Recent content by Mule & Flash

Oo. That's a great idea, dmontgomery. Thanks!

Ridge runner, it's about 7'x10'. Two thirds of it is covered in 1/2" x 1" welded wire, the remaining third is T1-11. The nest boxes are in the enclosed space. It has a metal roof and has 4x4s along the base of the structure. The roof starts 4' off the ground. Mule could tell you the pitch but I...

We live in Florida, so hurricanes are a real threat. But we want our birds to free range within the goat pen and we're using a chicken tractor. How do you secure a tractor when a hurricane comes? We want it to be light enough that we can move it at least ever couple weeks, but sturdy enough it...

I'll be much better prepared for our next hatch, that's for sure! There is a wealth of information on this site! I've also talked to my usual feed store guy about his methods for incubation to get a better idea of what works here. I just want to start the next incubation soon before I forget...

After 5 calls this morning we went to a locally owned and operated feed store and got 6 chicks. They're only a day older than our hatchling but much bigger. Hopefully that translates to healthy!

Sorry to eggbert and azygous. I didn't mean to disregard your helpful responses. I honestly didn't even see them up there when I clicked the link in my email that took me to my quoted post. It doesn't help I was up all night with my human kids and I'm running on empty right now. I've been...

Thanks so much for not answering my question. I knew we'd be lucky if any hatched. It's our first time, a borrowed old incubator, and we were just given the eggs and incubator one day because someone knew we wanted chickens. No, I didn't research enough. I'm glad I found this site again for all...

Only one chick of my initial 15 eggs has survived to day 2. She's all alone. Will she be ok or go mad with boredom? Should I go buy a couple more day old chicks to raise with her? We're going to give incubating another go, but in the meantime I'm not sure what to do.

I think my #4 died of suffocation. Then #2 with the yolk died and I took the remaining one out. I hadn't wanted to move them to the brooder because of the mess they were making, but they ended up making a bigger mess of things. Definitely getting a new thermometer and a hydrometer for the next...

Newbie here. What is grit?

Another dead egg. It had pipped yesterday morning, we could see it breathing, and now I can still see the beak but there is no movement. And now there are cockroaches in and around the incubator. Gross.

Gah! I made so many mistakes this first hatch! I should have been on this site from the beginning. I replaced the incubator water (again) with a thorough clean this time to get rid of the yolk remnants, and hopefully the smell. I put the original amount of water this time. Is there a way to tell...

Sorry to hear. :( I've heard so many times the last few days not to count your chickens before they hatch. I have a whole new appreciation for that phrase, but it's not exactly helpful in the middle of a hatch. We started with 15 eggs. We'll see what we end up with though. So far 6 are gone.

I'm in N Central FL, so elevation about 100ft or so. I think incubation temp was 102. Thermometer was set on the egg turner, not the eggs, but it's kind of a stand up thermometer, if that makes sense. I left the temp alone for hatching, aside from whatever my toddler did to it yesterday when I...

Mind if I join? Today is 21. We've already lost 3 chicks, which I blame partly on inexperience and because I didn't know whether to meddle or not. The first started pipping on day 19! I've had a chick dragging her yolk around and another that pipped facing the ground. The one still alive right...