2021 Chick Order

[JacinLarkwell]

Starting to clean the stackers off that I'm using for my males in this group. Anyone use metal water bowls for their single birds that have recommendations? It gets below 0 here in the winter so I need something that can be removed easy to thaw

 

[NatJ]

Anyone use metal water bowls for their single birds that have recommendations? It gets below 0 here in the winter so I need something that can be removed easy to thaw

I've used a few different styles that hang on the side of the cage.

The ones I like best have a metal circle that attaches to the side of the cage, and a metal bowl sits inside that circle. You can lift the bowl out easily, unless you got water drips on the rim and it froze it into place.

They look like this:
https://www.lambertvetsupply.com/Bowl-SS-Coop-Cup-w-Screw-Nut-Holder-10-oz_p_7383.html

I cannot remember where I bought them, because the ones I bought have held up well enough that I didn't need to buy any more.

The biggest time saver I have found in winter: have 2 dishes or waterers per cage. One thaws indoors while the other freezes outdoors. The dishes last longer too, because I don't get impatient and bang them while trying to get the ice out. (The not-banging makes more difference with plastic dishes than with metal ones.)

 

[JacinLarkwell]

I've used a few different styles that hang on the side of the cage.

The ones I like best have a metal circle that attaches to the side of the cage, and a metal bowl sits inside that circle. You can lift the bowl out easily, unless you got water drips on the rim and it froze it into place.

They look like this:
https://www.lambertvetsupply.com/Bowl-SS-Coop-Cup-w-Screw-Nut-Holder-10-oz_p_7383.html

I cannot remember where I bought them, because the ones I bought have held up well enough that I didn't need to buy any more.

The biggest time saver I have found in winter: have 2 dishes or waterers per cage. One thaws indoors while the other freezes outdoors. The dishes last longer too, because I don't get impatient and bang them while trying to get the ice out. (The not-banging makes more difference with plastic dishes than with metal ones.)

Oh I like those!

We have a bucket we fill with hot water and drop the bowls in to melt the ice for my rabbit and quail water bowls. So far the metal and plastic ones do pretty well for that, but I don't think my little waterer nozzles from Stromberg would do well because of their design. Do you think 10 oz would be big enough for one bird? I'm having bantams and standard males, and usually I just fill a big rubber bowl every day or so for my flocks, so I'm not sure how much they actually drink

 

[JacinLarkwell]

Or should I get the 20 oz for the standard males?

 

[NatJ]

We have a bucket we fill with hot water and drop the bowls in to melt the ice for my rabbit and quail water bowls.

I've done that too--I just eventually decided it was nicer to swap bowls, and let them thaw inside (no wet hands or wet gloves!)

Do you think 10 oz would be big enough for one bird? I'm having bantams and standard males, and usually I just fill a big rubber bowl every day or so for my flocks, so I'm not sure how much they actually drink

Or should I get the 20 oz for the standard males?

I'm guessing 10 ounces would be big enough for one male chicken, in the winter, if you're giving fresh water at least twice a day (morning and afternoon/evening.)

But I don't know for sure.

I have seen estimates of 1 pint (16 ounces) per hen per day (laying hens, 24 hours.) A rooster probably needs less because he's not laying, but maybe more because he's bigger, but less if you're filling it more than once a day.

A larger dish should take longer to freeze, but I don't know if the time difference would be enough to matter.

You could measure how much your big rubber bowl holds, count how many chickens drank from it last winter, and see how much water per bird that was. If they did not drink it all each day, then obviously it was more than enough.

Or you could get some of each size and test both.

Sorry I don't have a good answer, just a bunch of "maybe" and "you could..."

 

[JacinLarkwell]

I've done that too--I just eventually decided it was nicer to swap bowls, and let them thaw inside (no wet hands or wet gloves!)




I'm guessing 10 ounces would be big enough for one male chicken, in the winter, if you're giving fresh water at least twice a day (morning and afternoon/evening.)

But I don't know for sure.

I have seen estimates of 1 pint (16 ounces) per hen per day (laying hens, 24 hours.) A rooster probably needs less because he's not laying, but maybe more because he's bigger, but less if you're filling it more than once a day.

A larger dish should take longer to freeze, but I don't know if the time difference would be enough to matter.

You could measure how much your big rubber bowl holds, count how many chickens drank from it last winter, and see how much water per bird that was. If they did not drink it all each day, then obviously it was more than enough.

Or you could get some of each size and test both.

Sorry I don't have a good answer, just a bunch of "maybe" and "you could..."

Altight, thanks. I think I'll just get some of both sizes. I'll be busy more in the winter, so they'll only have water 2x a day instead of 3 or 4 times.

 

[JacinLarkwell]

Story time!

So this little bugger ^ got loose, not once it twice, 3 times!

Once in the chick room where he got majorly stuck, had to move boxes and shelves and took about 20 minutes of looking for him to find him.

Then I was putting him in the chick shed so he could have more room and integrate with everyone else not in his group of 9, and he got loose and ran between the chicken wire and the metal door of the shed.

THEN he got lose again, cue like 10 minutes of actively stalking him around the yard, wondering if it was even worth catching him since I'll be lucky to get 5 bucks for him anyways. Ginally, he goes under my car and in a moment of intelligence only a chicken can clain, jumped up into my wheel well and....

Got stuck.

So I had to trap him, maneuver him enough to not hurt him, before carrying a literally screaming chicken back to the shed.

He's fine now, but deal lord!


These Isabella are killing me!

 

[Joyfillednomads]

Welp, this week is the first week of chicks being delivered. I've ordered from the following hatcheries with 3 seperate ship dates (darn limited supply ):

IDEAL 3-10
Welp 3-4
Hoovers 3-4
Murray McMurray 4-5
Dunlap 3-4


Brooders are being set up, can only hope my brinsea heaters are actually working. Lots and lots of babies, mostly st. Run, so lots and lots of guessing and praying.

I'll post what exactly was ordered in a bit, have to pull records. We'll see how correct the orders are and if we get any extras, any substitutes, packing peanuts, and what our Murray McMurray free exotic is. So far I'm betting something with feathered legs and mom is betting a white leghorn or black australorp

Fun!!

 

[JacinLarkwell]

Fun!!

Now it's fun, but the first month and a half were pure stress and angst

 

[JacinLarkwell]

Welp, it's official. Pugsly (My last remaining little bantam NN) has to be put down. She developed awful scissorbeak on her top beak, and it's only a matter of time before she cant close her mouth enough to swallow or keep her tongue from drying out. We're waiting as long as we can (we have some Cochin bantams we're growing out too for processing and would rather do all 3 at the same time if possible) but it's been like a month, maybe less and it's already really bad.

Stinks, I got really attached when it got to be safe expecting her to make it through the night. She outlived all 10 of her siblings that came with her, only to have this happen