Wyoming Unite!!!!

[Blooie]

Not as bad as @redhorseranch??????????

I wondered if you'd catch that!!

 

[R2elk]

Not as bad as @redhorseranch??????????

I am only on my second hatch this year, what hatch are you on?

 

[red horse ranch]

5 I think. Or is it 7?

 

[Blooie]

I can already tell you're both waaaay out of my league!

 

[N F C]

Just wanted to add my 'Welcome to Wyoming!' to the chorus here.

We moved to Wyoming from the midwest over 20 years ago. The move IS Hard! But so worth it. Hope you love it here as much as we all do.

Thank you, I know we're going to love it!

It's a heck of a trip... I'm from NE Wyoming, and I went to school in Tallahassee for a couple of years. Drove down and back twice. If you have a little time to spare when you do it, it makes it easier. Welcome to big wonderful Wyoming!

NE WY to Tallahassee is a long trip...yikes, you did it twice? Guess I can't whine too much just having to do it once, lol. I'm not going to be in a huge rush, I'll be pulling a little trailer (that's a first for me). DH has to get there sooner to start a job but I don't have that deadline.

Thank you so much for the welcome!

 

[R2elk]

Some of the remaining chicks at 3 1/2 weeks old.

Rose Comb Brown Leghorn/Cream Legbar cross


Sapphire/Cream Legbar crosses

 

[WyoJax]

R2elk, do you start your chicks outdoors? I'm amazed at the feathering in those babies!!

 

[R2elk]

R2elk, do you start your chicks outdoors? I'm amazed at the feathering in those babies!!

I start them in a brooder located in the chicken/turkey coop. I start them at 90°F measured at the top of the bedding and reduce it by 5°F each week. The brooder is 4'x4' so there is plenty of space that is at lower temperatures. I had to move them out of the brooder (too many chicks) at 3 weeks into an area that is probably 8'x10' with only one small heated area. This past week the ambient temperature has only been about 50°F in the largest part of their area. When moving around they do not seem bothered at all by the cooler temperatures but do retreat to the heated area when resting.

My experience is that lower temperatures promotes feather growth in chicks. Of course Cornish Cross chicks as well as other meat birds never feather in as quickly as standard varieties.

 

[Blooie]

I do start my chicks outdoors. They have a brooder pen out in the run and they sure do well. Just Mama Heating Pad out there for them, no lights or lamps, and I've been extremely happy with them I usually have full integration with the adults by the time the chicks are 4 weeks old. Love the fast feathering with the exposure to cooler temps, like @R2elk

 

[WyoJax]

I think that is the biggest difference I will make with my next batch. Then it's figuring integration out. Always learning with these feather butts.