San Diego Chicken meetup and Chat thread

[UrbanMamaHen]

We got ours from A-1 Soils in near Miramar. I think it was like $20 for 1/2 yard. http://www.yelp.com/biz/a-1-soils-hanson-aggregates-san-diego

We got washed coarse sand.

Go to any places like RCP Block and sand and they will have river sand. If you can get a yard it will be wayy cheaper than buying bags of sand. Annd they will deliver. I think last time I bought five yards of sand for my horse corral it was about a hundred bucks I split the cost with a couple of friends they bought fifteen yards.

Concrete mix sand I believe is the best because it has small and large sized particles it wont compact like Decomposed granite. San Diego has lots of rivers.... Belive it or not. San Diego River bed goes all the way from the ocean to El Capitan you can find river sand all along the way if you are willing to dig it yourself. But the deal is the rock and sand suppliers actually sterilize it and wash it before selling it. So it doesnt introduce weeds to your yard if you are using it as sand.

http://www.rcpblock.com
http://www.bedrockboulders.com/Sand_Concrete_Mix_Sand_Rock_Supplier.htm

1 cu/ yd = 160sqft @ 2" depth
1 sack = 8sqft @ 1" depth

BTW I have Decomposed Granite in my coops and it does pack down but they still can dig dust bath holes in it.... LOL.

deb

Thank you.

 

[perchie.girl]

A day in the high desert of Jacumba. Very long

For now I live in Santee with my 96 year old grandmother. My home is in Jacumba 60 miles away and I go up there about once every three to four days to tend my animals. Horse, Cats, Goats and Chickens. I get to spend between three to four hours there before I have to come back. My coop is simply three enclosures twelve feet wide each, one is about nine feet deep and the other two are six feet deep. and all are six feet tall. The roof is Tarp.

I got two Silkey Roos a few months back from Overthehenhouse. Sparkle and Truffle. They were silly boys and I put them in their own 6 x 12 enclosure My first chickens in a very long time. I already had a small flock of Guinea Fowl. These boys didn't perch they slept together in the shavings so I put a dog crate in there so they could keep warm.

Now Silkeys cant fly but they sure can hop and Truffle the black one has a knack for spotting an open door and trying to get out. Neither one has a problem walking through the water tub to get a shot at that door. Oh they are easy to catch so I dont worry. Then I get three more chickens From All-American-Chick. An Araucana Roo, Hot Stuff, and his hen, Sweet Pea, and a Barred Rock Roo I haven't named yet. (How about Rocky the Barred Rock)

What is funny is the Barred Rock (Rocky) kept growing he is huge. And sneaky in a different way..... occasionally when my back is turned I feel a thump on my leg. He takes a shot at me.... LOL. Not an offense just frustration he gets "what for" but I am not worried. Poor little Sweet Pea was getting a little ragged being in with four boys but still lays an egg a day for about three weeks then takes about a week off.

So Now I have the Wellies growed up and out in their own breed pen. Those boys need some girls So I decided to put four Wellie girls in there with them. Now each of the boys have a girl with a couple of spares. I think I have ten in a 6 x 12 dog kennel. There is one perch that is really high up. With the exception of Sparkle and Truffle they all can get up on that perch which is about four and a half feet off the ground. There is a Saw horse sitting in there for a start off point. It's about thirty inches high.

I was sitting in my usual spot just out side the coop. I had just given the Wellie pen a good cleaning and feed and water and The Wellies were NOT wanting to go back in there. So I was sitting and waiting for the sun to go down a little more so more of them could decide to go in without me Runnin' them down. (for long distance walking I use a walker I don't use it up there) Not a pretty picture but I can do it with a long piece of PVC.

I got to watching the New hens in with Truffle and Sparkle and the HotStuff....and Rocky. The Arucana hen Sweet Pea Is the Boss hen in there.... too cute. But the hens were making their sleepy noises and heading for the tall perch soon Hot stuff was up there too. Rocky and one last Wellie were staying on the brooder table. And of course Truffle and sparkle were still walking around on the floor.

I looked over at the Wellsummers after a while threw in some Scratch to try to coax them in their dog kennel and I heard some flapping. And looked over just in time to see Truffle Land on the saw horse. Then hop to the intermediate perch which is about another foot and a half up. He did a big bird doodle doo. The next hop up was a bit much for him so I suspect this is where he roosts for the night. He does have about five deformed flight feathers but I have never seen him fly. Goooo Truffle.... LOL. I need to set up more roosts.

So finally I get the Wellies caught and tucked in for the night. Get the booster pump off the fire tank off and the water fill off and the water switched over to the Maintenence trickle. My waterers are all on trickle feed to maintain their water level so NO one goes without water when I come back down from my house. Its soo pretty up there at sunset I was enjoying the cooler weather and Chicken Chatter.

deb "Yay finally named Rocky"

 

[All-American-Chick]

what a fun story deb.Glad you found a name for rocky and all your birds are doing good.
Yes the sunsets have been simply beautiful.Im not liking all the fires but the skies are wonderful.

 

[perchie.girl]

what a fun story deb.Glad you found a name for rocky and all your birds are doing good.
Yes the sunsets have been simply beautiful.Im not liking all the fires but the skies are wonderful.

You should see Sweat Pea Boss those big hens around. Too funney. shes about half their size. But of course shes the oldest so she should be Queen Pea..... LOL.

deb

 

[vannaHaines]

Just had to share!

So I recently purchased three naked neck chickies from Gail. Love these little peeps. Not sure if I should call them chicks though as they're more like little piggies. Hehe. Super healthy and floofy.

So I decide to let my 6 year old daughter name all three of them. Mind you I still don't know if we'll be keeping them all. Any roos will be going back (sadly). But anyhoo, here is what my daughter came up with for names for the chickens that resemble turkeys:

• Bluish/gray: Turkey
• Black : Raisin
• White : Stuffing

So there we have it; Turkey, Raisin, Stuffing!!!!

Sometimes I wonder about my daughter....

 

[perchie.girl]

Just had to share!

So I recently purchased three naked neck chickies from Gail. Love these little peeps. Not sure if I should call chicks though as they're more like little piggies. Hehe. Super healthy and floofy.

So I decide to let my 6 year old daughter name all three of them. Mind you I still don't know if we'll be keeping them all. Any roos will be going back (sadly). But anyhoo, here is what my daughter came up for names for the chickens that resemble turkeys:

• Bluish/gray: Turkey
• Black : Raisin
• White : Stuffing

So there we have it; Turkey, Raisin, Stuffing!!!!

Sometimes I wonder about my daughter....

deb

 

[dfdesigns]

I think those are awesome chicken names... most of mine have food-related names, too.

 

[vannaHaines]

I think those are awesome chicken names... most of mine have food-related names, too.

LOL, I love the names. They're definitely creative coming from the mind of a 6 year old. If i'm lucky, all three will be pullets and the Thanksgiving Trio can stay together. *keeping fingers crossed*

 

[Fraunie]

Perfect names!!! I love them, seriously. We have a How to Train Your Dragon trio......Toothless, Roughnut and Toughnut I do have to admit that it was the adults in the family that came up with those

Pictures? I want to know what Raisin looks like

 

[Fraunie]

I think I'm losing one to heat....

Star, my 12-13wk black langshan is acting kind of like she had a stroke. in the past 24hrs it had progressed to where she can't stand and just lays on her side with her eyes closed and head wobbly. I got some electrolytes in her this morning and hoping for the best.

We lost our Buffie, named Coyote Killer, to a hawk two weeks ago....my kids (and I) will be heartbroken if Star dies too!!

Chicken rearing ain't for the faint of heart.......