5th Annual BYC New Year's Day 2014 Hatch-A-Long

[MontanaDolphin]

I dunno if ya'll remember or not, but I had a problem fitting my Christmas present (ecoglow from my mom) in the brooder box. I ended up building one, and finally took pics. I built the frame, covered three sides with screen, and the back and bottom with some vinyl stuff hubby had left over from work. Then I built the lid, covered it in two layers of screen (because I have cats and they would probably sit on it...didn't want them to fall through), and hinged it to the top. I then covered the two exposed walls with cardboard, cutting windows for viewing. (we have three dogs in this house, but only one I'm worried about having the ability to put a paw through the screen...my parents' St. Bernard). I just cleaned it out and started the babies on pine shavings as bedding today (was using paper towels), and decided it would be a good time to break out the camera.

The brooder measures 4 ft long by 3 1/2 ft wide, and 3 ft deep. So do you think my 5 chicks will have enough room now?

 

[itsbob]

Quote:
Was searching the house last night to see if we had any Pedialyte, figured that would be perfect, but didn't find any. Substituted a little sugar water out of an eyedropper, figured it's good enough for our hummingbirds its good enough for a duck. He did perk up, and it got him out of the rest of his shell last night. Now we are all at work, so hoping he'll be one of the gang come tonight.

 

[ronott1]

I dunno if ya'll remember or not, but I had a problem fitting my Christmas present (ecoglow from my mom) in the brooder box. I ended up building one, and finally took pics. I built the frame, covered three sides with screen, and the back and bottom with some vinyl stuff hubby had left over from work. Then I built the lid, covered it in two layers of screen (because I have cats and they would probably sit on it...didn't want them to fall through), and hinged it to the top. I then covered the two exposed walls with cardboard, cutting windows for viewing. (we have three dogs in this house, but only one I'm worried about having the ability to put a paw through the screen...my parents' St. Bernard). I just cleaned it out and started the babies on pine shavings as bedding today (was using paper towels), and decided it would be a good time to break out the camera.

The brooder measures 4 ft long by 3 1/2 ft wide, and 3 ft deep. So do you think my 5 chicks will have enough room now?

What a great Brooder!

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Well, an update:

I've got 5 VERY healthy and vibrant baby ducks in my temporary brooder box in the dining room. Was worried about #5 yesterday morning as he didn't seem to be doing well, but came home last night and he was just part of the gang, in fact couldn't tell which one he was.

I took the last Khaki out of the incubator last night, so this would be #6. I think it's 50/50 if he's going to make it or not, he looks worse than #5 did, but not by much.. and of course as soon as I set him in the brooder the others started to pick at him.. He's hiding behind the food bowl right now, resting and hopefully gaining strength so he can pick back.

So my final result is 12 set, 7 made it to lockdown and 6 hatched. 4 Khakis and 2 Pekins.. #7 was a Pekin as well.

All 5 that didn't make it to lockdown were in the LG incubator, the 6 that made it were all in a Brinsea Mini Adv.

Maybe get out the good camera tonight and get some vogue duck shots..

Yeah ducks. My ordinance doesn't allow for any poultry other than chickens(which I fought for). My neighbors have ponds, had ducks and the city didn't know.
I'd love to have a few turkeys to raise for fall but at least my permit allows for 85 chickens and 5 roosters. That sure beats neighboring communities with 4 hen limits and no roosters. I should have applied for a 10 rooster limit but I was already freaking out about the 85 chicken thing.

I dunno if ya'll remember or not, but I had a problem fitting my Christmas present (ecoglow from my mom) in the brooder box. I ended up building one, and finally took pics. I built the frame, covered three sides with screen, and the back and bottom with some vinyl stuff hubby had left over from work. Then I built the lid, covered it in two layers of screen (because I have cats and they would probably sit on it...didn't want them to fall through), and hinged it to the top. I then covered the two exposed walls with cardboard, cutting windows for viewing. (we have three dogs in this house, but only one I'm worried about having the ability to put a paw through the screen...my parents' St. Bernard). I just cleaned it out and started the babies on pine shavings as bedding today (was using paper towels), and decided it would be a good time to break out the camera.

The brooder measures 4 ft long by 3 1/2 ft wide, and 3 ft deep. So do you think my 5 chicks will have enough room now?

Nice setup. Looks like you took a lot of important things into consideration - heat, space, cool zone, keeping bedding dry, conserving feed, activity zones. Great job.
Will your build one for me?

Quote:


Was searching the house last night to see if we had any Pedialyte, figured that would be perfect, but didn't find any. Substituted a little sugar water out of an eyedropper, figured it's good enough for our hummingbirds its good enough for a duck. He did perk up, and it got him out of the rest of his shell last night.

Now we are all at work, so hoping he'll be one of the gang come tonight.
The sugar(or honey. agave nectar) gives an energy boost. Very helpful right off the bat but needs to soon be followed by the rest of the stuff.
Good luck.

 

[chickengirl1193]

Awww. So cute.

Oh no. I am so sorry it didn't make it.

I'll try to keep current on here and post updates. So glad you got some frizzles. They are gonna be so cute!!


That looks like a really nice set up they've got there! I had one LO that would do the same thing. Sit directly in the hottest spot and pant. I'd pick it up and move it to a cooler spot and it would run straight back.

It has stopped doing it now and runs around the brooder with the others. It complains more often than the rest but seems fine otherwise.


Awwwww.

I'm so sorry. But at least they returned them and didn't just leave the poor things stranded.

Cuties!

my little guy that pants still eats and drinks and runs around normally i think he just cant figure out that there is cooler space...even tho i have plenty of it and all the other chicks figured it out lol. Im going to switch over to a lower wattage light bulb soon

 

[chickengirl1193]

I dunno if ya'll remember or not, but I had a problem fitting my Christmas present (ecoglow from my mom) in the brooder box. I ended up building one, and finally took pics. I built the frame, covered three sides with screen, and the back and bottom with some vinyl stuff hubby had left over from work. Then I built the lid, covered it in two layers of screen (because I have cats and they would probably sit on it...didn't want them to fall through), and hinged it to the top. I then covered the two exposed walls with cardboard, cutting windows for viewing. (we have three dogs in this house, but only one I'm worried about having the ability to put a paw through the screen...my parents' St. Bernard). I just cleaned it out and started the babies on pine shavings as bedding today (was using paper towels), and decided it would be a good time to break out the camera.

The brooder measures 4 ft long by 3 1/2 ft wide, and 3 ft deep. So do you think my 5 chicks will have enough room now?

thats an awesome set up! i love re using things that you have hanging around and its surprising what you can come up with.... What do you have under your waterer? my chicks kept stepping in their water getting everything wet so i just raised it up and everything seems to be staying dry now but i might want to put it in something...

 

[JDchicks]

I dunno if ya'll remember or not, but I had a problem fitting my Christmas present (ecoglow from my mom) in the brooder box. I ended up building one, and finally took pics. I built the frame, covered three sides with screen, and the back and bottom with some vinyl stuff hubby had left over from work. Then I built the lid, covered it in two layers of screen (because I have cats and they would probably sit on it...didn't want them to fall through), and hinged it to the top. I then covered the two exposed walls with cardboard, cutting windows for viewing. (we have three dogs in this house, but only one I'm worried about having the ability to put a paw through the screen...my parents' St. Bernard). I just cleaned it out and started the babies on pine shavings as bedding today (was using paper towels), and decided it would be a good time to break out the camera.

The brooder measures 4 ft long by 3 1/2 ft wide, and 3 ft deep. So do you think my 5 chicks will have enough room now?

Beautiful set-up. Think I might use some of your ideas.

One recommendation:

Put in outlet plug protectors. When chicks get a little bigger, they will peak at the outlet.

 

[MontanaDolphin]

Nice setup. Looks like you took a lot of important things into consideration - heat, space, cool zone, keeping bedding dry, conserving feed, activity zones. Great job.
Will your build one for me?

Lol that's gonna be one heck of a shipping charge!!!!

thats an awesome set up! i love re using things that you have hanging around and its surprising what you can come up with.... What do you have under your waterer? my chicks kept stepping in their water getting everything wet so i just raised it up and everything seems to be staying dry now but i might want to put it in something...

To tell you honestly, I have no idea what it is! I found it in the yard when we moved in...it's just a piece of black hard plastic. Dunno what it came from, but I thought it would come in useful, so I kept it.

Beautiful set-up. Think I might use some of your ideas.

One recommendation:

Put in outlet plug protectors. When chicks get a little bigger, they will peak at the outlet.

Don't need to...it may look like the chicks can get to the plug in the picture, but they can't. There's a screen between the chicks and the wall...as well as airspace. The brooder isn't pushed right up against the wall. Just looks that way in the picture

 

[Aphrael]

Yeah ducks. My ordinance doesn't allow for any poultry other than chickens(which I fought for). My neighbors have ponds, had ducks and the city didn't know.
I'd love to have a few turkeys to raise for fall but at least my permit allows for 85 chickens and 5 roosters. That sure beats neighboring communities with 4 hen limits and no roosters. I should have applied for a 10 rooster limit but I was already freaking out about the 85 chicken thing.

Nice setup. Looks like you took a lot of important things into consideration - heat, space, cool zone, keeping bedding dry, conserving feed, activity zones. Great job.
Will your build one for me?

The sugar(or honey. agave nectar) gives an energy boost. Very helpful right off the bat but needs to soon be followed by the rest of the stuff.
Good luck.

Yeah. That's why I listed sugar last. When my duckling had trouble hatching and was really weak I went to the Rx to get some poly-vi-sol. But they don't carry it normally and had to order it. It wasn't gonna be in till the next morning, so I mixed some raw sugar with water to give him a little energy boost until I got the vitamins the next day. It did help perk him up a fair bit, but the vitamins helped way more once I got them.

Lol that's gonna be one heck of a shipping charge!!!!


To tell you honestly, I have no idea what it is! I found it in the yard when we moved in...it's just a piece of black hard plastic. Dunno what it came from, but I thought it would come in useful, so I kept it.


Don't need to...it may look like the chicks can get to the plug in the picture, but they can't. There's a screen between the chicks and the wall...as well as airspace. The brooder isn't pushed right up against the wall. Just looks that way in the picture

Your brooder looks awesome! Those 5 chickies are living in style now.

 

[FeyRaine]

Last Set (Dec 19) Hatch -- final results

First , since they hached over a 4 count that FOUR DAY period there was obviously hot/cold spot issues in the bator (still air LG way used when I got it, & I was starting to suspect that the right side heating coil is not working fully ie not as hot as the left side I rotated eggs but I think a 4 day spread confirms my theory on coil going out)

Second, as noted, major humidity issues -- my house heat pump is just horrible, I mean for my & my DH it kills our sinuses, makes my ear hurt (air pressure issues w/ it) and overall is a no go for winter hatching esp. w/ inconsistent out door temps (days between 75 F & -11 F during this hatch, including drops of up to 50degrees in 3 hrs) it is just too much to compensate effectively.

All that said I have of 7 live chicks from 10 eggs set atm.

3 that did not make it were all Large Brown layer flock under CL "Prince"

HATCHERS:

3<-- ALL 3 med green mutt EE under new CL "Good King Henry" , the chicks are *very tiny* but properly formed, feet good, today's last one out included and I'm guessing all pullets, so feeling like a jack pot there as a reward for going ahead w/ slight assistance to hatch. GHK did get some frostbite in our crazy cold snap, only one of my birds showing it but his comb& waddles are MASSIVE so I'm thinking on that as far as my breeding plans go, he is a great looking young Roo so he will be in the program but I'm not looking to choose sons w/ combs his size.

2<-- Cream Large Eggs -- today w/ assistance, took forever, & their feet show it, I may need to do sandles/booties a few more hrs and we'll see if they self correct. So I was expecting to be able to tell from the chicks if these eggs are from my SFH pullet "Flo" silly me-- CL roo Prince has stamped his genes all over these fluffies so atm I'm still wondering "whose your mama??!!" Both of these also have umbilical cord issues looked nasty out of egg, but are closing up rapidly so I believe will resolve just fine --not great but atm I'm blaming the incubator as these egg were side by side. Interestingly the new dark based pure SFH cockeral I bought for a boyfriend for "Flo" crowed for the 1st time this am, so some pen reconfigurations and a month and I'll have pure eggs to test!

3<-- Lg Brown Eggs layer flock under CL "Prince" (same as #47 who hatched for NYDH) These were out early & on time, last one needed help & had slightly curled toes which self corrected about 6 hrs after exiting egg. These are all growing like weeds already.

SO, its a wrap.
Between the 2 sets I now have 9 chicks, 1 pure CL the others all 50% CL
& I still owe the hatchalong cute pictures...