California - Northern

[ronott1]

I'm having one of those weeks. Bad chicken week. I moved out a group of chicks to the barn and i think the temp fluctuation was just too great even with the heat lamp, lost about 7 chicks one night. Yesterday, one of my blue copper marans pullets drowned in one of the buckets I leave out for them when they are free ranging. And then this morning i wake up to 15 dead juveniles who were simply too stupid to get out of the rain into the 64 sq feet of covered run! it wasn't raining last night and guess they really are too dumb to move once they have settled in for the night. Those were all about 8 week old grow outs: all my polish, all of my most promising sizzles, my super cool legbar x wyandottes that were just starting to show that they were gonna be fun lookers. then I found out my last shipment of eggs to someone hasn't arrived yet, it's now 2 days late. only getting a handful of eggs and my wife is going to the store to buy eggs since we are eating more than they are laying. can't sell enough chicks to pay for my feed. blah, blah, blah. it must be a rainy winter day and I have a serious case of the blahs. This is the second time I have tried to start a flock of polish and the second time I have lost all of my starter flock. first time to an owl, this time due to small chicken brains and bad weather. I guess the polish and me just weren't meant to be. On the bright side, that's one less pen to deal with! someday, I want some of those buggers running around my property, I just like looking at them, so down the road if anyone needs to polish downsize, I think I will get some fully grown birds to just hang out on my land! This saturday is gonna get better!!! I'm claiming it as true!

How Sad!

I had to run out and check on mine. They were all taking cover except for the Dorking. I am being brave this year and not locking them up on rainy days. After today I might go back to locking them up....

I don't know if I will be able to hatch 23 to replace the ones you lost but who knows?

 

[juststruttin]

I'm having one of those weeks. Bad chicken week. I moved out a group of chicks to the barn and i think the temp fluctuation was just too great even with the heat lamp, lost about 7 chicks one night. Yesterday, one of my blue copper marans pullets drowned in one of the buckets I leave out for them when they are free ranging. And then this morning i wake up to 15 dead juveniles who were simply too stupid to get out of the rain into the 64 sq feet of covered run! it wasn't raining last night and guess they really are too dumb to move once they have settled in for the night. Those were all about 8 week old grow outs: all my polish, all of my most promising sizzles, my super cool legbar x wyandottes that were just starting to show that they were gonna be fun lookers. then I found out my last shipment of eggs to someone hasn't arrived yet, it's now 2 days late. only getting a handful of eggs and my wife is going to the store to buy eggs since we are eating more than they are laying. can't sell enough chicks to pay for my feed. blah, blah, blah. it must be a rainy winter day and I have a serious case of the blahs. This is the second time I have tried to start a flock of polish and the second time I have lost all of my starter flock. first time to an owl, this time due to small chicken brains and bad weather. I guess the polish and me just weren't meant to be. On the bright side, that's one less pen to deal with! someday, I want some of those buggers running around my property, I just like looking at them, so down the road if anyone needs to polish downsize, I think I will get some fully grown birds to just hang out on my land! This saturday is gonna get better!!! I'm claiming it as true!

Hey Papa Brooder, sorry you have the blahs, but from what I am hearing you have the right to be down. Truly sorry for your troubles.

Juvies drive me nuts too. Too dumb to go in most of the time. I now have a light on a timer in the juvie coop. The light turns on about 4 pm and shuts off at 7 pm. It seems the light draws them into the coop when it starts getting dark outside. Works great. I used to have to pick up each juvie and put them in the coop at bed time.

 

[juststruttin]

Oooh, are you going to have any extra chicks, or are they all spoken for?

I am kinda embarrassed to say........ I am planning on keeping this group. LOL

I set this hatch for future breeders but depending on the male/female ratio I may have some available. Are you looking for breeders or pets? I will surely have some that don't make the cut so if you are looking for pet quality I will surely have some. I can usually tell which are pet quality early on. It takes 6 months or longer to know which are good breeder quality, especially on the roos. What are you looking for?

 

[waititout]

I'm having one of those weeks.  Bad chicken week.  I moved out a group of chicks to the barn and i think the temp fluctuation was just too great even with the heat lamp, lost about 7 chicks one night.  Yesterday, one of my blue copper marans pullets drowned in one of the buckets I leave out for them when they are free ranging.  And then this morning i wake up to 15 dead juveniles who were simply too stupid to get out of the rain into the 64 sq feet of covered run!  it wasn't raining last night and guess they really are too dumb to move once they have settled in for the night.  Those were all about 8 week old grow outs: all my polish, all of my most promising sizzles, my super cool legbar x wyandottes that were just starting to show that they were gonna be fun lookers.  then I found out my last shipment of eggs to someone hasn't arrived yet, it's now 2 days late.  only getting a handful of eggs and my wife is going to the store to buy eggs since we are eating more than they are laying.  can't sell enough chicks to pay for my feed.  blah, blah, blah.  it must be a rainy winter day and I have a serious case of the blahs.  This is the second time I have tried to start a flock of polish and the second time I have lost all of my starter flock. first time to an owl, this time due to small chicken brains and bad weather.  I guess the polish and me just weren't meant to be.  On the bright side, that's one less pen to deal with!  someday, I want some of those buggers running around my property, I just like looking at them, so down the road if anyone needs to polish downsize, I think I will get some fully grown birds to just hang out on my land!  This saturday is gonna get better!!!  I'm claiming it as true!

Oh no, that's terrible! So sorry!

 

[ronott1]

I always know the sire of the chicks that get hatched for me. I'm wondering if it's possible to also identify which hen the chicks come from-if you are using an incubator with multiple combinations in the same hatch? Is that too complicated?

You would have to use a nest with a trap door and then identify the hen on each egg.

I would have to make baskets with a closed top for each set of hen eggs and then band them at hatch. It looks like the hole from the hole punch needs to heal before you put in the tag? I need to research hole punching more.

This would be a great way to figure out a lot from your breeding flock.

 

[cherylcohen]

Jeff I'm so sorry

Are you wanting to breed polish or just pets. I've got tolbunts that didn't make the cut

I've also just decided to set the Tolbunt eggs I have so if you want any of those they will all be up for grabs

 

[waititout]

I am kinda embarrassed to say........  I am planning on keeping this group. LOL  

I set this hatch for future breeders but depending on the male/female ratio I may have some available.  Are you looking for breeders or pets?  I will surely have some that don't make the cut so if you are looking for pet quality I will surely have some.  I can usually tell which are pet quality early on.  It takes 6 months or longer to know which are good breeder quality, especially on the roos.  What are you looking for?  

I would really love to add a couple of dark egg layers to my group as well as a nice quality bird for my daughter's 4H project, as mine were all purchased from the feed supply store. I was going to let her use one of our silkies but the one that looks the best has 6 toes.

I tried to hatch some of your eggs a couple of months ago, but am embarrassed to say that I failed miserably.

 

[waititout]

Have you guys tried the new mobile version of BYC? I just figured it out and am so excited!

 

[Papa Brooder]

Quote: that is a really good solution. i will have to try that. thanks for that.

 

[Papa Brooder]

Jeff I'm so sorry

Are you wanting to breed polish or just pets. I've got tolbunts that didn't make the cut

I've also just decided to set the Tolbunt eggs I have so if you want any of those they will all be up for grabs

just pets at this time. I just like watching them as they make me laugh. I was gonna breed them just cause I had a couple of neat batches of colors but at this point I would be happy to watch them when I do chicken TV! would love some of the culls!