California - Northern

[lizanne]

I had 8 EE's and 2 RIR's. I think... lol. I got the eggs from a lady in Rio Linda who had RIRs and Ameruacanas(Maybe?). So the chicks were a mix since she had hens an roos of both. I ended putting them on Craigslist - for 3$ each, I figured that was fair. I only paid $4 for the 12 hatching eggs. A really nice family from placerville came to get them. They brought all 5 kids. The kids were so excited!

I was planning to sell some chickens, and I wasn't super attached to those guys (yet-- they are sooo cute though). My chicken math is getting a little out of control. I have 12 hens (1 Barred Rock, 3 Olive Egger, 1 SL Wyandotte, 1 black Australorp, 2 D'uccles, 1 LF Cochin, and one wierd mutt). I have 18 Cornish X that will only be with us another week or so, and 9- 8 week old layers (1 BA, 2 SLW, 1 GLW, 4 EE's (ones a roo), 1 dark Cornish, 1 Pearl Leghorn, and 1 Salmon Favorolle (roo)) -- Ahhh.... wait that's 10!! 4 of the little girls are going to my dad's, but I'm going to have to do a little downsizing soon. I need a bigger yard!!

 

[18Peeps]

Ok my husband says chickens are green light for go! So I know nothing about chickens except I want a Silkie but more as a pet and a breed of chicken that ideally has these traits: calm, docile, good layer, good mother, good table bird. I'm open to and looking for breed recommendations as well as hatchery suggestions. I'm also willing to go thru someone in my area from this site. I'm in Yuba City which is in Sutter County. Any and all help is much appreciated. Thanks a ton, I'm logging off for bed but will check in the a.m.

That's great! Oh, wait, I mean:

WARNING: Hatching chicken eggs can be highly addictive. Proceed with caution. I am only on my 2nd hatch ever and am not sure when I will be able to stop...I'm even lining up eggs for my 3rd hatch and there are SO many people here that can connect you with wonderful sources of fertile hatching eggs. Sigh...love it!

 

[18Peeps]

I had 8 EE's and 2 RIR's. I think... lol. I got the eggs from a lady in Rio Linda who had RIRs and Ameruacanas(Maybe?). So the chicks were a mix since she had hens an roos of both. I ended putting them on Craigslist - for 3$ each, I figured that was fair. I only paid $4 for the 12 hatching eggs. A really nice family from placerville came to get them. They brought all 5 kids. The kids were so excited!

I was planning to sell some chickens, and I wasn't super attached to those guys (yet-- they are sooo cute though). My chicken math is getting a little out of control. I have 12 hens (1 Barred Rock, 3 Olive Egger, 1 SL Wyandotte, 1 black Australorp, 2 D'uccles, 1 LF Cochin, and one wierd mutt). I have 18 Cornish X that will only be with us another week or so, and 9- 8 week old layers (1 BA, 2 SLW, 1 GLW, 4 EE's (ones a roo), 1 dark Cornish, 1 Pearl Leghorn, and 1 Salmon Favorolle (roo)) -- Ahhh.... wait that's 10!! 4 of the little girls are going to my dad's, but I'm going to have to do a little downsizing soon. I need a bigger yard!!

I hear you about the bigger yard! Maybe an acre or two would be nice, right? Of course, then I'd want goats too or something. You are lucky you can have a rooster!

 

[18Peeps]

Sold all ten of the baby chicks I hatched tonight.

. It's kinda sad, but I guess that means I can get more hatching eggs, right?

I'd hatch all the time if I could sell them! That's so great . Did you see someone in Stockton/Galt advertising TURKEY eggs...must resist...

 

[lizanne]

I hear you about the bigger yard!  Maybe an acre or two would be nice, right?  Of course, then I'd want goats too or something.  You are lucky you can have a rooster!

I can't. . I'm going to have to find them new homes when they start crowing. Hopefully I have a few more months.... My hubby keeps trying to convince me we need a mini goat, so he doesn't have to mow the lawn.

 

[OR4-hmom]

Looks like we will be adding EO's to our place! Crossing my fingers that the PO is easy with the eggs. I let our mail carrier know to be on the look out for them. Then I have to wait for them to hatch too, gunna be a long month!

 

[threadgeek]

Quote:

Go NorCal! I feel justified in saying that because I'm a voluntary transplant from SoCal.

I had to run inside to tell you all that it took me a minuite to pick out Alice today! Usually she's the first one I see because she's paler and so hunched up but today - it may be my imagination, but I don't think it is - her comb is brighter and she has a little bit of a neck!

Yeah! I'm keeping my fingers crossed for your birdies! And good luck with lockdown on your hatch!

Landlord rant

- feel free to skip.

So when we applied for this house in October we were told (verbally

he seemed like such a sweet man) we could have chickens, dogs, cats, goats, sheep and bees.

When we wanted to order chickens in February and asked about using some building materials that have been sitting in the barn for (obviously) quite some time our landlord said "will talk chickens when up to fix ceiling" which was leaking in December and still has not been fixed. He never came.

Last month I let him know I would like a gate or chain across the driveway and he said he would come that weekend and put a chain and sign up. We were gone for only an hour that entire weekend and during that time I guess he came, because there was a huge pit dug in the garden, but that's it. Nothing else and no communication.

A list of other things he has told us he would take care of that have not been dealt with: New windows, filter for the water, fences, fix ceiling, water heater, lawn planted... he also took over a week to answer me when I asked for a copy of the lease.

I just sent him a message (his preferred form of communication) letting him know we had gotten an estimate for the bee removal, wanted to have the well water tested because one of our chickens had a possible ecoli infection, and the hot water heater was still not working well (SIX MONTHS LATER) and his response was "Chickens? Wait on the other issues. I will be there sat"

Yeah, chickens! You know, the animals we talked to you about months ago and you never replied to us about? The animals you told us we could have before we applied? The animals that are living in the coop you obviously would have seen when you came and dug a giant pit in the garden? What. the. heck.

Poor landlords make me so angry. The only thing you can do is demand everything in writing, which I am sure is almost impossible with the space-cadet you are dealing with. Grrrr. That is all so frustrating.

Quote: I personally find confrontational and aggressive to be more so...

Oh yeah, don't get on my bad side! (its actually VERY hard to do)

Quote: I can't wait to see pictures! This sounds gorgeous!

Well, after all the wind and freezing weather, today turned out gorgeous! Got up into the sixties, even! To celebrate, I gathered up the 3-week old chickies from the brooder and let them in the chicken run for the first time.

They spent about four hours in there running around, flying, eating sand, scratching, etc. I tossed in a small maple tree at we just dug up a week ago, and they had fun nibbling on the roots and small branches.

Then, DD#1 came home after a visit with her grandpa. She brought with her fruit tree trimmings full of blossoms and a bowl full of earthworms she dug up. If it is possible for chickens to be in hog heaven, mine were.

After deciding it was getting a little chilly, and the chickies needed to go back in the brooder, I went outside to gather them up. The run door was wide open with DD#1 inside. Turns out that one of Trisha's Barnevelders girls had "escaped" from the run. Of course, she "escaped" after DD#1 asked me if she could let the chickies out to play in the yard. The Barnevelders are super friendly and don't seem to mind being caught, so DD#1 managed to get her back in the run without much trouble, which is when I arrived on the scene.

I have to say I am really liking the Barnies and EEs. The Marans are the most skittish. They freak out and thrash around when you pick them up. Don't think I'll be keeping any of them once they get old enough to be sexed. The EEs are the friendliest so far. They are the first to come to me when I open up their brooder. My husband calls one of them his "little buddy" because it will jump out and join him when he sits down. The Barnies are just bold and comical. When we put a worm/bug/treat in the brooder, they are the ones who immediately grab it and start the chicken chase. When I was putting them in the pet carrier for the trip back to the garage, the Barnies were the ones that were the easiest to catch, but kept trying to escape from the carrier when I stuffed other birds in. Hmmm, maybe she actually did "escape" from the run.

After getting all the birdies back in their brooder, they immediately crashed. They were like a little kid after a birthday party. Could barely keep their eyes open while I was putting their food and water back in the brooder. All in all, good day for them.

Lucky chickies! They were in heaven! You are motivating me to set up a pen so I can I get my fuzzy butts outside to play!

 

[lualshannon]

They are amazing little piggies! This line is fast feathering too. They will go through an ugly Juvenile phase but will not be as ugly as most.

Yes, they are little piggies. I am giving them free choice Chick Ultra Kibble and they Had Big Ole Bird last week. I love too that their legs are already turning that yellow with orange leg color. 4 more weeks and we will know which ones are yours!

I am very excited about these babies; can hardly wait to have them. HRIR, like yours is not easy to find.
Thank you, Ron!

I bought the from Ron Fogel. He bought his from Ricky Bates's brother after Ricky died in an accident. Ron has been working with them for six years or so. It is amazing that they have the brick shape from this young of an age.

Ron has been picking them for fast feathering and egg laying. He already has the averages up to around 200(a lot of lines are at 140) eggs per year with them. The theory is that if you work on the shape and feathering you will increase the utility too. Utility has been lost with some of the Heritage lines of RIRs sadly. These are also very fertile--12 of 15 were fertile and 10 hatched! Not bad for shipped eggs. Of course Ron Fogel knows how to ship them.

There is a guy that lives on an island near Puget Sound that has 22 of these from Ron Fogel. I am thinking of seeing if he wants to be a partner with me. We can both work on improving them and then trade our best ones every couple of years. The Heritage Large Fowl folks think that is the best way to get improvement on a breed. It will be easier with these because they are already good and I would be staying within the same line.

About 20yrs. ago, I've had 6 HRIR, and had the much desired brick shaped body, deep mahogany body, with black tails and wing tips. I loved their temperament which were "no nonse" kind of girls, and very affectionate towards me. They did not lay eggs every day; but, continued to give me eggs until they were 7-8 yrs. old. I simply loved them. Last year I bought 2 pullets which were guaranteed Heritage, alas, turned out not to be so. Body color is too light and lacking those black tails and wing feathers. I remember that, mine used to look almost black from distance. Too bad that I did not breed those lovely birds..
All chickens are beautiful in their own way but, my very favorites are Orpingtons and HRIR. I am very thankful for these babies..

 

[gryeyes]

My hubby keeps trying to convince me we need a mini goat, so he doesn't have to mow the lawn.

As I peruse my property - all two-thirds of an acre - I revel in the fact I won't have to have anything weed-whacked. Only the Vinca has survived and the blossoms don't last long. There is nothing to mow.

I suspect you don't allow your flock to range freely, right?

 

[HighNDryFarm]

I have a dark egg candling question....I have 24 very dark Black Copper Marans eggs in my incubator right now. 12 from two different sources. One source is a bit darker then the other but when I went to candle them (day 11), in general, I can see through the "darker" eggs easier then the lighter dark eggs. Why would that be? Just to clarify, these are all very dark Marans eggs, so I'm not talking about #4 eggs.

I'd like to post the question on a Marans thread but don't know which one is a novice friendly one.