Recent content by UrbanBirds

  1. UrbanBirds

    Molting blues

    We've had the warmest November on record with a week of ninety degree days. Until this week, my flock of about twenty was laying between one and four eggs per day, then, on 18th, they laid a dozen, and they have each say since. I'm seriously considering not doing the extra lighting at all next...
  2. UrbanBirds

    Who's built a homemade electric scalder?

    https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B0wjUB6tgcwUYzVFUFl2LXo3ZWM https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B0wjUB6tgcwURnhDclMtR2Y4RG8 https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B0wjUB6tgcwUbDZLTG5naUktR0U Hope that worked. Thanks for all the help!
  3. UrbanBirds

    Who's built a homemade electric scalder?

    Ok this sorta stinks. Can't seem to upload the image from my phone. Stay tuned.
  4. UrbanBirds

    Who's built a homemade electric scalder?

    So here are some pics of my new scalder. Today was the first day I fired it up. I've decided to ground it the dolly it's mounted to, but I haven't actually screwed it on. I wrapped it in the duct insulation, like yours. Instead of just one layer, I decided to wrap it in about four layers, to...
  5. UrbanBirds

    Molting blues

    I think you have some good ones for sure. I find the broodiness expression varies quite a bit. I only have a couple out of at least twenty eight now that will set the whole gestation, hatch them and stay with them. It seems this trait has been bred away so diligently that, in most hens anyway...
  6. UrbanBirds

    Molting blues

    This girl raised three groups of chicks last spring and summer . But she gives up on them early, unfortunately. She never raises her own chicks, which may be part of it, not sure. But she'd rather sit than be a mom. I take that back, she's a great mom for 4 to 5 weeks, but then she gets that...
  7. UrbanBirds

    Molting blues

    I'm surprised so many of you are having the brooders laying during this time. That's cool. The broodiest one in my flock is actually a bantam. After some time off, she's back to sitting in the nest box all the time, except her nest is empty. Chickens are so crazy
  8. UrbanBirds

    Molting blues

    I think I'm still not being clear. My light comes on twice a day. I don't leave it on a full 15 hours because they are outside in the middle of the day. So they are getting a very long day of light. But it has never seemed to make much of a difference at my place with multiple groups of birds.
  9. UrbanBirds

    Molting blues

    I'm certain the drop in eggs is due to molting. Sure a snake or two has been found on my property, but this would not explain what I am seeing nor would any other predator. I meant to say my timer starts 3 hours prior to dusk and stays on three hours post dusk. This is because I put my birds...
  10. UrbanBirds

    Molting blues

    Haha. The rest of the year I'm eating eggs for dinner, I have so many.
  11. UrbanBirds

    Molting blues

    This happens every fall. I have about 15 laying birds and they always have a huge drop in production right at about September first. I'm used to getting up to a dozen a day. I haven't seen an egg in 3 days! But they still want to eat, of course! I can't bare to consider, ahem, purchasing...
  12. UrbanBirds

    Who's built a homemade electric scalder?

    So do I just leave the ground off when wiring the element? Is that safe?
  13. UrbanBirds

    Who's built a homemade electric scalder?

    One final question: I am using an extension chord to do this. I have three wires, black, white and green. The green is for ground, but I don't think there's anywhere to put a ground on the heating element. Is that correct?
  14. UrbanBirds

    Who's built a homemade electric scalder?

    Thank you so much for all of this. It has been a huge help to me.
  15. UrbanBirds

    Who's built a homemade electric scalder?

    So it sounds like either terminal can be used for either, i.e.-it doesn't matter which terminal you select to connect to the NO or the COM. Is this right?
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