California - Northern

[Hangtown Farms]

My young pene's seem to be fine.they do not seem to pant like my other breeds which to me is a good sign, They are only 5 weeks or so though if that matters..
Everywhere I have heard they do good in the heat. That is one main reason I am raising them

 

[capayvalleychick]

I lost one of my Marans cockerels to the heat Today today. The only ones I have had problems with in the heat have been marans. I love the dark eggs but if they can't take the heat they won't really work here. The Basque were fine and the Dorking AMs in the same pen were fine too.

Good night all! Ice packs in the pens tomorrow...

Ron

109 here yesterday, 77 at 5:30 this am. I'm doing hourly welfare checks on my critters during the day. The pigs are as miserable as the chickens, even though I moved them into the orchard and they have wallows. Poor sow, nursing 10 piglets for one more week. She looks at me like, pleeease take them away! Cows spend the day sleeping in the shade of the barn, looking miserable. The horses & (St. Croix) sheep are handling it the best. Triplet newborn lambs bouncing around.

I'm especially worried about my remaining Delawares, after having lost 3 already to the heat this year. I need to plant some trees for shade in their area. For now, I'm using tarps & shade cloth. I hose down the run every time I go out. They pant & hold out their wings all afternoon.
By the end of the day, in the mobile pasture coop, the ice packs have melted and the water is as warm as coffee. Those chickens hang out in the grass where the irrigation line leaks. There were 10 turkey buzzards out there with them yesterday.

Ron, I'm sorry about your cockerel and hope you still have some extras. Your hatching project sounds interesting. You find such unusual breeds.

This time of year, I dream of living in Oregon.

Kim

 

[MrsMoonCat]

109 here yesterday, 77 at 5:30 this am. I'm doing hourly welfare checks on my critters during the day. The pigs are as miserable as the chickens, even though I moved them into the orchard and they have wallows. Poor sow, nursing 10 piglets for one more week. She looks at me like, pleeease take them away! Cows spend the day sleeping in the shade of the barn, looking miserable. The horses & (St. Croix) sheep are handling it the best. Triplet newborn lambs bouncing around.

I'm especially worried about my remaining Delawares, after having lost 3 already to the heat this year. I need to plant some trees for shade in their area. For now, I'm using tarps & shade cloth. I hose down the run every time I go out. They pant & hold out their wings all afternoon.
By the end of the day, in the mobile pasture coop, the ice packs have melted and the water is as warm as coffee. Those chickens hang out in the grass where the irrigation line leaks. There were 10 turkey buzzards out there with them yesterday.

Ron, I'm sorry about your cockerel and hope you still have some extras. Your hatching project sounds interesting. You find such unusual breeds.

This time of year, I dream of living in Oregon.

Kim

I have also lost Delawares to the heat. I hung up some burlap in their pen for extra shade. I soak it several times a day and it seems to keep it several degrees cooler. It acts like a swamp cooler. Since I started doing this my Dellies seem to be doing much better. Of course they aren't pristine white anymore, but what's a little cooling mud when it is 107 out?

 

[JerseyGiantfolk]

Thank you All!

I plan on trying some candling pictures. My new camera should be able to work for that.

26 days! The latest for me so far was 23 days for a Marans.

Do your Penedesencas handle the heat well? I lost one of my Marans cockerels to the heat Today today. The only ones I have had problems with in the heat have been marans. I love the dark eggs but if they can't take the heat they won't really work here. The Basque were fine and the Dorking AMs in the same pen were fine too.

Good night all! Ice packs in the pens tomorrow...

Ron

Aw I'm sorry, I feel guilty for the folks who live inland. I live on the coast so all we get is constant 54-68 degree weather, and I'm seeing lots of posts that are dealing with hot weather, so I can literally not help; because of no experience.

 

[JerseyGiantfolk]

109 here yesterday, 77 at 5:30 this am. I'm doing hourly welfare checks on my critters during the day. The pigs are as miserable as the chickens, even though I moved them into the orchard and they have wallows. Poor sow, nursing 10 piglets for one more week. She looks at me like, pleeease take them away! Cows spend the day sleeping in the shade of the barn, looking miserable. The horses & (St. Croix) sheep are handling it the best. Triplet newborn lambs bouncing around.

I'm especially worried about my remaining Delawares, after having lost 3 already to the heat this year. I need to plant some trees for shade in their area. For now, I'm using tarps & shade cloth. I hose down the run every time I go out. They pant & hold out their wings all afternoon.
By the end of the day, in the mobile pasture coop, the ice packs have melted and the water is as warm as coffee. Those chickens hang out in the grass where the irrigation line leaks. There were 10 turkey buzzards out there with them yesterday.

Ron, I'm sorry about your cockerel and hope you still have some extras. Your hatching project sounds interesting. You find such unusual breeds.

This time of year, I dream of living in Oregon.

Kim

Kim-
I'm so sorry! Is there a sprinkler outside to cool the animals off?

Good luck!

 

[JerseyGiantfolk]

I have also lost Delawares to the heat. I hung up some burlap in their pen for extra shade. I soak it several times a day and it seems to keep it several degrees cooler. It acts like a swamp cooler. Since I started doing this my Dellies seem to be doing much better. Of course they aren't pristine white anymore, but what's a little cooling mud when it is 107 out?

My Japanese suns quite a bit, and around the summer solstice she starts to molt, get curly saddle feathers, and is yellow. But after a bath with whitening shampoo, she looks good.

 

[ronott1]

Quote: Thanks everyone!

I do have another Marans Roo. I added more shade last night and set up a box fan to blow air on them. My family is going to put frozen water bottles out for them each hour starting at 2:00 today and check for ones looking stressed too much. They don't like being sprayed with the mister LOL.

The Basque were much better--only one or two of them had their wings out. The Australorps were taking the heat well too. On the EO Basque thread a couple of posters have been talking about theirs biting them and one having a mean roo. Mine are so friendly I can't believe it. This morning I was changing their water and they were letting me pet them and of course not biting.

It is a kick to watch the SG Dorking cockerel chasing after the big girls. some of them are starting to warm up to him. My oldest daughter is going to start working with the Capay Valley Meat Co. and she made sure to have a picture of him on her phone for the interview.

ron

Ron

 

[capayvalleychick]

My oldest daughter is going to start working with the Capay Valley Meat Co. and she made sure to have a picture of him on her phone for the interview.

ron

Ron

Where is that? I never heard of it.

Kim

 

[ronott1]

Quote: I might have the name wrong. It's the one that has Organic chickens, Rabbits and lamb for sale at the Woodland, Davis and a San Francisco Farmers Markets. It might be called Cache Creek?

She is going to work at the sales table on Market days.

Ron

 

[zooweemama]

Ron I'm sorry you lost one of your Marans.

It WAS SO stinking hot yesterday. I know what Redding says it was yesterday but at 6pm hubby took a shade reading by our house and it was 108. I am freezing 6 two liter bottles today instead of the 4. I am going to search for some more and just fill my deep freeze with them as much as I can fit in there. Since they get spotted a bit with poo I have been using old Walmart bags put them in before putting them back in the freezer. The chickens were dogpiled on them. We don't drink soda much but if I want some more bottles I am gonna pick up some soda and let the kids have a treat LOL. I don't really know many people who drink soda so I can't ask people for any empties either. The kids will have fun!