CALIFORNIA The Whole State thread

[farmhand]

...If you want to know what works best in your area, start polling the neighbors. Hopefully you can find enough that hatch to draw some relevant data from...

Was kinda thinking that this California thread was how I found neighbors.

 

[ronott1]

Quote: I am on Team SummyDawn. Humidity is not as important as temperature. You can get great hatches within a wide range for the first 18 days of incubation. 25 to 55 seems to be the range. Shooting for 40 is a safe bet and a place to start. Half a degree on temperature can hurt the hatch and a degree off can kill some. Another thing that is important is the health of the parent flock. With shipped eggs, you have to worry about how they were packed and shipped.

California is a very diverse State climate wise. Novato at the ocean is completely different from Truckee in the mountains. On the other side of the Sierras, you get into one of the hottest driest desserts in the world. Cactus and etc. The other corner of the state, by Eureka there is one of the only places on the Continental US that you can grow Arabica coffee beans. Also, Death Valley is below sea level.

Keep records when you incubate and then do hatch troubleshooting when the hatch is complete. Also, settings that work well in the Winter may not work well in the Summer.

Happy Hatching!

 

[HighNDryFarm]

Quote: I am on Team SummyDawn. Humidity is not as important as temperature. You can get great hatches within a wide range for the first 18 days of incubation. 25 to 55 seems to be the range. Shooting for 40 is a safe bet and a place to start. Half a degree on temperature can hurt the hatch and a degree off can kill some. Another thing that is important is the health of the parent flock. With shipped eggs, you have to worry about how they were packed and shipped.

California is a very diverse State climate wise. Novato at the ocean is completely different from Truckee in the mountains. On the other side of the Sierras, you get into one of the hottest driest desserts in the world. Cactus and etc. The other corner of the state, by Eureka there is one of the only places on the Continental US that you can grow Arabica coffee beans. Also, Death Valley is below sea level.

Keep records when you incubate and then do hatch troubleshooting when the hatch is complete. Also, settings that work well in the Winter may not work well in the Summer.

Happy Hatching!

The winter/summer thing was something I was thinking about personally. I'm in a portion of CA that has all the seasons so as I was watching the incubator do it's job I was thinking about the days this time of year that go from really cold to pretty hot. Our house if full of large windows to take in the view and if the sun is out our house heats up naturally and it's not unusual for it to be warm enough for us to open the doors in the middle of winter. My concern is when I'm at work that the house can get quite warm. I guess the incubator is supposed to adapt to that.

My thinking that the most difficult time for me to have temp swings in the room the incubator is in will be the next couple of months where one day we could be running the heat and the next the a/c. Is this an issue for anyone else? Will the incubator adjust for it?

 

[chickee]

The winter/summer thing was something I was thinking about personally. I'm in a portion of CA that has all the seasons so as I was watching the incubator do it's job I was thinking about the days this time of year that go from really cold to pretty hot. Our house if full of large windows to take in the view and if the sun is out our house heats up naturally and it's not unusual for it to be warm enough for us to open the doors in the middle of winter. My concern is when I'm at work that the house can get quite warm. I guess the incubator is supposed to adapt to that.

My thinking that the most difficult time for me to have temp swings in the room the incubator is in will be the next couple of months where one day we could be running the heat and the next the a/c. Is this an issue for anyone else? Will the incubator adjust for it?

Yes it will. The Octagons are a well insulated incubator so they are not affected as much by room temps, as the foam incubators. Your going to love what good hatches you get from yours.

Happy hatching, and be sure to keep us updated on the eggs progress

 

[wolftracks]

Farmhand I think so many are getting new pens done (me) and it's spring, so lots of hatching and chicks to take care of, that you'll find at different times the whole of BYC will run a little slow. Sometimes we're jumpin and sometimes, we move at a snails pace. BTW, where is Kingsburg? I hear of new places all the time. I was very sheltered out in the Bay and didn't know there was a different world passed Sac or Reno. LOL There was just so much out there, I'm trying to find my way around here still after 4 years. hmm or is it 5? Geez I don't remember when we moved out here. ....Makayla turned 3 right after and she just turned 7 NYE. Guess it's 4. LOL Bad when you have to use a kids age to figure out where you've been. LOL

As for hatching, I went to set those eggs last night and saw a pip. I may be changing my dates on these eggs, which means I'll have over 100 to set.

I didn't want to do that again darn it! I have one more hatch of chickens to hatch before the Easter hatch and a couple of small hatches of quail. I think I need another incubator! Oops. forgot a bator. I have 3 before Easter. One going on now.

With all the talk of humidity, I decided I would calibrate a couple of hydrometers last night. One was only 1% to high, the other 5% to low. I'm dry hatching, so it didn't really matter to me til now. I go into lockdown tonight.

I had 3 rabbits get out last month. I haven't seen my little Holland Lop who usually comes running when I'm out. The night I realized they were out there were chickens all over the cages and I think they released them

Last night I was filling their feeders and I caught my little Lionhead buck. Him and one of my girls have been running the yard, so no dogs in the yard till I catch the doe. I'll bring Isis out in the evening, but I can call her off. So I pick my little guy up and take him back to his cage which is connected to to others and he's right in the middle and give him pellets, hay and go to get him fresh water, but I decided to pet him. His ear was like stone! I've only seen anything that bad a couple of times and never on one of my animals. I brought him in and stuck him in the sink and tried to wash of whatever was on him and stuff started falling off and smelled to high Heaven! I kept him in a small cat crate in the house since he was wet. I've seen ear mites, but OMG!

The smell was horrible! I was afraid his ear was going to come off. Him and the doe like to hide under a cage way out back and they can squeeze enough to get out in the alley, I haven't been able to catch them, so I try not to scare them that far back. I've noticed that there are 2 more rabbits running around in the neighborhood. I'm surprised the dogs out there haven't gotten them and really worried that since the one I haven't seen at all since they got out may have already been caught by them. We've been getting a lot of birds around here, and I've been trying to think of a way to get them to move one, so now I get to go dose everyone, cause I'm not sure where the mites came from. I did check all the rabbits last night and everyone had clear ears, but he was also with that doe, so I don't know what I'm going to find once I catch her. I have to say, I've helped people with ear mites in dogs and cats and rabbits. I I've seen worse but can't remember how long ago that was. I mixed olive oil, ACV and honey and wiped it all down and lots came loose. Now his ear is almost totally hairless and swollen and bright red. Figures it's going to rain the next couple of days. I have a pen to finish, eggs to hatch, eggs to set, rabbits and the dogs to treat for ear mites as a precaution. Dirt to turn....I'm tired just thinking about it.

Gonna run my grandson around so he can take care of some business and then back out back to deal with the next catastrophe!

 

[PetRock]

Sorry, Kim! I'm not sure how to add this info to the feed store page.

Scott's Valley Feed

Central Coastal Area/South Bay

Address: 5470 Scotts Valley Dr,
Scotts Valley, CA 95066
Phone831) 438-3194
Excellent feed store that carried King Feed including their new Freedom GMO-Free Natural Layer Pellets.

 

[HighNDryFarm]

I get orders for chicks and then cancellations so can't help ya. This might be may last year. I can't make enough back for one bag of feed let alone enough to feed all these mouths.

That being said. I haven't set them yet, Writing on them right now and putting them in when I finsh. Lavern laid her first egg this year and I got 2 grey ones which means tose will be turning lavender soon,

Just took this. My couch is the only spot I could get one pic of all of them.

Beautiful collection of color! I think things are turning around for you on your hatches! Glad you found the mites and no one else has them. I know things are still crazy for you but I have good feelings about this year for you! I think you're going to have a good hatch. Do you do facebook? Between selling broody hatched chicks last year and my facebook page for my farm, I've got the preorders on chicks now. I know some of those people will walk into the feed store and not be able to resist the chicks and cancel their orders with me but that's OK because I need some to grow out too. Between that and Craigslist maybe you could get enough to pay for your feed anyway! LOL Good things are coming, Bill's tired of watching you trip over yourself since he left you!

All kidding aside....I can't imagine how hard it would be to lose the love of your life but I lost my brother Billy, at 40 almost to the day the year before you lost your Bill and sometimes I feel my brother slapping me upside the head to take care of myself! I'm taking my life back this year and I think you're ready too!

Quote: Oh good to know....I giggle every time I think how awesome this incubator is! Oh, I'll keep you updated all right! Probably too much!

Sorry, Kim! I'm not sure how to add this info to the feed store page.

Scott's Valley Feed

Central Coastal Area/South Bay

Address: 5470 Scotts Valley Dr,
Scotts Valley, CA 95066
Phone831) 438-3194
Excellent feed store that carried King Feed including their new Freedom GMO-Free Natural Layer Pellets.

Debi, what's the price on the new Freedom GMO-Free? I had our hay supplier order the Bar-Ale soy free which was a few dollars more then the regular but the organic was almost twice as much! I just can't afford that. She's going to look into King Feed for me too but I was wondering what the pricing on this GMO-Free feed is and if it's even something I can afford to consider right now.

 

[ronott1]

Quote:

Scotts Valley, CA 95066

Phone831) 438-3194
Excellent feed store that carried King Feed including their new Freedom GMO-Free Natural Layer Pellets.

Debi, what's the price on the new Freedom GMO-Free? I had our hay supplier order the Bar-Ale soy free which was a few dollars more then the regular but the organic was almost twice as much! I just can't afford that. She's going to look into King Feed for me too but I was wondering what the pricing on this GMO-Free feed is and if it's even something I can afford to consider right now.
Western Pet and Feed in Davis does not have the GMO-Free poultry feed yet. It is very new so I expect stock has to run out In their warehouse store in Charmicael. The Natural Non Soy is $22.00 per 50 #s now. I was told the GMO Free version would be the same price. I am picking up a couple of bags of the layer today so I will be helping to bring down their inventory....

 

[wolftracks]

Sorry, Kim! I'm not sure how to add this info to the feed store page.

Scott's Valley Feed

Central Coastal Area/South Bay

Address: 5470 Scotts Valley Dr,
Scotts Valley, CA 95066
Phone831) 438-3194
Excellent feed store that carried King Feed including their new Freedom GMO-Free Natural Layer Pellets.

Thank you so much. This is great for now. I'll format it if I get that into it later.

 

[PetRock]

Oh good to know....I giggle every time I think how awesome this incubator is! Oh, I'll keep you updated all right! Probably too much!

Debi, what's the price on the new Freedom GMO-Free? I had our hay supplier order the Bar-Ale soy free which was a few dollars more then the regular but the organic was almost twice as much! I just can't afford that. She's going to look into King Feed for me too but I was wondering what the pricing on this GMO-Free feed is and if it's even something I can afford to consider right now.

I'm not sure how much it cost. I ordered it over the phone and it came to $40 something with one bag of GMO-free and one bag of Natural starter crumbles. DH picked up the order for me and lost the receipt. It may be in his car but it's with him down in Santa Cruz.