California - Northern

[Meg2000000]

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

The Pita Pintas Ron is hatching for me are supposed to be AMAZING. They are beautiful, very hardy, great forages and even nicer than the Basque's (which is crazy since my Basque's are soooo friendly.) We can't wait to get them home. Praying for a good hatching - right Ron?!

 

[Meg2000000]

You all had a HOT day yesterday! I think my temp only went up to 98. I felt sorry for the Silver Penciled Plymouth Rocks I picked up yesterday. Poor guys were already stressed being moved.. add the heat and I was sure it was going to be to much for them. They are fine though after spending the afternoon in the air conditioning in my kitchen! Boyfriend wasn't too happy about that but hey it worked right? haha I think the frozen watermelon is doing wonders for my flock in the heat! We are trying the frozen 2-liter bottles today. Thanks for the tip Amy Beth!

Is everyone coming on Saturday to The Omelet Ranch for the party? I can't wait to meet my BYC friends!

Good luck in the heat today guys!

 

[zooweemama]

This place is so very evil. Hubby and I like the Exchequer Leghorns. Won't get any anytime soon (or maybe ever)- don't want to have very many breeds but we surrrrrre like the way they look. Just sayin'.

 

[zooweemama]

I hope you all have a successful 'cool' chicken day! Mine even stood under our sprinkler sometimes yesterday. So funny. Then fluffed their feathers out and ran around.

 

[Papa Brooder]

You all had a HOT day yesterday! I think my temp only went up to 98. I felt sorry for the Silver Penciled Plymouth Rocks I picked up yesterday. Poor guys were already stressed being moved.. add the heat and I was sure it was going to be to much for them. They are fine though after spending the afternoon in the air conditioning in my kitchen! Boyfriend wasn't too happy about that but hey it worked right? haha I think the frozen watermelon is doing wonders for my flock in the heat! We are trying the frozen 2-liter bottles today. Thanks for the tip Amy Beth!

Is everyone coming on Saturday to The Omelet Ranch for the party? I can't wait to meet my BYC friends!

Good luck in the heat today guys!

Party is Sunday.

 

[cherylcohen]

Party is Sunday.

Silly Megan!!

Yes it's SUNDAY

 

[ronott1]

Thanks for calming me down Ron! Haha I feel better knowing my Basques are safe! I'm still waiting for the breeder to call me back.

Today I went to The Omelet Ranch and finally met Cheryl (cherylcohen)! I also picked up 3 new members of the family: Silver Penciled Plymouth Rock pullets! They are going to be our layer flock. They are GORGEOUS! Cheryl is doing amazing work!

I also got an incubator for my birthday! So excited to hatch some eggs myself one day. It sounds like an amazing process to be a part of. Woohoo!

Johnny finished the basics of our chicken pen today! The Basque's were so happy to be in there! We're planning on attaching some hanging containers made out of rain gutters to the sides and planting ground cover for the chickens. This is so fun!
"Aerial" view

Front view

This is a fantastic job!

If you put hardware cloth a couple of feet up around the bottom of the run and netting over the top, you would not have to close the door to the coop.

Talk abut spoiled chickens....

Quote: Ron is incubating them for me! He's the best!!
This is the best way to feed my hatching addiction without adding more birds to my flock...

Ron

 

[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
I looked it up and it is Cache Creek Meat CO. It is near Esparto, a Town that says it it the Gateway to the Capay Valley. Sometimes things like this get confused in my mind...Must be getting old.

http://www.cachecreekmeat.com/index.php/cache-creek-meat-co

Edited to correct Spelling. Ron

 

[Meg2000000]

Silly Megan!!

Yes it's SUNDAY

LOL Yes, it's SUNDAY! I'm the one sending out the invites and I still can't get it right! Sorry guys

This is a fantastic job!

If you put hardware cloth a couple of feet up around the bottom of the run and netting over the top, you would not have to close the door to the coop.

Talk abut spoiled chickens....


This is the best way to feed my hatching addiction without adding more birds to my flock...

Ron

We're going to keep the coop door closed during the day once we add feeders and waterers outside. At night we are putting them in the coop and closing the door. The gate to the pen will be left open so the dogs can protect them from predators. The coop is safe and the dogs can't get in there. If needed we will add the hardware cloth on the bottom and netting on top. The Basque's don't seem to be huge flyers and the dogs have been "protecting" them already! I've even caught them laying down with the chickens. We've found all kinds of dead animals in our yard.. our dogs are so gentle but when there is something in their yard they handle it!

I have a feeling once I start doing my own hatchings in my new incubator I will become addicted very quickly. Don't tell Johnny! haha

 

[ronott1]

Quote: Yes Megan!

Dogs make a big difference. I love it that the Basque chickens will lay right down with the dogs.

On the Legbar thread there has been a discussion about how soon to start hatching eggs from pullets. One post said to wait until the eggs were 1.75 to 2.0 ounces in size. I can't wait to hatch some. I might try hatching some as soon as my incubator is ready. I can call them Barnyard mixes since they will be all of my layer chickens crossed with the Dorking.

They would be crazy mutts

.

Ron