California - Northern

[Cathyge416]

Hello! I am a new chick parent and I live in Martinez. I just went to Alamo Feed yesterday and picked up our chicks. Now that we are committed - I am wondering about other area chicken people and if they have had any trouble with local ordinances? Martinez is very laid back about most things, but not sure about poultry. I think I am nervous because I got a few more chick than I intended...lol. Thanks, Cathy E

 

[ronott1]

Hello! I am a new chick parent and I live in Martinez. I just went to Alamo Feed yesterday and picked up our chicks. Now that we are committed - I am wondering about other area chicken people and if they have had any trouble with local ordinances? Martinez is very laid back about most things, but not sure about poultry. I think I am nervous because I got a few more chick than I intended...lol. Thanks, Cathy E

You are in for an adventure!

I found this:

[FONT=Tahoma, Sans-Serif]Frequently Asked Questions
[FONT=Tahoma,Arial,Sans-Serif]Are there regulations on the maximum permissible number of pets?
City Municipal Code regulates the number of animals based on square footage of property. Areas zoned residentual are regulated to a maximum of three dogs and five cats. No chicken roosters allowed within city limits. [/FONT][/FONT]​

The number of Hens is often based on the square feet of your property. Roosters are pretty much not allowed in any City. There are a couple that allow them with a permit. The Rooster laws are in place to stop Cock Fighting, but apparently it does not work. I actually hurts people wanting to preserve Heritage breeds.

As a point of interest, I am allowed 6 hens and no roosters in Woodland. I have 46 counting the chicks and Cockerels. I will end up with 15 hens and 2 roosters, if I follow my "plan"....You should do a forum search for Chicken Math.

Ron

 

[dawnangel]

Hey guys. I am up in Humboldt- Arcata to be exact. Grew up in Crescent City though. Lovely town. I was wondering if anyone around me had some fertile eggs they might want to part with... I have a RIR hen intent on being a mommy. I would love if you had eggs that were a week or so into the incubating stage. That would be great. But any fertile eggs would be appreciated. I don't know if she's really going to sit or not.. but she's acting like it.. and I would love to have it set up for her when she settles.

As for the North or South thing.. I'd say there's North--- above Redding and Santa Rosa.. the Central --Sacramento - Fresno.. and South.. below all that. and then there's the Bay area.

 

[zooweemama]

Hello! I am a new chick parent and I live in Martinez. I just went to Alamo Feed yesterday and picked up our chicks. Now that we are committed - I am wondering about other area chicken people and if they have had any trouble with local ordinances? Martinez is very laid back about most things, but not sure about poultry. I think I am nervous because I got a few more chick than I intended...lol. Thanks, Cathy E

Don't forget that you won't be keeping all those chicks. Once grown- you will determine you your layers are and you will have to re-home or eat all the cockerels. (since you are city and have close neighbors- you def don't want someone calling the city on you for a roo crowing at 5am) So you might end up with 1/2 to 1/3 of what you originally purchased. I started out with 12 ducks first. 3 died. Left me with 9. 6 of those were drakes. SIX! So out of 12 ducks I ended up with 3 females and 6 males. I got 8 more females (paid extra) because I had needed at least 8-10 girls. I re-homed 3 of my males and could now safely keep 3 drakes with my 11 females.

My first batch of chickens so far seems to be: 3 males, 3 females. I purchased 2 breeds and only 1 breed yielded me females so I had to buy more because I need females in the one breed I originally purchased. So I bought 6 more of the breed that I ended up with no females. And breeder needed to get rid of some of her other chicks (overage) so I got a couple packing peanuts basically. Like I was going to say no to that! So now I have a grand total of 18 chicks and I will likely only end up getting to keep 8-10 of those for a laying flock which includes 1 roo.

Whew. Keep up with that? bwahaha!

 

[Cathyge416]

Thank you! The store reassured me the chicks had all been sexed, but even I know that is not especially accurate. I just hope the roos make themselves known before my grumpy neighbor figures us out! Thanks for the reminder, We may not be as crowded as I thought. Cathy E

 

[ronott1]

Thank you! I feel much better now. I went to the feed store thinking I wanted 8, so I should get 10 in case we lose a few. I ended up with 14! We have the space (barely) for them all if they all make it, so we will see! We are excited! I will check out the chicken math too. Cathy E

I bought extra too for the same reason. I have only had two die so far.

The real problem is hatching them. If I only want to keep two, I have to hatch at least 12. If they are shipped eggs, I have to hatch 20 or so to make sure I get two pullets...The numbers add up quickly that way, especially if they hatch better than expected.

Seriously, where did all these chickens come from!

Ron

 

[Adriennesmom]

My little bantam rooster "Rocky" is such a romantic little guy! He just led his favortie hen "Lucy" under the rose bush for some treats under the leaves. Too cute

 

[Hangtown Farms]

Canada is one of the easiest to ship eggs from. It's a bunch easier if you can drive yourself. Are there any in British Columbia? You can get back here from there in two days. Lot's of driving though.

Ron

Lol darn out anyways.

I should be set though for next year.
Black Penedesenca from Chicken Canoe and Sandhill
white Empordanesa from Luann Kellar
I have Crele but possibly more from Luann Kellar
May also look at doing Wheaton. Not sure there yet.

 

[Chickielady]

Ha , have to laugh about the Canada thing, they come here all the time.
Getting to the point of my post~

PLEASE look at this and make a comment as I have done and correct the author that has grouped all of us humane poultry farmers into a group of sadistic hateful battery breeders.
She says Stop eating even free range, well I sell free range eggs and my birds are NOT battery bred, or raised, or on additives, forced moults, debeaked or on antibiotics.
She is globbing us together with the nasty commercial industries, and she needs to clarify !

Thanks...

http://startananimalsanctuary.com/2...-eating-eggs-yes-even-free-range/#comment-198

 

[ronott1]

Ha , have to laugh about the Canada thing, they come here all the time.
Getting to the point of my post~

PLEASE look at this and make a comment as I have done and correct the author that has grouped all of us humane poultry farmers into a group of sadistic hateful battery breeders.
She says Stop eating even free range, well I sell free range eggs and my birds are NOT battery bred, or raised, or on additives, forced moults, debeaked or on antibiotics.
She is globbing us together with the nasty commercial industries, and she needs to clarify !

Thanks...

http://startananimalsanctuary.com/2...-eating-eggs-yes-even-free-range/#comment-198

Thank you for the Blog link.

Yes, we have to be careful of people like this.

Ron