Recent content by jhoff

  1. jhoff

    Grower vs Starter vs Layer for a mixed flock

    Alright, thanks.
  2. jhoff

    Grower vs Starter vs Layer for a mixed flock

    So do you mix the oyster shell in with the feed? That's what I've always done.
  3. jhoff

    Grower vs Starter vs Layer for a mixed flock

    So what bad does the higher calcium content do to the littles? I do like the idea of just switching them all to grower for the next bag. Until I get some, do I need to keep them from eating the layer that the old ladies are eating or will a little not hurt?
  4. jhoff

    Grower vs Starter vs Layer for a mixed flock

    HI, I have 6 chicks now in with our 5 old ladies. The chicks hatched on 7/20 so they are almost 5 weeks old. I've been feeding them medicated starter feed. We've successfully integrated them into our coop with the old ladies (who are no longer laying :( ). They still have access to the...
  5. jhoff

    In coop brooder questions

    New light installed yesterday. I also used a heavish towel to cover the screened part. Stayed about 10 degrees warmer and based on a few looks at my cameras, they also slept better. All 6 seem to be thriving! Thanks everyone for your help.
  6. jhoff

    In coop brooder questions

    They are in week 3. I have a red light ordered from Amazon - will arrive tomorrow. I can see from my camera they were up eating and being chickens most of the night and sometimes slept under where the light was shining (on the pad) but sometime slept right under where the light was mounted -...
  7. jhoff

    In coop brooder questions

    I'll work on getting a red bulb. I have a thermometer (the white box in some of the pix) that logs data to a weatherstation so I can graph the temp over time. Last night, I left the two lights on (no chicks yet) and it got down to 78 which really isn't warm enough.
  8. jhoff

    Comment by 'jhoff' in article 'My coop brooder and Integration'

    I changed the light setup - see this thread: https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/in-coop-brooder-questions.1403503/ - one of the lights (that I have in there still, the other is gone) is an indoor spotlight. I'll work on getting a heat lamp but the only one I have is a 250w reptile bulb...
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  9. jhoff

    In coop brooder questions

    Better? The only heat bulb I have is a 250w reptile bulb which is way too much for this space. I'll work on rigging up something to cover the wire areas for drafts.
  10. jhoff

    In coop brooder questions

    I was thinking about that. Curious to see how long it takes them to find the warm spot. Removed the lights.
  11. jhoff

    Comment by 'jhoff' in article 'Integrating new birds at 4 weeks old'

    Thread started: https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/in-coop-brooder-questions.1403503/ No, they are not strictly heat lamps. I'll read the above. What I meant was I would turn off the lights and just use the mat but leave them there in case just the mat wasn't sufficient.
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  12. jhoff

    In coop brooder questions

    They are definitely flying. I'm gonna leave the lights there for now but turn them off and just do the under shavings seedling heating mat.
  13. jhoff

    Comment by 'jhoff' in article 'Integrating new birds at 4 weeks old'

    Alright, you convinced me. I'm gonna leave the lights there and see how it goes. I have a little Blink camera in there so I can check on them and see how they did over night to see if they looked cold. Gonna move them in soon!
    • jhoff
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  14. jhoff

    Comment by 'jhoff' in article 'Integrating new birds at 4 weeks old'

    Did you do lights too? Did you wrap the seed starting mat in a towel or anything like that? I was just about to skip the seed starting mat and just do lights but now you're making me rethink that...
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  15. jhoff

    In coop brooder questions

    Hi - we have 6 chicks that will be 2 weeks old tomorrow. They are doing well and growing fast and have basically outgrown the in-house brooder we made. Yesterday, we made a separate space for them out in the coop and I have some questions. How warm does it really have to be? See pics - I put...
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