San Diego Chicken meetup and Chat thread

[Knock Kneed Hen]

The meet up was a great success! A really nice turn out of familiar and new faces. Thank you Helen for getting it together and donating the paper goods and drinks.

Thank you Glenn and Renee for getting there early and getting us a good spot. So nice to not have to drag our stuff too far. We had one of the best potlucks I can remember too. I was really tickled to see how everyone was so thoughtful and kind during the raffle, making sure that no one was left out. This is really a nice bunch of people I appreciate the effort you went to bring us hot coffee Heather. Everyone just jumped in to help. What a super bunch of peeps to hang out with! The weather couldn't have been more perfect too.

Froggie, your little Spanish will be in my dreams tonight.

For those who didn't make it, Froggiesheins will be hosting a meetup the first week of Nov. in Norco. You can get info. PMing her or check the https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/161/california-southern/2040#post_12044810 thread for updated announcements.

Sorry salkxsj to hear you're on crutches!! Some people snapped pics, I didn't though. Just too busy yapp'in. Lots of roos came, but I think most went home with their owners.

 

[aaajjss1]

It was a really nice day, thank you all so much for bringing all the food, coffee and everything else,
La petite Thanks for all the info you shared with me I am ordering book now!
Koved the giant roo that chef Glen brought.

 

[jules4fun]

It was great seeing everyone yesterday and all your beautiful chickens.
Good food and good friends, what more could anyone ask for.
Thank you to everyone that bought our chickies!

 

[dfdesigns]

I took quite a few photos... I'll get them off the camera soon!

 

[Knock Kneed Hen]

I entered my two pics in the calendar contest. Let's see if we can get one of our own on the pages of the next BYC calendar. Tomorrow is the deadline!!

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/...eded-submissions-ending-9-30/20#post_11905718

 

[alisar]

I submitted two of my Olandsk. They're so cute

 

[LaPetiteFarmer]

Thank you Renee for response. I actually got the idea from you, except that we would like connect them directly from a pipe.

The meet up was a great success! A really nice turn out of familiar and new faces. Thank you Helen for getting it together and donating the paper goods and drinks.

Thank you Glenn and Renee for getting there early and getting us a good spot. So nice to not have to drag our stuff too far. We had one of the best potlucks I can remember too. I was really tickled to see how everyone was so thoughtful and kind during the raffle, making sure that no one was left out. This is really a nice bunch of people

I appreciate the effort you went to bring us hot coffee Heather. Everyone just jumped in to help. What a super bunch of peeps to hang out with! The weather couldn't have been more perfect too.

Froggie, your little Spanish will be in my dreams tonight.

For those who didn't make it, Froggiesheins will be hosting a meetup the first week of Nov. in Norco. You can get info. PMing her or check the https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/161/california-southern/2040#post_12044810 thread for updated announcements.

Sorry salkxsj to hear you're on crutches!! Some people snapped pics, I didn't though. Just too busy yapp'in. Lots of roos came, but I think most went home with their owners.

It was a nice meet up.... a bit too short but that was because I came too late lol. I agree... a lot of roosters lol.... i probably came with 7 of them and came back with all of them. At least I know I won't bring as many.

It was a really nice day, thank you all so much for bringing all the food, coffee and everything else,
La petite Thanks for all the info you shared with me I am ordering book now!
Koved the giant roo that chef Glen brought.

You are so welcome. I love to learn and need more classes on genetics.... so perplex.

 

[Merry Lew]

So last night I had a near-death experience with my girls.....

I have a flock of 4 pullets, 1 RIR, 1 Australorp, 2 Blue Silkie Bantams....they are all very sweet, follow me around the yard, etc. LOVE my girls!!!! I house them in one of those bolt and snap coops from the internet, with a coop, 2 laying boxes, and a 3' attached run. I have a very large backyard surrounded by a 6' privacy fence so I let them free range throughout most of the day. A week or so ago, I heard my girls outside causing a ruckus, so I went to see what it was. A HUGE orange tabby (does one of my neighbors own a tiger?!?!?) had scaled the fence into my yard! I chased it off and then put the girls back in the coop. Last night the same thing happened, but when I went outside I saw 1 orange cat and 2 chickens. TWO!!!!!!

"Hysteric" doesn't begin to describe me. I was running around the yard trying to find my missing Australorp and my bantam, who is still so tiny she's smaller than a pigeon. After a few minutes I heard a soft, rapid clucking but couldn't find it.....then I found my Australorp wedged between my privacy fence and the fence on the other side (no shared fence on the property line, weird I know, it was like that when I bought the place.) I don't know if she fell down there trying to escape the cat, or more likely, the cat fumbled my giant bird when she was trying to get her over the fence. Either way I had to unwedge Drax from the two fences. At first she didn't want to walk and I expected the worse, but then the shock wore off and she was fine. After a few more agonizing minutes of calling, my tiny little bantam pullet can running from the garden shed where she was hiding. I guess when all the other chickens darted one way, she, the clever little girl, went and ran and hid somewhere the cat would never look. I KNEW there was a reason she was my favorite!

Last night was my wake up call, they are NOT safe behind my privacy wall and now I have to figure out a solution for them. I want to continue allowing them to free range in my yard, so what is my best choice? I am kind of thinking getting a rooster? I want something that will teach that ********** cat a lesson! I know a rooster's job is to protect his flock, so I am kind of leaning to that side of things. I live in Spring Valley and a neighbor a few houses down has a rooster, so I know no one will mind but I would definitely prefer one that doesn't have TOO loud of a crow. Any ideas on breeds with a softer crow?

I thought about just trapping the cat but then what? It is probably someone's pet and if I find out who owns it they will just let it outside again and back into my yard. I don't want to drive it somewhere and drop it off because then I'm protecting my own pets by causing harm to another.

Any ideas would be great!!!!

 

[perchie.girl]

So last night I had a near-death experience with my girls.....

I have a flock of 4 pullets, 1 RIR, 1 Australorp, 2 Blue Silkie Bantams....they are all very sweet, follow me around the yard, etc. LOVE my girls!!!! I house them in one of those bolt and snap coops from the internet, with a coop, 2 laying boxes, and a 3' attached run. I have a very large backyard surrounded by a 6' privacy fence so I let them free range throughout most of the day. A week or so ago, I heard my girls outside causing a ruckus, so I went to see what it was. A HUGE orange tabby (does one of my neighbors own a tiger?!?!?) had scaled the fence into my yard! I chased it off and then put the girls back in the coop. Last night the same thing happened, but when I went outside I saw 1 orange cat and 2 chickens. TWO!!!!!!

"Hysteric" doesn't begin to describe me. I was running around the yard trying to find my missing Australorp and my bantam, who is still so tiny she's smaller than a pigeon. After a few minutes I heard a soft, rapid clucking but couldn't find it.....then I found my Australorp wedged between my privacy fence and the fence on the other side (no shared fence on the property line, weird I know, it was like that when I bought the place.) I don't know if she fell down there trying to escape the cat, or more likely, the cat fumbled my giant bird when she was trying to get her over the fence. Either way I had to unwedge Drax from the two fences. At first she didn't want to walk and I expected the worse, but then the shock wore off and she was fine. After a few more agonizing minutes of calling, my tiny little bantam pullet can running from the garden shed where she was hiding. I guess when all the other chickens darted one way, she, the clever little girl, went and ran and hid somewhere the cat would never look. I KNEW there was a reason she was my favorite!

Last night was my wake up call, they are NOT safe behind my privacy wall and now I have to figure out a solution for them. I want to continue allowing them to free range in my yard, so what is my best choice? I am kind of thinking getting a rooster? I want something that will teach that ********** cat a lesson! I know a rooster's job is to protect his flock, so I am kind of leaning to that side of things. I live in Spring Valley and a neighbor a few houses down has a rooster, so I know no one will mind but I would definitely prefer one that doesn't have TOO loud of a crow. Any ideas on breeds with a softer crow?

I thought about just trapping the cat but then what? It is probably someone's pet and if I find out who owns it they will just let it outside again and back into my yard. I don't want to drive it somewhere and drop it off because then I'm protecting my own pets by causing harm to another.

Any ideas would be great!!!!

Mary Lew your chickens are in more danger than just a cat if you can't lock your chickens up at night. Raccoons are much better at hunting than domestic cats are..,, I had Raccoons kill thirty Guinea Keets just by pulling their heads off through chainlink kennel panels. Or legs or what ever they can get a hold of. They even found a way to get under the kennel panel roof somethign I didnt see.

Free range them in the day when you are there and can keep an ear out.... Evening and early morning are the most dangerous times for predators.... Normally a cat isnt a match for Large Fowl chickens but a silky or a bantam is at risk.

Also if you have a chicken friendly dog they are a good deterrent for cats.... But not racoons. And believe me even if you have never seen one in the area they are there. especially with the way San Diego is built on the tops of ridges leaving canyons alone. I wouldnt be surprised to hear of Bobcat and Mountain Lion wandering through too.

deb

 

[Merry Lew]

They have a coop and run that I lock up at night, so they are safe from raccoon, etc when they're sleeping. I have a mastiff mix who has a fixation on fuzzy things, so if I left him out to "protect" the girls, I may end up with a couple of accidentally maimed bantams. The only thing that is an issue for me right now is this freaking cat who keeps popping over the fence to get my girls. I don't want to keep them confined to the run, but this cat is super crafty and I'm afraid she is going to grab one of my girls before I have a chance to stop her. :-/