California - Northern

[ElitePoultry]

My egg scale keeps telling me my hens are giving me x-large eggs!

Your chickens love you! LOL

 

[zooweemama]

It was really windy last night too. I woke uo this morning to puddles everywhere and à few chickens running up to me that shouldnt have been from my layer flock because thé door to thé run blew open. I bet they were happy Lol!
Ive been thinking about cracking some TJ's eggs. Now your really convincing me.
I got à cackle hatchery catalog yesterday in thé mail and i was looking at their call ducks and wood ducks. Those are very cool ducks! Do you know anything about Those ducks? I know I told you i wanted to get Appleyards (They sound tasty!). Where did you get your Appleyards. I really dont want to buy any hatchery stock.

I know nothing about the decoration ducks (ornamental I believe lol). I don't like like to feed very many things that can't give me something in return. I am cheap like that (or not rich like that haha). But they are STUNNING waterfowl! Truly. I adore look at pictures of them.

I got my Silver Appleyards from http://www.celticoaks.com/ducks/silver-appleyard-2/ and she has some photos up too.

I am actually rather surprised at how large they are. They are less compact than Pekins, longer bodies and longer faces/bills, looser feathering. Really pretty in my opinion. Females are loud when they do talk but they do not seem to randomly quack all day long...the boys are very quiet. Mine are almost silent even when they quack. It's too funny. I am rehoming 2 of my other breeds of drakes this month so I will be down to 1 Pekin drake, and the rest SA drakes. SA eggs are supposed to be quite large- only my Pekin girls lay large eggs (noticeable larger than all my other ducks in shape and color as well). So without penning I will get PURE SA and then Pekin/SA mixes (right to stewpot! which actually would be cool, they will mature a little faster than the SA but she be big). And it shouldn't be hard to tell the mixes from the pures. By Summer I will likely start test hatching.

Shellie from Celtic Oaks is really lovely to deal with. Very helpful. She has some other really pretty duck breeds also. SA are just my favorite.

 

[Deerling]

Hi everyone! I'm not sure if we're really considered Northern California (I'm a Portland, Oregon girl, myself) but we recently relocated to Penngrove, CA. It's a rural community right by Petaluma and Santa Rosa. We have ordered 25 chicks from McMurray. They should be here the 19th or 20th of February. I'm really nervous about them getting here okay, seeing all the sad stories of people getting boxes of dead chicks. I ordered the heat pack for them and am hoping for the best. We are getting:

2 Black Australorp hens
2 Buff Orpington hens and 1 rooster
2 Columbian Wyandotte hens
1 Partridge Cochin hen and 1 rooster
1 Rhode Island Red hen
and 15 of the Brown Layer Assortment

I am also planning of getting 4 Silkies when the feed store gets them (hopefully! I heard you have to get there and wait in line before they open) which isn't until March 29th. Unless anyone in the area has Silike eggs or chicks they would sell?

Nice to meet everyone I've wanted chickens for about 20 years (since I was 5) so this is a long time coming and I am so excited!! I just hope the babies get here okay.

 

[juststruttin]

I am worried. I have chicks in lockdown and the humidity was 50% when I woke up. Not sure what happened as I see water in the wells. It was 70% when I went to bed. I took out the chicks that hatched put and squirted the rest of the eggs with warm water. Humidity is back up to 70% but not much is happending. Ohhh. the frustration!! They all looked great going into lock down. So far, only 12 of 32 have hatched, 4 more have pipped. Not too good. Urg... I am not a happy camper.

Good news. the ones that hatched look great.

 

[zooweemama]

Hi everyone! I'm not sure if we're really considered Northern California (I'm a Portland, Oregon girl, myself) but we recently relocated to Penngrove, CA. It's a rural community right by Petaluma and Santa Rosa. We have ordered 25 chicks from McMurray. They should be here the 19th or 20th of February. I'm really nervous about them getting here okay, seeing all the sad stories of people getting boxes of dead chicks. I ordered the heat pack for them and am hoping for the best. We are getting:

2 Black Australorp hens
2 Buff Orpington hens and 1 rooster
2 Columbian Wyandotte hens
1 Partridge Cochin hen and 1 rooster
1 Rhode Island Red hen
and 15 of the Brown Layer Assortment

I am also planning of getting 4 Silkies when the feed store gets them (hopefully! I heard you have to get there and wait in line before they open) which isn't until March 29th. Unless anyone in the area has Silike eggs or chicks they would sell?

Nice to meet everyone I've wanted chickens for about 20 years (since I was 5) so this is a long time coming and I am so excited!! I just hope the babies get here okay.

Congrats!!! You will love having chickens!

 

[ElitePoultry]

I know nothing about the decoration ducks (ornamental I believe lol). I don't like like to feed very many things that can't give me something in return. I am cheap like that (or not rich like that haha). But they are STUNNING waterfowl! Truly. I adore look at pictures of them.

I got my Silver Appleyards from http://www.celticoaks.com/ducks/silver-appleyard-2/ and she has some photos up too. 

I am actually rather surprised at how large they are. They are less compact than Pekins, longer bodies and longer faces/bills, looser feathering. Really pretty in my opinion. Females are loud when they do talk but they do not seem to randomly quack all day long...the boys are very quiet. Mine are almost silent even when they quack. It's too funny. I am rehoming 2 of my other breeds of drakes this month so I will be down to 1 Pekin drake, and the rest SA drakes. SA eggs are supposed to be quite large- only my Pekin girls lay large eggs (noticeable larger than all my other ducks in shape and color as well). So without penning I will get PURE SA and then Pekin/SA mixes (right to stewpot! which actually would be cool, they will mature a little faster than the SA but she be big). And it shouldn't be hard to tell the mixes from the pures. By Summer I will likely start test hatching. 

Shellie from Celtic Oaks is really lovely to deal with. Very helpful. She has some other really pretty duck breeds also. SA are just my favorite.

Ok got It! I dont want ducks that wont lay eggs either! Lol Appleyards just seem like à Good all around duck.

I need to get up on my duck keeping knowledge this year. And then maybe i could raise some of your little ducks you hatch?

 

[ronott1]

I am worried. I have chicks in lockdown and the humidity was 50% when I woke up. Not sure what happened as I see water in the wells. It was 70% when I went to bed. I took out the chicks that hatched put and squirted the rest of the eggs with warm water. Humidity is back up to 70% but not much is happending. Ohhh. the frustration!! They all looked great going into lock down. So far, only 12 of 32 have hatched, 4 more have pipped. Not too good. Urg... I am not a happy camper.

Good news. the ones that hatched look great.

If they have not pipped yet, they will be OK.

I have used glass storage containers that are big enough for a sponge and put a soaking sponge in the bator for lockdown.

Wisher1000 says:

Originally Posted by Wisher1000

Okay, get some aquarium tubing and a feeder syringe (medical supply store, hospital, or nursing home.) You can use a smaller one but it is a pain, Either put a small hole in the bottom section near the top, or use the vent hole in the top section. run it down beside the turner, and through the wire floor and into the water reservoir. I used two tubes, one with a black sharpie ring around the loose end so I could tell which I was filling. Before you put eggs in, add water with the syringe until it is full so you know how much is too much! This way you can add water without opening the bator and know how much the humidity goes up with a measured quantity.

I used a small piece of duct tape to hold the end down flat in the bottom of the tray.

 

[juststruttin]

Hi everyone! I'm not sure if we're really considered Northern California (I'm a Portland, Oregon girl, myself) but we recently relocated to Penngrove, CA. It's a rural community right by Petaluma and Santa Rosa. We have ordered 25 chicks from McMurray. They should be here the 19th or 20th of February. I'm really nervous about them getting here okay, seeing all the sad stories of people getting boxes of dead chicks. I ordered the heat pack for them and am hoping for the best. We are getting:

2 Black Australorp hens
2 Buff Orpington hens and 1 rooster
2 Columbian Wyandotte hens
1 Partridge Cochin hen and 1 rooster
1 Rhode Island Red hen
and 15 of the Brown Layer Assortment

I am also planning of getting 4 Silkies when the feed store gets them (hopefully! I heard you have to get there and wait in line before they open) which isn't until March 29th. Unless anyone in the area has Silike eggs or chicks they would sell?

Nice to meet everyone I've wanted chickens for about 20 years (since I was 5) so this is a long time coming and I am so excited!! I just hope the babies get here okay.

Welcome!!!! I am just down the road from you in Novato. I don't have silkies, yet, but plenty of people on this thread do!!! I am sure you can find a local breeder. Silkies from breeders are usually much nicer than the ones you can purchase from feed stores. Good luck.

Oh and Congrats on finally getting chickens.

 

[ElitePoultry]

Hi everyone! I'm not sure if we're really considered Northern California (I'm a Portland, Oregon girl, myself) but we recently relocated to Penngrove, CA. It's a rural community right by Petaluma and Santa Rosa. We have ordered 25 chicks from McMurray. They should be here the 19th or 20th of February. I'm really nervous about them getting here okay, seeing all the sad stories of people getting boxes of dead chicks. I ordered the heat pack for them and am hoping for the best. We are getting: 2 Black Australorp hens 2 Buff Orpington hens and 1 rooster 2 Columbian Wyandotte hens 1 Partridge Cochin hen and 1 rooster 1 Rhode Island Red hen and 15 of the Brown Layer Assortment I am also planning of getting 4 Silkies when the feed store gets them (hopefully! I heard you have to get there and wait in line before they open) which isn't until March 29th. Unless anyone in the area has Silike eggs or chicks they would sell? Nice to meet everyone I've wanted chickens for about 20 years (since I was 5) so this is a long time coming and I am so excited!! I just hope the babies get here okay.

Nice to meet you Deerling. Good luck with your new chickies! I hop they have à safe delivery. There are à few people here who breed silkies i believe. So if you néed any help Im sûre someonebhere can point you in thé right direction. I hope to see pictures of chicks when you get them. Do you already have coops?

I am worried. I have chicks in lockdown and the humidity was 50% when I woke up. Not sure what happened as I see water in the wells. It was 70% when I went to bed. I took out the chicks that hatched put and squirted the rest of the eggs with warm water. Humidity is back up to 70% but not much is happending. Ohhh. the frustration!! They all looked great going into lock down. So far, only 12 of 32 have hatched, 4 more have pipped. Not too good. Urg... I am not a happy camper. Good news. the ones that hatched look great.

Sorry to hear about thé little mishap this morning. Hopefully they are fine and you still get à Good hatch. Glad to hear thé newborns are doing Good. That always puts à smile on your face

 

[zooweemama]

Ok got It! I dont want ducks that wont lay eggs either! Lol Appleyards just seem like à Good all around duck.

I need to get up on my duck keeping knowledge this year. And then maybe i could raise some of your little ducks you hatch?

Sure! Full Pekins are ready to butcher at 8 weeks, SA are ready to butcher at 10 weeks. Both lay well (well the strain of Pekin we have lays well- about 6 eggs a week per duck and they looks meaty enough). The SAs are supposed to be leaner (less fat) than the Pekin. I figure even my Pekin x SA that I will NOT breed will simply become meat birds for our table (until our current Pekins expire naturally as they are pets). I will also have some pure Pekins too since I also have 2 Pekin girls. Those will obviously be plain yellow at hatch so those will be easy peasy. I am sure even the crosses will be pretty lol and tasty. Eventually I will have all SA but I promised my kids we would keep Pip (our male Pekin) and this was the best compromise I could make without the expense of building moreeeee buildings for the ducks (which I cannot afford to do). I don't like breaking promises.

And when I start test hatching - if the pure SAs are easy to tell from hatch - I will probably sell them off. I don't have room for them and pure breeds should be easy to offload. I do need to see how easy it will be to tell though between the pure SA and the cross. LOL