New to the forum but not new to having chickens. When we had a couple of hayburners when the kids were still at home, having chickens seemed to be a natural extension of having horses. There were always bits of feed scattered uneaten and they were grateful to clean it up and thanked us by contributing eggs.
Fast forward 30 years and the competition to remain the cooler set of grand parents is alive as well. What could be a better grandchild magnet than having chickens, collecting eggs and of course the natural extension of that is to acquire an incubator so they can hatch their own and then bring the back here and visit and watch the grow. A bit devious but highly effective.
Our first chicks were purchased from the feed store, already a week+ old probably. Everything that a person could do wrong we probably did. Kept them on top of the kitchen stove above the pilot light for warmth. 2 weeks later they were roosting on the box edge and the cat started drooling and the wife had had enough sharing her stove with the birds. Unceremoniously dumped them out with the horses in the loafing shed that day. It was early spring, it was very chilly, they were less than half feathered and they all thrived except for the stupid one that tried to hide under the horse's hoof. There always sees to be a stupid one.
This time doing it a little more correctly. Have a red brooder light, not using newspaper in the bottom of the box and after lurking on the hatchery page decided to buy an additional 25% to cover the losses. But I did not factor in the one variable of not having the post office handle them for me. Drove to Ideal and picked up my order. I figured out of 10 I would end up with no more than 7 by now. Nope all 10 are healthy and little eating machines. Gonna have a slight surplus of eggs this year I guess.
Now to finish the coop.
Fast forward 30 years and the competition to remain the cooler set of grand parents is alive as well. What could be a better grandchild magnet than having chickens, collecting eggs and of course the natural extension of that is to acquire an incubator so they can hatch their own and then bring the back here and visit and watch the grow. A bit devious but highly effective.
Our first chicks were purchased from the feed store, already a week+ old probably. Everything that a person could do wrong we probably did. Kept them on top of the kitchen stove above the pilot light for warmth. 2 weeks later they were roosting on the box edge and the cat started drooling and the wife had had enough sharing her stove with the birds. Unceremoniously dumped them out with the horses in the loafing shed that day. It was early spring, it was very chilly, they were less than half feathered and they all thrived except for the stupid one that tried to hide under the horse's hoof. There always sees to be a stupid one.
This time doing it a little more correctly. Have a red brooder light, not using newspaper in the bottom of the box and after lurking on the hatchery page decided to buy an additional 25% to cover the losses. But I did not factor in the one variable of not having the post office handle them for me. Drove to Ideal and picked up my order. I figured out of 10 I would end up with no more than 7 by now. Nope all 10 are healthy and little eating machines. Gonna have a slight surplus of eggs this year I guess.
Now to finish the coop.
Glad you joined us!
Welcome!
