I know what you mean. I havn't hatched an egg yet either and I'm hooked as well. A gazebo sounds like a really good idea for a grow out pen to me.I haven't posted for a while, but still try to keep up with the happenings.
So sorry for the losses due to this heat. I am doing the best I can to keep my 4 pullets from heat stroke. I have a mortar tub wading pool they love to get in, a large plant saucer with a frozen milk jug and water, a mortar tub with damp dust bath dirt. Plus a regular waterer. ( I took out the bucket/nipple waterer after they knocked the stand over twice. LOL)
I also put a portable swamp cooler in the gazebo that at least blows cooler air in one spot for them to stand or lay if they choose. I turn on the swamp cooler when the temperature reaches 95. Right now, at 5:45, it's 101 in the gazebo and 109 outside. I have shade cloth, also. It's just plain hot.
So far, the girls aren't too stressed and seem able to cope by wading or laying in the damp dust bath tub. I also spray down the sand in the afternoons and that seems to help.
They are now 18 weeks and two of them have nice red wattles so eggs shouldn't be too far away. I hope.
CHICKEN MATH!!!!! I couldn't stand it, I am weak, I bought an incubator. I bought 15 fertile eggs from a BYC member. I am 5 days into incubating a variety of pretty blue eggs and dark brown eggs, with a couple lighter brown eggs too. Ameracaunas, Marans, Barnvelder and Blue Lace Red Wyandotte. I am hooked and haven't even hatched a single chick yet.
DH and son have been alerted to the need for a large chicken house/storage shed. (heh heh heh) Gazebo will be a great grow out pen, right?
Since this is my very first time doing this chicken thing, please send me good karma to hatch some delightful chicks in a couple more weeks. Incubator is holding steady on temperature and humidity is between 30 and 40 for now. After much reading (thanks to all who contributed info) I am going with the "dry" method, except when it drops near 25, then I add a bit of water to one of the wells.
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