4th Annual BYC NYD Hatch-a-long

[Mrs. Fluffy Puffy]

Fluffy, you know how bad, I want to grab that sebby and hug it? Really bad.....Lol

Should you run out of room, my pens will have space (so will the freezer)

Sounds like a plan!

Would yall want it just for the hatch or do ya wanna try to do a map database type thing open for all of byc?

For all of BYC.

~ Aspen

 

[SleepyOwl]

Can't wait for more pictures! I currently use paper towels in the bottom of the tray, since they sure are messy little buggers when they hatch. I figured cardboard could just be tossed with each hatch. I like the idea of reusable though... Do you have any suggestions for free or very cheap lining that won't cause splay leg in just hatched chicks? It's harder for me to clean the galvanized steel and wood, and I'm afraid I'm going to ruin it in the long run if it's washed every few days. :/

I see that some people use this type of shelf liner http://www.amazon.com/Duck-1100731-...F8&qid=1355877094&sr=8-1&keywords=shelf+liner

I am planning on getting some for hatching. I think I will lay down newspaper or something and then a layer of the liner over that. Should be super easy to clean up, and is supposed to provide enough traction for chicks feet.

 

[Bettacreek]

Hubby is so lucky we don't live on a farm... I would have ducks and geese, and peafowl and maybe some turkeys. Now he complains about my chickens. If he only knew what is coming when we move to a farm.

(That is just the birds... I also will have horses, and goats, and cattle, and bunnies and....

)

Yes, I am a farm girl stuck in town. LOL Planning on moving back to the country in the next few years.... the sooner the better. My neighbors might put up with a few chickens in the backyard, but I don't think they would appreciate ponies.

I can't get anything larger than a goose or turkey, and no "livestock" type animals. We'll be moving soon, and the neighbor has a goat... My face lit up when G told me this, because I would LOVE to have a trio of sheep to produce some wool and most importantly, meat. G didn't like our lamb though, he was a pain and he killed one chicken and injured the other. He was a sweet lamb, just exuberant and not at all what we needed to have here at this place, lol. He was a butcher lamb though... We could possibly construct a nice small barn with salvaged wood at the new place!

 

[SleepyOwl]

I put paper towels down under a layer of burlap. Their little claws catch the burlap and they do very well. Then I just toss the whole mess.

That's a good idea, too. Even an old piece of towl should work well if you don't have burlap. Hmmmm....

 

[Bettacreek]

I see that some people use this type of shelf liner http://www.amazon.com/Duck-1100731-...F8&qid=1355877094&sr=8-1&keywords=shelf+liner

I am planning on getting some for hatching. I think I will lay down newspaper or something and then a layer of the liner over that. Should be super easy to clean up, and is supposed to provide enough traction for chicks feet.

I've tried it before (we had some extra in the cabinets), but I didn't like it. It's like a sponge and seemed like it took WAY too much to clean it, and even then I felt like it wasn't clean enough. :/

 

[FeyRaine]

I put paper towels down under a layer of burlap. Their little claws catch the burlap and they do very well. Then I just toss the whole mess.

YES! You have sooo solved the problem (I have 7,000+ burlap coffee bean sacs in a storage shed atm -- intending to use for an earthbag building, but they are handy for other things too)
Thanks for the idea.

 

[Lacy Blues]

I've tried it before (we had some extra in the cabinets), but I didn't like it. It's like a sponge and seemed like it took WAY too much to clean it, and even then I felt like it wasn't clean enough. :/

Me too. That's why I now use burlap. It's quite cheap at walmart.

 

[Bettacreek]

Oh, and that last post was brought on by me drooling over these guys. (And I always said I didn't like geese. Whenever I see pics of these, I change my mind a little more. lol )

I was never a fan of geese either. I liked the Canada geese, but heard "horror" stories about them (flying away and silly stuff). The sebastopol was just too stunning for me to pass up though, lol. I'm still trying to get more from swaps so I can get a decent chance of getting a pair here. I have three eggs coming though, so hopefully all three will develop, hatch and give me a trio (gander and two geese). Oh, if my luck would run that way!

 

[Lacy Blues]

YES! You have sooo solved the problem (I have 7,000+ burlap coffee bean sacs in a storage shed atm -- intending to use for an earthbag building, but they are handy for other things too)
Thanks for the idea.

I use little mesh baskets or old repurposed strawberry containers (might try making custom baskets with some of that plastic craft mesh somebody mentioned) I fold up a paper towel to fit the bottom and then cut a piece of burlap to fit. As long as there are several eggs on it, there aren't any issues with the whole lot sliding around under chickie's feet. If there's only one or two in there, I'll use a little scotch tape to hold the paper towel still so that there is no slipping.

 

[SleepyOwl]

I've tried it before (we had some extra in the cabinets), but I didn't like it. It's like a sponge and seemed like it took WAY too much to clean it, and even then I felt like it wasn't clean enough. :/

I wasn't going to clean it, I was planning on throwing it away.

I might just go with an old towel now though.