5th Annual BYC New Year's Day 2014 Hatch-A-Long

[bantambury]

My littlest likes to watch me candle the eggs. Makes me nervous as all get out. But today after lunch here he comes bringing the flashlight to me. He had somehow turned it on, twist cap and all. I thought for sure my eggs were goners but instead he wanted to candle my every expanding belly. Not bad for a 2 yr old. Who knows maybe someday he will make a great male midwife.

my brother makes me scared.....but overall, hes pretty good wth it.

12 chickens,5 dogs,and 4 cats also my 3 kids and all get stockings lol

5 chickens, 1 dog, 3 cats, 1 mouse, 11 hermit crabs, 1 catfish, 1 sunfish, 23 tropical fish, 1 goldfish, 8 betta fish......and 13 chicks on the way???

 

[bantambury]

they got bored waiting for the eggs to hatch lol I'm extremely concerned about the first two or more weeks brooding in the house with 4 cats

one having already got to one of our parakeets... any suggestions on keeping cats away? I was thinking a Rubbermaid box that I can clamp the top on but then cut out holes and replace with hardware cloth

ADORABLE! my cats hate my dog! hahaha

 

[Blarneyeggs]

Which coop is it? Is it shaped like an elongated pyramid? With the run under the coop?

That would be an A frame coop. Just figued easier to say that than discribe it.

Sometimes I think in circles....

 

[Whoops]

they got bored waiting for the eggs to hatch lol I'm extremely concerned about the first two or more weeks brooding in the house with 4 cats

one having already got to one of our parakeets... any suggestions on keeping cats away? I was thinking a Rubbermaid box that I can clamp the top on but then cut out holes and replace with hardware cloth

I used a cardboard box lined with a garbage bag, filled with pine shavings, with a baby gate on top, weighted with a watermelon for my first chicks

Hey, it worked! However, I am trying to be more upscale for these NYD babies. Well, plus I recycled all my big boxes.

 

[chickengirl1193]

ADORABLE! my cats hate my dog! hahaha

these are the only ones that get along lol. 4 cats and 2 dogs.

I used a cardboard box lined with a garbage bag, filled with pine shavings, with a baby gate on top, weighted with a watermelon for my first chicks   Hey, it worked!  However, I am trying to be more upscale for these NYD babies.  Well, plus I recycled all my big boxes.

ill probably do something similar lol. I do have a rabbit cage I can use but the bars aren't close enough together and my cats will get in. im trying to not spend money on the brooder. do you think I could minimize dust by using compressed shavings for horses? we use them for my rabbit cuz they were the most absorbent for the least dust

 

[Whoops]

I am thinking about using sand instead of shavings, this time. I converted the coop to sand, and I love it! Do you have a cardboard box you could cut down to fit in the rabbit cage? That way, the kitties couldn't get their naughty little paws through.

 

[bantambury]

I used a cardboard box lined with a garbage bag, filled with pine shavings, with a baby gate on top, weighted with a watermelon for my first chicks

Hey, it worked! However, I am trying to be more upscale for these NYD babies. Well, plus I recycled all my big boxes.

hahahah! and hey....what ever works, works!

these are the only ones that get along lol. 4 cats and 2 dogs.

oh! lol! out of my 3 cats, one goes back and forwith between the other two....the other two avoid eachother!

I am thinking about using sand instead of shavings, this time. I converted the coop to sand, and I love it! Do you have a cardboard box you could cut down to fit in the rabbit cage? That way, the kitties couldn't get their naughty little paws through.

let me know if it works! I may do that too!

 

[MontanaDolphin]

I am thinking about using sand instead of shavings, this time. I converted the coop to sand, and I love it! Do you have a cardboard box you could cut down to fit in the rabbit cage? That way, the kitties couldn't get their naughty little paws through.

I started with newspaper, switched to pine shavings after a week, then switched to sand. The sand DID NOT help with the dust. It did make cleaning easier (used a kitty litter scoop), but the dust was just as bad.

 

[Cynthia12]

There is

https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/byc-index-of-abbreviations

Bookmarked this..thought I knew most of them..thought wrong.

 

[SallyinIndiana]

they got bored waiting for the eggs to hatch lol I'm extremely concerned about the first two or more weeks brooding in the house with 4 cats

one having already got to one of our parakeets... any suggestions on keeping cats away? I was thinking a Rubbermaid box that I can clamp the top on but then cut out holes and replace with hardware cloth

get some 2 x 2 wooden pieces from lowes and cut to make 2 identical rectangle frames sandwich the hardware cloth between the frames and you will have a lid to use while brooding without destroying the plastic lid. Then when not brooding you can store all brooding supplies in the plastic box with the plastic lid to keep dust free. The hardware lid will double as a great fly away prevention when the chicks hit 3-4 weeks old.
Also if possible brood in a room with a door to keep cats out. once done brooding if you don't want to store the hardware lid, you can place it outside over some grass in the brooder run to make a nice area for the chicks to eat grass without eating to the bare ground.
Line the tote with a thick plastic while brooding to make cleanup easier. The plastic can be gathered up like a giant bag every 5 days or so and a whole new set up put in place. no having to touch the litter that way.