California - Northern

[zooweemama]

Straw can cause problems.

Put one of those absorbent pads down first, then the pine shavings. When it is time to clean, roll it all up and throw it away.

Your Sarah is cute!

Ron

Alright -that's what I have been doing. I think I should put on less shavings. I think I am needing to do their bedding every 3 days or so. Still better than my ducks who I had to do 3x a day or more! haha! I will keep at it. I don't want to cause them any problems. I'll have them another 2 weeks or so indoors and just as I move them out- the other chicks will move into the kennel brooder. This is still easier than ducks! I took the big chicks outside today. Removed the bottom of the kennel and they are on dirt inside the kennel for the day in the shade. Me thinks they are enjoying themselves! Positioned where I can see them from my livingroom.

I think everyone is right about Marans- they look Rooster like. Combs are big- my Buffs practically are comb less still! Interesting the development of the 2 breeds.

 

[CALI CHICK]

Chicken bedding. Shavings are driving me bananas. I am using a dog kennel thing and they are flinging massive amounts of poopy shavings out. Anyone ever use hay as bedding? These almost 3 weekers are very vigorous! LOL And I am so glad you all told me NOT to mix the 2 weekers with the 4 day olds- gigantic difference in size. I did not realize how much my chicks had grown honestly!

How is everyone? Chickens and animals surviving the heat? Nice breeze past couple of days with 90 temps....that's pretty peachy for Redding! LOL

When they are just hatched I just put paper towels on the floor of the brooder-then throw away when soiled. As they get older, I use (maybe an inch thick) of pine shavings in a huge storage container. To clean: 1.Put chicks in a safe place to "play" with a treat of chick scratch. 2. Scoop/scrape off all shavings with a kitty litter scoop or small dustpan. 3. Disinfect with vinegar or soapy water. I like pine shavings because it has a clean scent and it can be used in the coop and nesting boxes too. I mix DE into the nest boxes and sprinkle 7Dust on the coop floor/pine shavings to help with tick/mite issues. Probably the best thing to help with not wasting pine shavings was installing "poop shelves" under the roost bars. I bought a bunch of big boot trays at Dollar Tree which are made of plastic. To clean the trays I scrape off the poop (into the compost pile) and spray the trays with a hose. Then I put them back into the coop after they dry in the sun.
This is a small "grow-out" coop with linoleum on the floor so I can just scrape up when it gets dirty.


As for my chickens in this heat...I'm trying to give them cold, juicy treats. Poor things (especially my Large Fowl) walk around with their wings hanging down and away from their bodies. Sometimes I'll spray the ground and they like to take a dirt bath in the damp soil to cool down. We gave them our watermelon rinds the other day and they went bonkers! I thought they would just eat the rest of the red part, but the rind was only 1/8" thick when they got done! They loved watermelon so much that I bought another one today. Also, our freezer/frig went bad on Saturday and I gave them the partially thawed vegetables; corn, peas, green beans, okra, etc...They really enjoyed that too. It got to 107* here on Sunday.

Here are my silkies -turned- "raptors" when eating those veggies!

 

[Wishing4Wings]

That was Sarah yesterday.

Here is Sarah today.
Do you think she looks better?
I am hoping it's not just wishful thinking on my part. She is actually active today. She was not yesterday.
If it doesn't make sense - I blame autocorrect. Sent from my sweet iPhone 4s.

If the pictures are a good representation, then I'd say she looks better today! Hope both the little ones get better! Saw pictures of the breed; they look BIG. Maybe you can train them to keep the turkeys away!

Regarding the chicks getting litter all over, you already did what I was going to suggest. On warm days, my chicks were outside on the ground ASAP. Saves a lot of cleaning and makes for very happy chicks.

Keep us updated about the goslings. Best wishes!

 

[zooweemama]

When they are just hatched I just put paper towels on the floor of the brooder-then throw away when soiled. As they get older, I use (maybe an inch thick) of pine shavings in a huge storage container. To clean: 1.Put chicks in a safe place to "play" with a treat of chick scratch. 2. Scoop/scrape off all shavings with a kitty litter scoop or small dustpan. 3. Disinfect with vinegar or soapy water. I like pine shavings because it has a clean scent and it can be used in the coop and nesting boxes too. I mix DE into the nest boxes and sprinkle 7Dust on the coop floor/pine shavings to help with tick/mite issues. Probably the best thing to help with not wasting pine shavings was installing "poop shelves" under the roost bars. I bought a bunch of big boot trays at Dollar Tree which are made of plastic. To clean the trays I scrape off the poop (into the compost pile) and spray the trays with a hose. Then I put them back into the coop after they dry in the sun.
This is a small "grow-out" coop with linoleum on the floor so I can just scrape up when it gets dirty.


As for my chickens in this heat...I'm trying to give them cold, juicy treats. Poor things (especially my Large Fowl) walk around with their wings hanging down and away from their bodies. Sometimes I'll spray the ground and they like to take a dirt bath in the damp soil to cool down. We gave them our watermelon rinds the other day and they went bonkers! I thought they would just eat the rest of the red part, but the rind was only 1/8" thick when they got done! They loved watermelon so much that I bought another one today. Also, our freezer/frig went bad on Saturday and I gave them the partially thawed vegetables; corn, peas, green beans, okra, etc...They really enjoyed that too. It got to 107* here on Sunday.

Here are my silkies -turned- "raptors" when eating those veggies!

Nice brooder and gorgeous silkies!!

 

[zooweemama]

Chicks first day out. It's warm but only 90 outside right now. They are shaded so they should be fine right? They have fresh cool water. It's supposed to be 99- should I bring them in before that happens?

Pic overload warning.

stands tall, chest buts, challenges, bossy. no tail...but all the buffs have tiny combs still.

not my marans...



this one has cleaner legs and bigger comb

the other marans has reallly feathery feet and slightly smaller comb


it was next to impossible to get them all just standing up. i have 17350 butt shots- group butt shots lol!



i feel like they are all feathering nicely for 2 1/2 weeks. but what do i know? haha

 

[ronott1]

Chicks first day out. It's warm but only 90 outside right now. They are shaded so they should be fine right? They have fresh cool water. It's supposed to be 99- should I bring them in before that happens?

Pic overload warning.

stands tall, chest buts, challenges, bossy. no tail...but all the buffs have tiny combs still.

not my marans...



this one has cleaner legs and bigger comb

the other marans has reallly feathery feet and slightly smaller comb


it was next to impossible to get them all just standing up. i have 17350 butt shots- group butt shots lol!



i feel like they are all feathering nicely for 2 1/2 weeks. but what do i know? haha

Your have the nicest looking little FBCM Roos! I hope you get a good number of pullets with the new ones.

See, it's only 2.5 weeks and you already know what gender they are. Not all breeds are this easy though. EEs can be hard and I think one of Jeremy's breeds you can't tell for a long time.

Ron

 

[ronott1]

Ok, here is a picture of me with my little EO Marraduna Basque Cockerel, Seiji:

 

[zooweemama]

Ok, here is a picture of me with my little EO Marraduna Basque Cockerel, Seiji:

He's a big and handsome guy! I tried to look him up in my Storey's book can't find him. I guess they can't fit them all in there. Boo. I really like his feather patterns!

 

[Hangtown Farms]

My little chick has a limp in the gitty up. seems ok no injury but is limping pretty good. was not sure if anyone thinks he/she will be ok. seems alert but sitting alot and limping when walking.

 

[Hangtown Farms]

and another shot