California - Northern

[HighNDryFarm]

Quote: Awe, how cute! I wonder if the frizzle gene has anything to do with it. I don't know anything about it but have you checked into the drawbacks of the frizzle gene?

So my coop should be done enough to the point where it will be safe for the chicks(nest boxes, Windows, etc aren't done but the open spots for them have hardware cloth to keep predators from getting in.)
The run isn't done though...I want to at least start putting them in the coop at night so they stop waking me up every morning in the brooder. Can they be allowed to have free run of the yard when I'm out there with them or do I have to worry about them getting away or anything? Or do most people keep chicks in just the coop for the first few weeks or so to teach them where "home" is?

If I remember right, your chicks are about the same age as my last hatch, 6 weeks? Mine are in the grow out pen and I turned off the light 2 days ago. I let them out to free range with the rest of the flock but they don't go far. If you lock them up for about 3 days, they'll usually return to their coop at night. My free range, unsupervised all day and I accept the hawk risk. But I don't lose many because my roos are really good about warning. Also, how many chicks do you have? The more chicks the better they can keep each other warm.

Quote: My hatches haven't been horrible but I have noticed this consistency with all the chicks in the same rows hatching and some rows failing so I decided to take Ron's recommendation and change the temp....a little bit. Couldn't bring myself to make a big change!

4 out of six of the Polish in the one row have hatched and the other two are pipped with one starting to zip. Not another pip from any of the other 18 and as I said, they were moving on day 18. I hope they're all just late.

 

[Nikon]

Can you do a macro? The photo on the left almost looks like a toenail (that would be WEIRD), the photo on the right looks like a leg feather follicle (the marans cross).

Yeah, I'll get out my tele lens today and see if I can get closer. Blue I believe is an Isbar x Marans cross. The other two OE's we have are splashes and have no feathering on their legs whatsoever. Blue was always the mystery chick, being either Blue Isbar, or the OE cross. I'm starting to think it's a rooster now and that it's an OE.


This is what the rest of the chicken looks like. It's about 10 weeks old now.

 

[Wishing4Wings]

So my coop should be done enough to the point where it will be safe for the chicks(nest boxes, Windows, etc aren't done but the open spots for them have hardware cloth to keep predators from getting in.)
The run isn't done though...I want to at least start putting them in the coop at night so they stop waking me up every morning in the brooder. Can they be allowed to have free run of the yard when I'm out there with them or do I have to worry about them getting away or anything? Or do most people keep chicks in just the coop for the first few weeks or so to teach them where "home" is?

I think it only takes a week or less of roosting in the coop to make it home for them. Letting them have the run of the yard while you are out with them is fine, but would probably be easier to collect them all if you keep them confined somehow, maybe with with some temporary fencing.

Quote: Cute pics Laura! I was wondering about Max Jr, though. How do you know he's a boy? I can't tell by looking- what are you going by? Looove the crest!
Hope the birchen Marans are girls!

 

[lawatt]

Cute pics Laura! I was wondering about Max Jr, though. How do you know he's a boy? I can't tell by looking- what are you going by? Looove the crest!
Hope the birchen Marans are girls!

I'm guessing genders so far on all the chicks (except for the marans, which are too little still) by their stance & behavior, such as sparring with each other -- not based on anything else, and almost guaranteed to be wrong in some instances, but better than blind guessing for now. Max Jr will keep his/her name regardless, as Max's only offspring -- but somehow, ever since he was little, he's just *looked* like a boy to me -- tall stance, a bit os sparring with the two i'm-guessing-they're-male-too araucanas, etc. also the color of his feathers, esp around his neck, seems awfully bright for a girl.

would be happy to be wrong, though!

 

[lizanne]

That's great! I took 10 roosters to the Roseville auction this morning. Boy did that put a dent in my chick numbers!

All of the EE roosters and one Wyandotte rooster.

I still have 4 bantam BLRW roosters, one bantam buff Brahma rooster and one gorgeous EE rooster (I am keeping him because he is pale blue and getting gold lacing!) If anyone is looking for some show potential bantam roosters. I will also have some extra blue wheaten and splash wheaten Ameraucana roosters in a few months. Some of the Ameraucana roosters will be from the Cree line which is really hard to find.

So how does that work? When I was little my dad used to take me there, I always thought it was so cool to see all the animals run around.

 

[Janeothejungle]

I confess. I put the portable AC on the coop. My girls deserve their comfort and its HOT!

 

[lizanne]

I confess. I put the portable AC on the coop. My girls deserve their comfort and its HOT!

I'm sure they love it!! I was thinking about getting a big fan for mine, pretty quick here. They say it's going to get to 106 Friday.

. I might make some chicken diapers for my 3 Cornish X, and keep them inside if it gets really hot.

 

[chiqita]

In aoeey you guys are suffering so much in the heat. Its not bad here but the girls are mostly under the porch where it is cool.

I gave chicks to my broodies silkie who only hatched one of her eggs. She popped on ones face. It was choking and I think it might pass.

I have never heard of such a thing. I cleaned off what I could but don't want to get water in its nose.

 

[debs_flock]

Quote:
My Brinsea cabinet is also very accurate..................and I compulsively checked temps when I first got it, probably 15 different thermometers, including a medical one (probably the best accuracy), the spot check, my laser temp gun, etc, etc).

Quote: Yup, but I love the blue & gold.

 

[HighNDryFarm]

verify the temperature inside the brinsea with a Brinsea Spot check. I set my Octagon 40 to 100.3 to get the temperature inside the brinsea to 99.6. Remember to keep the vent all the way open too. Do not trust the digital read out on top.

Hmmm, mine is accurate and I get great hatches with the settings recommended by Brinsea.

My Brinsea cabinet is also very accurate..................and I compulsively checked temps when I first got it, probably 15 different thermometers, including a medical one (probably the best accuracy), the spot check, my laser temp gun, etc, etc).

Can you do a macro? The photo on the left almost looks like a toenail (that would be WEIRD), the photo on the right looks like a leg feather follicle (the marans cross).

Yeah, I'll get out my tele lens today and see if I can get closer. Blue I believe is an Isbar x Marans cross. The other two OE's we have are splashes and have no feathering on their legs whatsoever. Blue was always the mystery chick, being either Blue Isbar, or the OE cross. I'm starting to think [COLOR=FF0000]it's a rooster[/COLOR] now and that it's an OE. This is what the rest of the chicken looks like. It's about 10 weeks old now.

Yup, but I love the blue & gold.

I never checked it because everyone says they are true from the factory. After this hatch I'm going to test it. I have 5 Polish out and one more pipped. One Marans and one EE also pipped! Of course I have an order for EE and Marans but not Polish! Haha! But that's OK I have a nice collection of chicks and can pay some attention to working on my Polish. I have two WCB who are bearded. Never hatched a bearded WCB before. Love seeing everyone's pictures of their chick and chickens!