California - Northern

[debs_flock]

Sorry, I didn't take pictures this morning when I picked them up. We were in a rush because I still had to bring them home and then get to work. We had the last birds in the building. I had just enough time to get them sprayed (in case we picked up bugs) and get them put away. I was only two hours late for work! They won't be showroom clean, but I'll take a few pictures this week and post them.

75+ roo's! How many chickens do you have in all?

Okay, it's one of those where I have to say I have no idea. I've never counted. If I get a little cool weather I'm going to have a lot less. I'm in the neighborhood of 200. I've got 16 coop/runs, 4 grow out pens and four brooders and they're all full (I'm not counting anything that hasn't hatched yet! Can't count my chickens before they hatch!). Anyway, they are all from eggs I hatched and a few groups of chicks I bought. So I'm at least 50% boys.

Deb

 

[lawatt]

How exciting for you! Baby chicks are so fun to have around.. and so cute! Both breeds are from the Basque region of Spain. My boyfriend is from Spain so we felt an immediate attachment to these breeds (and they turned out to be super awesome!) You will have fun picking out your new little guys

little gals, i'm hoping! i've never had chicks before (heck, three weeks ago i'd never had ANY chickens before), so i'm just hoping i don't neglect them too much once school starts (i teach at sonoma state, the new semester will start when the chicks are 1-2 weeks old, depending on when they hatch) -- but will have to look up your Basques, they sound fabulous!

worried that my outdoor thermometer is strangely going UP at 10pm, instead of down... doesn't bode well for tomorrow
laura

 

[lawatt]

My incubators are free now if you want to hatch some more Dorking or Delaware Chicks

.

Ron

just in case anyone ends up with any spare Delawares, i'm so in love with my one pullet, Lucy, that i'd love to have another...

just in case!
best,
laura

 

[Miss Molly]

Oooh Central and Northern Ca people!!!  I'm in the Sacramento area (Rocklin to be specific)  Nice to talk with others in the same basic area!
Hello...Welcome, I'm just up the Hill from you...Newcastle

 

[Papa Brooder]

Hey all, how long after separating my breeds before I know I'll have a pure hatching egg?

 

[HighNDryFarm]

I'm getting pretty good at this broody game and I have two more at it right now! One is the broody who stoled all the chicks from the other mom (but she did let her co-parent). I am surprised she went for another.

The BIG surprise is that one of the Polish hens has gone broody and takes it very serious! She's like in a trance. 

I knew the Polish had started a few days ago and when I asked my husband about her he kept referring to the black hen, but the Polish is Silver laced so after some discussion I tell I'm talking about in the barn. I told him I ran those girls off everyday and they were just laying and I pick up the eggs....so to clarify, wrong color hen and in the opposite side of the stall! And this girl is on a load of eggs! Actually so is the Polish, the other are continuing to lay in with her which explains the noisy morning.

I'm going to move the box a couple of feet over and set up a portion of the coop for her and the chicks.
I was wishing I would have caught the other chicken sooner, I would have stuck Polish eggs along with the EE's under her.

The last 10 are about 2 months, so we'll be adding another 10-16. I think they'll hatch more not being next to each other. No stealing chicks and abandoning the nest.

So if anyone's interested in possible show quality Polish and some beautiful EE's I'll have some in a few weeks!

 

[debs_flock]

Oooh Central and Northern Ca people!!! I'm in the Sacramento area (Rocklin to be specific) Nice to talk with others in the same basic area!

Hello...Welcome, I'm just up the Hill from you...Newcastle

There are quite a few of us, I'm in Shingle Springs, basically Placerville.

Hey all, how long after separating my breeds before I know I'll have a pure hatching egg?

You should wait two weeks before you start collecting eggs to hatch.

Deb

 

[ronott1]

Quote:
Yes Welcome to Miss Molly.

Back when I was growing up(1960s), my Dad said the sperm lives for up to 30 days in the Hen. My Dorking Ameraucana crosses are the result of waiting two weeks. They are wonderful birds, but not pure SG Dorkings like they were supposed to be.

When you read two weeks, they are talking about not having a rooster before separating them. If they were in with a different rooster, you should wait 30 days just to be safe.

Have fun!

Ron

 

[JerseyGiantfolk]

Oooh Central and Northern Ca people!!! I'm in the Sacramento area (Rocklin to be specific) Nice to talk with others in the same basic area!

Hello...Welcome, I'm just up the Hill from you...Newcastle

Welcome to the thread!

 

[capayvalleychick]

I'm very curious about what this new Dork roo will produce, as well as the Dels, so that is a tempting offer, Ron. I just have so many chickens, I'm not sure if I want to add to it right now. I don't enjoy brooding chicks like the rest of you. I want broodies!

My plan was to separate out the very best of the Dork hens, to pair with the new guy. I've got pullets & hens I should cull mixed in with the group.
I don't know what's up with the mature hens this year. They want to hide their eggs. One went broody and quit when I moved her. Now I have one broody in the big barn. I keep hoping no predators go in there at night. I got a look at her eggs yesterday and most of them look like pullet eggs, which is not ideal.
Another Dork hen went broody and I did something stupid, without thinking. I took the Del eggs out, and put them under her, each day, for several days . So all the eggs were in different stages and didn't hatch at one time. She got off the nest with the first chick to hatch. So I've got a Dork hen running around with one Del chick.

I had someone ask for Del hatching eggs. I don't usually sell hatching eggs, since my birds aren't to Standard. This guy just wants Delawares that lay big brown eggs. My Sand Hill hens lay bigger eggs than my Braden girls. So I'm going to put the Sand Hill hens in the breeding pen with the Braden group, just for hatching eggs for this guy. I told the guy that they will not be good type and I can't guarantee what he will end up with, but he still wants them. For myself, I only want the Braden strain. So I have to get eggs for this buyer and separate out the SH hens before I would give eggs to you, Ron.

Laura, I'd be glad to give you a chick, as long as you understand that these are not to Standard. They are fine backyard/barnyard chickens, but not show or breeding quality.

Deb, I saw your husband's NH at the fair. He was hiding his head at first, seemed stressed by the crowds. I was stressed by the crowds, too. It was too hard to get a good look at the birds when I was there. The coop cards were folded and I kept pulling them out to see who the owners of the birds were. I couldn't even get close enough to see the one row of bantams, so I missed Walt's leghorn and didn't see yours.

Thank you for offering, Ron. Sorry for being so wishy washy.
Kim