Hi, I am taking 8 cockerels to be processed tomorrow (4 lucky ones found homes). I hatched them in June. One Swedish Flower cockerel has had chronic diarrhea since a day or 2 after hatching. None of the others have ever had a problem. He doesn't seem to be able to regulate it; it just kinda...
Who knows chicken color genetics? If the eggs I just gave to my broody actually hatch, there could be Mille Fleur D'uccles (my only rooster) crossed with a spangled OEGB hen and a black bantam Easter Egger, as well as 2 Mille Fleur D'uccles hens. I'm guessing the EE is just going to be a...
I bought a thermometer that has a nut for calibration and I used the ice water method. No problem. Then my incubator arrived and the calibrated thermometer said it was way off. I was surprised that a new Brinsea was so far off, but I figured I'd try my cheap digital kitchen thermometer. Since I...
As I've been reading incubator reviews, several people have said that their only regret was not getting a bigger one. At first, that made me wonder if I should consider the Brinsea 56 instead of the 28, but then it made me wonder about your brooder setups! I had 50ish chicks last year and they...
I imagine I'm not the only one who has or will go through this. I'm looking at eventually hatching shipped eggs, so I want an upright turner, which seems to mean either GQF (styrofoam) or Brinsea ($$$$). I'd love a Brinsea Ovation 28, but I really don't think I can spend that. Experienced...
I'm yet another person shopping for my first incubator. I want to get some shipped eggs, but I'm wary of naked styrofoam. Looking at Incuview, Brinsea Ovation 28 or Maxi 14, Nurture Right 360 (seems like people either love or hate that one).... Not sure I can justify the cost of Brinsea, and I...
I can't seem to find the birds I want within driving distance ("real" Jersey Giants), so I'm debating having chicks or eggs shipped. I have so many questions!
- I prefer to vaccinate for Marek's as it is endemic here, but not all breeders offer it - if I hatch here I can vaccinate on day 1...
So out of my order of 15 SR bantams, I have 4 pullets: a black bantam EE, 2 Mille Fleur D'uccles, and a spangled OEGB. I really want the small eggs for snacking, and I'm guessing the EE's will be more of a medium size. I was going to look for more bantam hens, but I'm thinking about just seeing...
As many do, I got myself a wide array of birds to start my flock. (Had a flock in the past but gave them away when we moved.) I didn't have good internet access with the first flock, and I'm enjoying learning so much more now. I ended up with several cockerels who are going into a bachelor flock...
I have too many cockerels (I think 10 so far), but I want to grow most of them out to see what they become. I don't, however, want my pullets to be continually harassed, and I only have 4 adult hens so it doesn't seem very nice to make them deal with all of the teenage shenanigans. I'm...
I have a 4-gallon waterer with 2 horizontal nipples. I think it's a Manna Pro or Harris Farms thing; found it on clearance. It has a hook but if I hang it, when they peck at the nipples it spins away from them. Right now I'm using the hanger to stabilize it so they can't knock it over, but it's...
I have 9 OEGB's, of course only 2 are pullets. And, of course, it's one of the pullets who refused to grow. Her energy is good, she happily zips around and ducks under bigger birds to get prime feeding spots, etc. She doesn't feel super skinny but the skin over her keel bone is bald. She still...
I found some old threads on Buckeye feeds, but one point people liked was that they still used animal proteins. As that no longer appears to be the case, I wondered if people are still fans. I don't have a huge number of options here, but I can get Buckeye, Purina, Blue Seal, Nature's Best, New...
Found these while cleaning the coop today. The flock is about 6 weeks old and hasn't had access to the outdoors other than what comes in on my shoes. I did a course of Corid almost 2 weeks ago when I couldn't find a reason for one chick to be slow growing and lethargic. (Didn't help; the chick...
My awesome husband built nest boxes but they're much bigger than the pads I see marketed. What works well that I can get in a roll or sheet and cut to fit? And how much padding do I need on the end board to stop the roll without breaking eggs? Thanks!
So my helpful little flock of velociraptors knocked one of their waterers off the heat plate the other day, and then I couldn't get the vertical nipple to stop leaking. (I have 2 chick waterers from Permier 1 and both had been working perfectly until the assault.) I have a package of Rent-a-Coop...
I moved my 2-week-old chicks from a dog crate to an ex pen, but still kept cardboard around the bottom 12" or so. I came home yesterday to discover that a chick had managed to get out anyway, and I was too late. :( I have added 4' tall window screening around the whole thing now, but it was a...