Recent content by jkraze

  1. jkraze

    Raising baby chicks in the winter?

    As long as winter this years isn't as brutal as last, I think they'll be okay. Just be very careful with heat sources like the infra-red lamp. It needs to be mounted away from any combustible surfaces. Buff Orps feather out nicely, and they should be okay in the cold.
  2. jkraze

    Raising baby chicks in the winter?

    We had ours in a large brooder box in our garage, and it got very dusty in their. (It sucked not having my workbench.) We kept them warm with an infra-red heat lamp mounted above the box lid.
  3. jkraze

    Raising baby chicks in the winter?

    I just ordered an EcoGlow from Amazon, and it should arrive Tuesday. The reviews were awesome! It should be much safer, and save on electricity, too. Now if they only made one for the coop, for those single-digit days! Thanks for the tip!
  4. jkraze

    Raising baby chicks in the winter?

    The problem with using a regular light bulb as opposed to an infrared heat lamp is that you'll mess up their sleep cycle. Plus, the light bulb won't offer as much heat. Always have a bulb with a guard on it, and keep it as far away from flammables as possible! Once they've feathered in enough...
  5. jkraze

    Raising baby chicks in the winter?

    I would not keep them in the house. Your garage should be fine, with an infrared heat lamp. You'll want to keep them in a brooder box for several weeks at first.
  6. jkraze

    Raising baby chicks in the winter?

    I only use the heat lamp when the temps get into the single digits, and keep it well out of the way of anything flammable.
  7. jkraze

    Raising baby chicks in the winter?

    Doesn't it get a bit too cold to be raising chickens in AK (in the winter) without a heat source?
  8. jkraze

    Raising baby chicks in the winter?

    I ran an extension to my coop last winter and it did pretty well, actually. It's plugged into a GFCI outlet on the back porch, so in case anything goes awry, it should shut off. BTW, we just got 10 new chicks this week (hatched 11/6), so we'll be keeping them in our garaged brooder box for a...
  9. jkraze

    Dandelions

    I wonder if there's a similar group in the U.S.? I was all "eggcited" to adopt a rescue chicken, and realized you're in the UK!
  10. jkraze

    19 and a half weeks old and still no eggs :( egg countdown anyone??

    My first year Australorps are still laying, although they have slacked off a bit. My younger Buff Orps have just started laying at 22 weeks, so I don't think you'll need to push them with artificial light. It is a shame that you had to actually BUY eggs! I feel your pain!
  11. jkraze

    19 and a half weeks old and still no eggs :( egg countdown anyone??

    FINALLY got our first eggs from 2 of our Buff Orps this past week! Hopefully, evereyone else will kick in their fair share soon. They hit 22 weeks last Wednesday. The eggs are kind of oddly shaped, though, compared to the Australorps's. These are elongated, and they're starting out a bit bigger...
  12. jkraze

    19 and a half weeks old and still no eggs :( egg countdown anyone??

    My Australorps started laying at 18 1/2 weeks -- now my Buffs and SLW's are 18 1/2 weeks old today. I'm getting a little anxious to see when they'll start! Hope it's soon!
  13. jkraze

    19 and a half weeks old and still no eggs :( egg countdown anyone??

    Wow! That was big!!! : D
  14. jkraze

    19 and a half weeks old and still no eggs :( egg countdown anyone??

    That sounds right. They're supposed to take 25 hours minimum between eggs. I've got 6 Australorps, and I have yet to get six eggs at once (we regularly get 5 per day). The first four started laying at about 18 1/2 weeks, and the fifth one didn't start until a month or so later (they are now 28...
  15. jkraze

    19 and a half weeks old and still no eggs :( egg countdown anyone??

    Raw potatoes are a no go! Cooked are okay, but they really don't need the starch. Mine eat tomatoes every day, and they've been laying every day for weeks.
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