00 each and doing a buy 2 get one. Do you think they will move?