California - Northern

[ronott1]

Hey Californians! Anyone know how to support chickens during fire season? The air up here north of Sac is terrible this morning - very smokey, thanks to the nearby Potter Fire, I'm guessing. I'm new to chicken keeping so didn't have to deal with this in past years. Given chickens' sensitive respiratory systems, is there anything I can do to help? Their coop is small - it's an Eglu Cube - and given the heat, it wouldn't work well to try to confine them (which is what I'd do with more of a barn or larger space). Ideas? Advice? TIA!

Check out my thread in the link in my post for the california egg study. It has information on contaminants that get into eggs from both smoke and what they eat free ranging.

We can't really do anything about the smoke. Fire is a much bigger problem in burnt areas and of course getting them food and water when a poultry owner has to evacuate. There are volunteers that will go out and give them food and water though.

 

[Spikeandbean]

Check out my thread in the link in my post for the california egg study. It has information on contaminants that get into eggs from both smoke and what they eat free ranging.

We can't really do anything about the smoke. Fire is a much bigger problem in burnt areas and of course getting them food and water when a poultry owner has to evacuate. There are volunteers that will go out and give them food and water though.

Thanks for the quick response! Mine are too young to lay yet, but I'll be sure to read up on long-term implications. These fires just get worse every year... A good friend of mine lost everything in the Camp Fire two years ago (home, dogs, goats...) but her free-ranging chickens survived! It was pretty incredible.

 

[ronott1]

Thanks for the quick response! Mine are too young to lay yet, but I'll be sure to read up on long-term implications. These fires just get worse every year... A good friend of mine lost everything in the Camp Fire two years ago (home, dogs, goats...) but her free-ranging chickens survived! It was pretty incredible.

I read about similar stories at the Redding fire too

 

[centralcaligirl]

It's been a few years since I posted on this thread. I hope everyone is hanging in there with the smoke and fires. It's a tiny bit better here today. I'm hoping and praying that this means there is more containment with the fires!

I thought I would try here first, since it's a local thread.

I have a little four-week old Australorp cockerel. I want to try and find a home for him. He's a sweet little guy and has been socialized, held, and cuddled ever since he came home as a day-old chick. My children are devastated but we can't have roosters here. If anyone has space for him it would really ease their minds. We will continue to raise and socialize him until he can go to his new home. We can deliver, pretty much anywhere in Northern or Central California to a good home.

 

[TheKeeper]

Hi all! It's been forever since I've dropped in. I wanted to let everyone know that I'm ok. We were next to evacuation zones but thanks to favorable topography & wind direction, we are safe & sound. Just a lot of smoke. I hope all of you are well too.

 

[ronott1]

It's been a few years since I posted on this thread. I hope everyone is hanging in there with the smoke and fires. It's a tiny bit better here today. I'm hoping and praying that this means there is more containment with the fires!

I thought I would try here first, since it's a local thread.

I have a little four-week old Australorp cockerel. I want to try and find a home for him. He's a sweet little guy and has been socialized, held, and cuddled ever since he came home as a day-old chick. My children are devastated but we can't have roosters here. If anyone has space for him it would really ease their minds. We will continue to raise and socialize him until he can go to his new home. We can deliver, pretty much anywhere in Northern or Central California to a good home.

View attachment 2301442

I would wait until 6 weeks unless the chick is crowing

 

[ronott1]

Hi all! It;s been forever since I've dropped in. I wanted to let everyone know that I'm ok. We were next to evacuation zones but thanks to favorable topography & wind direction, we are safe & sound. Just a lot of smoke. I hope all of you are well too.

I am very happy that Fairfield is safe now! I do worry about Clearlake now though

 

[centralcaligirl]

I would wait until 6 weeks unless the chick is crowing

Yes it is early. I'm not in a huge hurry, and this particular feed store does return unintended cockerels. It's just that this one is already so very different than the other chicks (comb, feathering, behavior) I wanted to get an early start on rehoming if it's possible. I would love to keep "Dolly," who either way is a sweetie. If the city allowed it I would for sure.

 

[ronott1]

Yes it is early. I'm not in a huge hurry, and this particular feed store does return unintended cockerels. It's just that this one is already so very different than the other chicks (comb, feathering, behavior) I wanted to get an early start on rehoming if it's possible. I would love to keep "Dolly," who either way is a sweetie. If the city allowed it I would for sure.

It is best to cmpare them to chicks from the same breed. Black Australorps have large combs and wattles so comparing them too an EE wont be much help.

 

[centralcaligirl]

Yes I also have a second australorp, same age, that wasn't in the previous picture. Do you think "Dolly" could possibly be a female? Here are some pictures for comparison.

Picture #1, "Minnie" is the one I feel confident is a female. She has feathered out similarly as the Easter Eggers. She has a tiny tan comb that they don't have, but it's much smaller than "Dolly."

Picture #2, "Dolly" is the one that looks to me like a cockerel. Mostly because of the comb and lack of tail feathers.

I will admit, I am very inexperienced in sexing chickens. Virtually no experience, actually, so I would really appreciate some more experienced people weighing in. Also, Minnie was the smallest chick in a bin of about 40 Australorp chicks.