Maine

[buckabucka]

I deleted Facebook too. Waste of time.
It is great if you can find local chicks or hatching eggs, but if you are after a particular breed, I find it easier to order eggs online. You take your chances though, usually only 50% will hatch after shipping. And then you need an incubator...
Plus you'll have a bunch of roosters to grow out for the freezer, which can be a pain when they start fighting. The year I ordered the golden cuckoo marans eggs, 8 of 15 hatched, and they were all male!

 

[combatfuzzball]

I hear you about Facebook. I posted eating eggs for sale. Had 3 hits in less than 10 minutes. I was thrilled since one lady wanted 4 to 6 dozen EE eggs and another lady wanted 3 to 4 dozen twice a week. Before I found out how many the 3rd lady wanted. I noticed all 3 were from the same town in South Carolina . Seriously bummed over that.
I hatched 6 EE one of which is an Australorp cross. This is out of 8 eggs. Not horrible considering the temps when I got the eggs. One died but it had some sort of muscular problem .
I have 9 in my Janoel incubator. Eggs are bigger than last years hatch so all that will fit.
I have a Hovabators incubator and turner on the way. Getting those by Tuesday and putting in the near 2 dozen eggs I have .

 

[oldfartfarmer]

Ive never done facebook, and won't, how big of a nesting box do you think ill need for 10-12 baby chicks? last time i used an old blanket trunk, 2'x4',for 6.
but my G?F won't give it up for this time, and ive got to raise them down in our basement, its furnished and has our wood stove, aka my man-cave,,it stays around 50deg until i load the wood stove in the morning, then goes up to 70's so i need something foe nighttime heat, been reading about using the heating pad, instead of a heatlamp,
I have gone on craigslist-maine but haven't seen much, for baby chicks

 

[combatfuzzball]

I am using a cardboard Home depot medium packing box along. I started out in a small but after 3-5 days gave them a bigger box so they can move around more. My final brooder box is a collabsible yard debris tarp type box that Walmart was selling. I don't know the actual name of it but will try and post pictures once I bring it in the house for the chicks. I'll also post pictures of the current set-up with just 5 chicks in it.

 

[combatfuzzball]

Here's a picture of the current set up. My chicks are about a week old now they're starting to wander more so about to move to bigger brooder in basement.

 

[combatfuzzball]

Here's a picture of the current set up. My chicks are about a week old now they're starting to wander more so about to move to bigger brooder in basement. Along with a picture of what I use for finishing them up so they're ready for the outside world.

 

[SilverHighlandsFarm]

Good morning, fellow Mainers! I am happy to have been directed to this thread

We are a small farm in Plymouth. Just hatched 10 Barred Hollands and 4 mixes. Cleaning the incubator out today and the next batch of 36 goes in!

Got the garden plan done, have to work out the planting order for seedlings. But first...taxes. Blech.

I see some of you are looking for specific breeds. I am still on the MPC Facebook group, and I manage the breeders list, so I'd be happy to put you in touch if I know of someone. We raise Lakenvelders and Barred Hollands right now. We will have Faverolles, Buckeyes and a couple others by years end.

-Colleen

 

[lazy gardener]

Welcome Silver.

For brooding chicks, I can't speak highly enough about Mama Heating Pad. Do a thread search and you'll find 2 articles and a thread hosted by @Blooie . I brood in my grow out coop. If you are stuck brooding inside, I recommend an appliance box, and that you give them 2 s.f. per bird by the time they are 2 - 3 weeks old.

I will be set up (barring calamity) to hatch Buck Eye, Black sex link (B.E. x PBR and Dom) and EE chicks starting in April. I could also have some hatching eggs available.

 

[HoopyFrood]

Hey folks! With the weather warming up I'm starting to notice a LOT of feathers in the coop and nest boxes, where previously there haven't been any. They look to be mostly bum fluff and little feathers like hackle/neck feathers.

My chickens are all the same age (10 months) and the coop isn't heated.

Is it possible for chickens to go through a mini molt in the late winter? They're still laying like clockwork...

 

[combatfuzzball]

Could be feathers loss due to mating if you have a rooster. I have three of mine needing separated cause of being so popular with the boys