Recent content by abenardini

Update on the babies - 3 weeks old tomorrow! Even the tiniest one is putting on weight. All of them are over a pound in size already.

3 of 8 hatched thus far - others have all pipped from what I can tell through the lid ❤️

We have internal and external pips!! Will post pics when more action is ready. For those that don’t do this - using a sanitary sponge used to maintain humidity works exceedingly well.

Day 17 is here - just took out the automagic turner and will up humidity tomorrow sometime. Waiting on bird magic to happen now. 🤞

Babies eyes are starting to open - day 11 cuteness!!!!

Day 11 eggs - all 8 are moving and look good! Some examples

Unfortunately, there isn't a great replacement for domestic rabbit milk. They only feed once (max twice a day). You run the major risk of aspiration, bloat, and malnutrition. Often when rabbit owners try to hand rear them, they end up killing them anyway. They aren't starving (no visible bones,)...

Update on the babies - sad news first - we are down to 6 kits, which isn't uncommon for large litters like Velvet had, especially being a first-time mom. The 4 kits passed away rather quickly over the first 72 hours. Problem is with rabbits is there is no 100% safe replacement milk and the best...

I've found that ensuring you have a large run (or free range if you can - I'd love to,) increases the improvement of all things. Definitely don't go by the recommended space per chicken when devising a run. More space equals more poop distribution and less stink, regardless of the type of feed...

Yeah sadly, that can happen. :(

Update for tonight - 9 remaining eggs all appear progressing and doing well! Pray this keeps going for us. :)

Update from our neck of the woods (literally,): No major issues or damage here. We had some wind and rain; however, no real damage. The chickens and rabbits are doing well, along with the newly born baby Flemish babies (born this Sunday 9/25). Included some pics for tax. :)

In my experience, the chickens automatically do pursue higher ground. I don't lock mine inside the coop, but that is only my 2 cents.

Because of the very hot weather we have in our area, I have stopped resting shipped eggs and just put them right into the incubator (based on advice from fellow chickeners on the forum as well). The last batch I incubated straight out of the shipping box actually turned out really well. I always...

Update on the eggs: Day 6 - I ended up disposing of the eggs that have not yet developed, including the mobile air cell eggs. One of them was actually going bad (could smell it a foot away from the incubator,) sadly - you never know with shipped eggs. The remaining 8 that started real...