Recent content by Cranman

I have a hen that got broody and I let her keep 3 eggs for the last few weeks and this weekend one of them hatched. The box is no place for the chick to stay long, and to make matters worse a 2nd hen also started setting on eggs in the same box a week ago, so it's getting crowded in there. I...

Ok, thanks for the advice and possible reality check...of all my free range chickens I liked the silkys best, and hopefully she is hiding in the woods. Thanks again!

I have 8 chickens that free range my property and am missing a hen. She is a Bantam Silky, about 4 months old. I am not sure when I saw her last, she cold have been missing for a day or two. Is it likely that she has nested somewhere? I would think she's too young, but I have a Bantam Silky...

One of my hens has decided to set on her (and others) eggs and is in a bad spot. She's up on a ledge in the coop and the only thing I worry about is how she will manage the chicks when they hatch. How can I move her and the eggs without disrupting the hatch? Thanks for any suggestions!

Sand is the best ever! I use a kids beach sifter thing and sand shovel, and I can have the sand like new in about 10 minutes, and that's in a 4x4 ft brooder. I put shredded paper down for the first week on top of the sand to make sure it all warmed up, but now the chicks are feathering out and...

My advice is to have two light bulbs, one on all the time and the other controlled by the thermostat. Also mount the bulb that's controled by the t-stat so it can be moved closer or farther away from the t-stat, this will affect your cycle time and it's easier if you can rotate it a little back...

I assisted a chick in hatching last night for the first time. I had heard peeping for 1.5 days and it was 2 days past the hatch date. Of 8 eggs only one had hatched on it's own and I felt like I should help at least one more make it....anyways it was an ordeal. First I pipped the big end..no big...

Glad to see this post too, had 8 in lock down and 3 were part Maran and the other 5 are all maran, and on day 22 now and only one hatched, one of the part maran part PR chicks. My last hatch had most all pipped or hatched by day 21, so it's strange that this time on day 22 and only one had...

I think that might keep a weaker chick from being able to push apart the shell after zipping. I had to help my last two bust out, and I could see that ring working against a chick that had zipped sometimes. I agree the activity in the 'bater seems to stimulate the others. Ever look into a quiet...

I would think 21 days + or - one day, so 21x24=504hrs. Since there are alot of variables you probably can't get a exact number, but that would be close!

I have lost 2 hens to hawks, one recently. If I saw a hawk close by in a tree waiting for a snack, I would shoot it. Yep, I know it's illegal. My dogs would eat the evidence though. Sorry if that's wrong to say, but I'm just being real. Maybe you could shoot your hawk with a BB gun a time or two...

I have a hatch in process and so far 12 have left the 'bater for the brooder and we're starting to get a good look at them. I would swear that a couple look like roosters already because they seem to have a much more defined comb and also from posture and behavior. So my question is, on day 1 or...

If his legs are way off to the side search here for what I think is called spraddle or splayed legs. Looks like a neat trick using band aids to make a brace.

Thanks, I will look for both this evening while we are in town. The thing stuck to it's bum fell off, in that pic she was only about 12hrs old!

My 3 chicks spend alot of time laying on the small stuffed monkey in the brooder, they went to it right away.