San Diego Chicken meetup and Chat thread

[RHRanch]

Hey everybody - Can I go on a mini rant? Here it is:

So you know I have the Cotton Patch goslings for sale, and I have 3 females left. I decided to lower my price (mistake #1) because I am so busy and just want to simplify my life and keep my expenses down. So I get an email from a woman telling me she has 2 Pilgrim goslings, but CP geese are the breed she had been looking for (later it seems to come out that she may not have had any other goslings, becuse today she informed me that she is ordering from a hatchery) and could she buy a single female. I say yes since she has a pair. So then she wants to know can I meet her partway because she lives 2 hours or more away. I said no. not economical. She asks if I can meet her in Temecula if she compensates me for gas. I really don't want to do it, but since its a pet home I say ok. I tell her I need a deposit and I have to do it either this past weekend or next weekend. My internet goes out because of pc problems on Friday. I borrow an old laptop and get online and email her last night explaining that I have had pc problems. She wanted a picture, and I tell her I have no way to do it until pc is fixed. She asks if I can ship the gosling, and I say yes, but not until its 2 months old and that the price will be more for the gosling becuase its older and cost me a lot to raise it up. Today I get an email of her saying that she doesn't understand how I can expect to raise the price for an older gosling especially since I can't sell the young ones now (not true, we all know there is a lot of demand for them around the country) and that I have bad business practices. She adds that she is ordering from a hatchery where she can get them for $20 shipping. Am I right to be annoyed?

 

[perchie.girl]

I think mine is a harvester ant. I have just regular and nest openings that are flat to ground and I have seen these for ever. They are about a half inch long too. I always thought Fire ants were small and swarmed in huge numbers. Being attracted to food and sometimes electronics.

deb

I think the ones at Cari's are native Southern Fire Ants: http://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/TOOLS/ANTKEY/southernfire.html as opposed to the imported variety, which are much more aggressive: http://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/PMG/PESTNOTES/pn7487.html Just a guess based on behavior, I didn't study the things up close.

Or I guess it could have been a harvester ant, those sting too. Hrm. Now I won't rest until I identify the ants on your land, Cari!

Harvester ants: http://www.orkin.com/ants/harvester-ant/

 

[cracking up]

RHRanch,

I've been agonizing over your goslings. Thought maybe if I rehomed my white Chinese I could get yours. I'm sorry you're having so much trouble with Craigslist people. I've had it go both ways. Some people are so nice and everyone I've met on here has been wonderful. I've had people from craigslist ask me to keep a couple of goslings for them and then in a couple of weeks they stop answering emails. I know they're worth every penny and I hope you find them a good home.

On a sad note - I've been following the MN bound eagles nest and today one of the babies fell out of the nest. I think the only thing that kept me from falling apart was some of the heartbreaking things that have happened with my animals. I guess I've hardened up a bit but it still hurts like heck.

 

[WFF]

anyone interested in doing an egg swap with me?
I have welsummer eggs.I wont need your eggs until middle of may.
just checking as i have a dozen here and my bators are full.

Hi Renee,

I would love to swap some eggs with you. I have Buff Orpington, Barred Rock, Rhode Island Red, Black Australorp, Black Star, Black Jersey Giants, Silver Campines, Gold Laced Wyandotte, Blue Laced Red Wyandotte, Lavender Ameraucana Roo over Black/Lavender Split Ameraucanas, White Easter Egger, Easter Egger, Blue Copper Marans...
I think that is it. Let me know.

Gail
619 665-3100

I'm also interested in the Welsummer Rooster and hens you had on Craigslist if they are still available.

 

[dedicateddourly]

Like this:

Haha, we have LolAnts now?

 

[perchie.girl]

Need a little advice,

Hey.. I got two more wittle blue Pullet eggsies from my girl.... Doing the 'bator after a couple more days. After I do my first hatch in an incubator I hope Sweetie goes broody. Yep I finally named her. Its Sweetie and Hot Stuff.

So for storage till time to incubate....pointy end down semi cool environment no more than ten days.... So that puts me around Wednesday. And about twelve eggs (including the Guinea eggs) I probably should start the guinea eggs now. No they need a week lead time. Guineas hatch at 28 and chickens hatch at 21. I only have one incubator....

If I put them all in at once the chickens will hatch first ..... I think I am going to pass on trying to hatch the guineas at the same time.

Any ideas You experienced hatching people out there?

deb

 

[RHRanch]

I am sad to tell everyone that due to extreme financial hardships I have to reduce my flock drastically. I am selling a lot of birds. I have 5 almost feathered out crested Cayugas, I have a few runner ducklings, I have 3 bantam D'uccle hens in lay, 1 lf older blue cochin, good broody, a trio of spangled cornish bantams, 4 coturnix quails at point of lay, a few wellies, bantam rhode island reds, bantam barred rocks, partridge silkie chick, mottled easter eggers, bantam ameraucaunas, and if i can get a reasonable price, I am considering selling my 3 pairs of Cotton Patch breeders. I have an ad up san diego craigslist.

 

[Knock Kneed Hen]

I am sad to tell everyone that due to extreme financial hardships I have to reduce my flock drastically. I am selling a lot of birds.  I have 5 almost feathered out crested Cayugas, I have a few runner ducklings, I have 3 bantam D'uccle hens in lay, 1 lf older blue cochin, good broody, a trio of spangled cornish bantams, 4 coturnix quails at point of lay, a few wellies, bantam rhode island reds, bantam barred rocks, partridge silkie chick, mottled easter eggers, bantam ameraucaunas, and if i can get a reasonable price, I am considering selling my 3 pairs of Cotton Patch breeders. I have an ad up san diego craigslist. 

So sorry to hear you're having a rough go of it right now. My son just got laid off of work. It's no fun.

I've had some good, some bad and some really bad experiences with CL. I don't count my chickens 'til they're hatched when it comes to dealing with CL people.

Are your mottled EE's LF? Wish I was ready for geese. Just not there yet.

 

[desertdarlene]

I got stung by a fire ant while visiting the Agua Caliente Hot Springs near Canebrake (off of S-2, not the one in Kern County) in the desert. It crawled into my shoe while I was in the pool. Ouch! Luckily, it didn't do any harm other than a little bit of pain and numbness for a little while.

 

[dfdesigns]

I would have totally been annoyed with the CL lady. I have the worst luck there! (My dad has the best luck, and looooves CL. I guess he used up all the family karma.) I'm also sorry you're having to sell off so many birds. I hope things turn around for you soon!

I'm going to have a few boys to rehome soon. (I've learned my lesson in the "too many roosters & not enough separate pens" department. If anyone is interested:

1 adorable Silver Campine (If no one wants him, I may try to figure out some way to separate him and his lady friend. He is seriously cute, and has a great little crow.) 8 weeks.
1 barred Olive Egger (Black Am x Cuckoo Marans) Also very cute; pea comb & feathered legs. A very nice, sweet youngster. 9 weeks; not crowing.
1 mottled Ameraucana project bird (Split with ???) Mostly black with some white mottling coming in. Pea comb. 12-14 weeks; just starting to crow a bit.

I also have a beautiful Wheaten Ameraucana roo from Cari's lines. He is seriously nice, and has been taking his job as flock protector since a very young age. If you want to start your own Am thing, I can pair him with a nice Wheaten pullet to sweeten the deal. They are all about 12 weeks old.

Since I hate CL (and since CL hates me), I'm starting here. I can post pictures of any/all of them if there's interest.