San Diego Chicken meetup and Chat thread

[SunnyCalifornia]

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Hi, thank you! Yes the SLW are from my own breeding stock. I am currently working on my 3rd hatch.

I'v noticed that they vary from the parents quite a bit... What differences did you have questions about?

Chicken breeding is FASCINATING to me, well all genetics are... have you seen the "chicken calculator" yet? I've been known to play on there for hours! LoL...

Allright, I just went through all my pictures of my chickens from the last few months, and it is just my memory that isn't remembering what my SLW looked like 2 months ago. What I was noticing on your chickens, was that the lacing on the feathers seemed so narrow and pointed. But now that I look back at my pics from November, when my SLW was about the same age as yours are now, her feathers looked about the same. Its amazing to see the change in the feather patterns and the size difference in just two months. My pullet seems HUGE compared to yours, but now, looking back, I guess she used to be that small then too!! Wow. You don't notice it when you're looking at them everyday. It seems like she's always had the large rounded, laced feathers, but that's just not the case!! I'm kind of looking forward to seeing what she looks like 2 months from now! The pattern keeps getting prettier. I did look up the chicken calculator after you mentioned it. Oh boy. My laundry will never get folded now!

November 2010

January 2011

 

[tigerrrrrrrlilly]

I stopped by the Animal Shelter in Bonita on Sweetwater road and they had quite a few hens and 2 roosters for $2.50 each. They were pretty and looked healthy. Thought I should put it out there in case anyone is looking for some laying hens or roos.

 

[empireranch]

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Please tell us more about this event....

 

[SunnyCalifornia]

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Please tell us more about this event....

Oh my goodness... thats where it all started for me. I walked in to get some dog food, and walked out 4 little fuzzy butts. I happened to walk in during Chick Days, and up and down all the aisles of the store were giant feed tubs, full of baby chicks, geese, ducks, turkeys, bantams, etc. My kids went nuts! They had a great variety to choose from (for a feed store), and it was just so much fun to see all those babies! I was there on a Tuesday (How funny is it that I remember the exact day my chicken obsession began) but I think they have fun family events on the weekend too. I plan on going again this year. They should start advertising it here soon. I think its towards the end of February.

So are you getting eggs regularly now? How much fun is that! I have 3 girls laying, and 3 girls that should start soon, I hope. They were early Sept. babies, so they are almost 5 months old.

 

[empireranch]

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Please tell us more about this event....

I plan on going again this year. They should start advertising it here soon. I think its towards the end of February.

So are you getting eggs regularly now? How much fun is that! I have 3 girls laying, and 3 girls that should start soon, I hope. They were early Sept. babies, so they are almost 5 months old.

Sounds like fun - altho' I don't have room for any more.....but will most definitely go and explore - let me know closer to the date!

I am getting at least 2 eggs a day - sometimes 4! I have golf balls in the nesting boxes - how long do I leave those there - must I wait until I know that all 7 are laying?

 

[SunnyCalifornia]

I never did the golf ball thing, I don't know! My hens just figured it out!

 

[Knock Kneed Hen]

I left the golf balls in the nest boxes until I had several laying regularly. I think I left them in one of the nest boxes that wasn't being used just to encourage them but they never really took to that box, which surprised me because it's in the corner so it's the most private and darkest box.

Oh, I have to edit this to add that I had my babysitter and her mom over watching the animals and told them they could collect the eggs. I actually only had one golf ball and a couple of foosball table balls in the nest boxes. When I got home the neighbors told me about my perfectly round shaped eggs. They really got a kick out of them.

. . . .and they have chickens of their own!!!

 

[SunValleySeramas]

Does anyone here have booted seramas in town??? i need 2...

 

[Phage]

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Hi Sunny,
where did you get your SLW?
Gorgeous!!!!!

 

[Phage]

Any idea as to when the next meet up will be?
It was so much fun meeting all you BYCers.
Can't wait for the next one, and would love to bring chicks this time. Just need too get more organized