Recent content by islandgal

Hi! I've always wanted to try hatching my own chicks, so Dad surprised me with an incubator this spring! I am so excited to learn and attempt to use it. but I have one big question left- how many eggs do I need to hatch? This incubator has spots for 41 eggs, and I was thinking to add only a...

Ooh, sounds like fun! Can I join you? Chickens would need to be set on the 7th, right? This year will be our first attempt at incubating!!

Wow, this is all pretty impressive! Dad bought an incubator much bigger than I need, so I think we will try to set a dozen storebought eggs and see how it goes. Does the refrigeration not make a difference? I just got home from Guatemala where it standard to not refrigerate eggs. They also don't...

Thanks miss lydia! Interesting trivia. I wonder why they don't have a unique term. :)

Hi! The standard I've heard is 4ftsquare for coop and 10ftsquare for the run, per chicken. The more space you can give them the better, though- they will be happier and less likely to pick on each other. I'm not sure if the nesting boxes are counted in that. Good luck! ~IslandGal~

Haha. Poor things. I will try to get only girls, then. ..Are girl ducks called hens too? Hmm.

I hadn't considered mucovies because they are in the "large" class. My chicken tractor is going to be a 4x7 coop on top of a 4x7run. They would be allowed to roam the fenced yard whenever i was home, but not more than that. Can a muscovy fit comfortably in that?? Especially if I need two of...

I've been doing a lot of reading lately- so quick helpful fact- Duck eggs take 28 days to hatch and geese are 30. Not sure about chickens, though. Jessie, have you picked up a copy of storey's guide to ducks? Storey usually has awesome instructions, and you can find a good few pages at least on...

Lorien: My birds will be in a sturdy chicken tractor about 4x7foot coop on top of 4x7foot run, and allowed to free range in the fenced yard only when I am home/able to surpervise. Would a "large" class muscovy duck fit comfortably in that space, along with 2-3 chickens?? I have been avoided...

Hiya! I'm hoping to get a few hens to keep in a chicken tractor in the backyard (they would be let out to forage when I'm around) and am seriously tempted to get a duck as well. Have any of you kept chickens and ducks together- how did it go? I would get all the chicks/ducklings at once and...

I agree about the addiction growing easily! I always find myself looking at the hatchery catalogs for one or two new breeds, and find ten I want to have!!

Hi! How fun! I am a newbie on this site too. I've never had ducks, but have heard that they hatch well under a broody hen. Do you have neighbors/friends that might help? Good luck! :)

Hello! I've had chickens most of my life- a flock of 25, on ten acres, with a chicken coop as big as a condo. They slept inside at night and ranged free every day, with two roosters and our dogs for protection from coyotes, raccoons, hawks, and other predators. They got plenty of exercise...