I have read that Barnies can be more prone to Marek’s but don’t know jow accurate that is. I wonder where Meyer’s parent stock came from. I hatched out some DSL Barnies and they are doing very well at 5 weeks now.
I just hatched out some mixed bantam cochins, just cuz they are adorable and I love them. This season I am planning on hatching out Vorwerks, Chocolate Silver Laced Orps, Silver Welsummers, Mosaics, and some fibro-frizzle mixes. I LOVE hatching and raising chicks. Love, love, love it.
Here...
The Barnies have hit the Teenage Uglies stage. 4 weeks old now, and it’s time for them to move out of the brooder room and into the garage for a week or two before I put them outside into the grow out pen. The pullets are very chill and sweet. One of the cockerels is pretty sassy, the other...
Today and yesterday's pretties. Hopefully come spring I will start getting some speckles from my Silveruud's and Welsummers. These are all pullet eggs, except for one bantam Cochin egg. Otherwise my older girls are taking a winter break.
The gorgeous egg tray I found on eBay.
If you are interested in Exzolt for mites, I have it available and I ship in the US. $35 for 10ml (price includes priority shipping). 10ml will treat 20 average sized (5.5 lbs) chickens for 6 months. I can help calculate dosing if you have bantams or larger birds. There is no egg withdrawal with...
Since they are radiant heat, and those temps are so low, I bet you just need to keep your hand there for a bit longer period of time so it can absorb more heat energy. When it gets really cold here, I will lower the heater so it’s about 6 inches above my birds’ backs when they roost, too, so...
I just hatched some Double Silver Laced Barnevelders and want to share them as they grow. I got my eggs shipped to me from Paragon Hatchery in Oklahoma and I can’t recommend them enough. I purchased 6 eggs and was sent 1 extra. The eggs were packaged well and shipped via UPS. All were...
You should definitely feel the heat if you are putting your hand on the panel that faces the birds no matter what the air temp is, that’s weird. You won’t feel any heat on the backside of it though. If you have it plugged in and the panel doesn’t feel warm at all, I would reach out to Sweeter...
I have a Sweeter Heater that is set up over one of my roosts. It is hooked to the ceiling with chains so I can bring it higher or lower depending on how cold it will be. The chickens don’t stay inside the coop all day, they are in and out but if it’s really snowy and cold they will stay in the...
Thank you for your rational and non-snarky replies.
No one is saying chickens are dying at 50F. And yes, some chickens are going to tolerate cooler temps because they are fluffier or stockier breeds. A Leghorn is a sleek, tight feathered bird with huge combs and wattles, whereas a Wyandotte...
I haven’t posted here for a hot minute but I wanted to add some pics of my girls from today. They are now 7 months old and laying pretty light blue eggs. I would say I probably get a consistent 3 eggs a week from each of them so far, with an occasional 4 eggs. But it’s been cold, the days are...
I posted studies that discuss cold stress in birds because a lot of people don’t feel cold stress is an issue, but I think people are stuck on the 50F temp. Here is Dr. Mozisek discussing it: