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

[ronott1]

I use the largest rubbermaid tote that Lowes sells and when they start flying out, (around 4 weeks) I put the lid on that has the middle cut out and screen put in. It works really well. This is how my mom has done it for 30 plus years. If we didn't have a foot of snow and negative temperatures the chicks would be going out for at least a few hours a day now, maybe just coming in at night.

I use the rubber made tote with an eco glow 20. This year I added a little auto water system to it. I would let mine out but would need a net to catch them! They are amazingly avoidant of people and think I am going to kill them when I walk by them. They will be going out to the Garage soon.

 

[chickengirl1193]

I made a brooder with 2x4s and hardware cloth so I can.use it for years to come. Its kinda just like a big rabbit cage. I switched my chicks to a 150 W heat lamp and they all sleep under it since my basement is around 60 degrees. Once they stop sleeping under the light im going to move them to the garage to continue to get them used to the lower temps. Its been so cold tho :/ my outside chickens have been 100% active in this crazy weather and just want to come out to free range but everything is covered with snow so they have a compost pile to scratch at all day and love it. Next time I brood chicks im.not going to wait this long to start lowering temps. I waited too long this time :/ rookie mistake. Ill be a pro next year!

 

[Blarneyeggs]

I made a brooder with 2x4s and hardware cloth so I can.use it for years to come. Its kinda just like a big rabbit cage. I switched my chicks to a 150 W heat lamp and they all sleep under it since my basement is around 60 degrees. Once they stop sleeping under the light im going to move them to the garage to continue to get them used to the lower temps. Its been so cold tho :/ my outside chickens have been 100% active in this crazy weather and just want to come out to free range but everything is covered with snow so they have a compost pile to scratch at all day and love it. Next time I brood chicks im.not going to wait this long to start lowering temps. I waited too long this time :/ rookie mistake. Ill be a pro next year!

Pics or it didn't happen...

 

[rochelle1021]

none of NYD eggs hatched so I set more and have this itsy bitsy baby... three more pipped but one is wrong end pipper.. not sure what to do with that one

 

[rochelle1021]

itsy bitsy

 

[ronott1]

none of NYD eggs hatched so I set more and have this itsy bitsy baby... three more pipped but one is wrong end pipper.. not sure what to do with that one

That is a cute chick!

 

[roostereggs]

none of NYD eggs hatched so I set more and have this itsy bitsy baby... three more pipped but one is wrong end pipper.. not sure what to do with that one

Awwwwww! It's so teeny and adorable!

I was at the feed store the other day and there were 9 freshly hatched buff orps and I WANTED.THEM.ALL.

I mean, I only have *one* BO, and she is old! But with no place to put them and 2 dozen eggs that are bator bound tomorrow, I had to walk slowly and sadly out the door. Very slowly. VERY sadly.

I am almost officially the crazy chicken lady that needs to own them all. I will officially become the crazy chicken lady when I leave the feed store with them someday and then have to call home to dd to start up the heat lamp and hope dh isn't home until they are safely in the brooder.

Because then they are non-refundable, right. hehehe

 

[roostereggs]

Here is the brooder dh and I and our next door neighbor made. Dh was very sweet and gave me a section of his workshop to use.

We bought most of the wood and used marine ply for the bottom, but the hardware wire is reused and the window is made from a cat door that used to go in a sliding glass door. We just whacked the door off. Dh even made me a windowsill.

Since this photo we put it on big heavy casters and it is 6 or 8 inches higher off the floor. I'm using the hot tub steps to get in. The side I am standing on has a little 2x2 foot door at the top, so when I open it they can't get out and I can step over into it. The top I am holding has hardware wire and flips over, but the other side is solid...that is where I hang my 5 gallon bucket with chicken nipples (just made last weekend) and their lamp. It is 8x8x4 and I put a plastic stool in there and sit with them for an hour every night. OK, sometimes 2 or 3 hours.

And I made them a ladder roost out of branches from a tree we had to cut down. After they move out I am going to paint it.

Hopefully they will be outside soon...depending on the weather. I think the Phoenix high/low for February is 70*/40* but sometimes we drop to the 30s at night. They are 6 weeks old this weekend. They have been in 72-75* and I only have their lamp on for 3 hours a day on a timer but doubt they need it anymore. I like having them inside so I can play with them...but their eviction notice is coming...I will have a fresh batch of chicks in 3 weeks.

 

[MontanaDolphin]

Got some updated pics of my gender-confusing chicks. If I base what they look like on my last two batches of chicks (from last spring), I have 2 roos and 3 pullets. What do ya'll think???

Chick 1: Pullet?


Chick 2 (pullet?):


Chick 3 (definite cockerel...red wattles, huge comb, bold barring):


Chick 4 (definite pullet):


Chick 5 (definite cockerel...bold barring, red wattles, big comb):

 

[chickengirl1193]

Pics or it didn't happen...

This is from when the chicks first moved in now they are getting really big and I think I'll put half in an old rabbit cage before they move to the coop