California - Northern

[ronott1]

Ron, we got the same brand and kind as you only the hose is 1/4" and not 3/8". We hung it up in the run and put it on a battery ran timer. Is it an acquired taste because our flock doesn't seem to want to sit under them? :O

We also got them an automatic waterer (will take pics) and they are on and off using it still have the old one up too. They have been panting a lot and one night we got home and our Roos were roosting and panting and had droopy wings. We gave them fresh old water and they perked back up. Been putting "chick boost" in their water too. Is there anything else we can do to make them more comfy?

They do not need to hang out directly under them--The area cools off for a larger area then where the mist is. They will probably get used to it too.

Mine hated it when I tried to spray them with a hose last year.

 

[Chickengirl1304]

one more thing. I hatched some silver ameraucana from shipped eggs. one had light cross beak well its gotten worse. chick still seems ok but is not gaining weight like the others. I am so glad I can toss this Hovabator. I am sure the wild temp spikes had something to do with it

I heard their food needs to be deeper for cross beaks

 

[debs_flock]

Beautiful birds!

 

[BCollie]

After some of you said your chickens don't like frozen watermelon, I figured I'd give it a try. Took a rock hard watermelon and put it in the coop, and they've been going at it for probably a couple hours now! Probably because it's so dang hot out, they're all panting.

 

[Chickengirl1304]

Beautiful birds!

What are they? I love them!

 

[BCollie]

Charlotte says that frozen watermelon tastes best when you stand on it.

 

[juststruttin]

I think I finally broke my Orp hen from being broody. She are going on 6 weeks so I figured enough already. I set her on the roost the last couple of nights and put rubber balls in the nest boxes so she could not go back in. I took the balls out around 11 so the other girls could lay their eggs and she stayed out side. I hope she roosts up on her own tonight.

 

[lizanne]

I sold 5 olive egger chicks and wouldnt you know it 1 more just hatched.
anyone up here want a olive egger chick?

I also gave 3 of the 7 black penedesenca roosters away . 2 more need a home as I will grow out 3

Oh, me, me.... I have a lone chick set to hatch Wednesday. *hopefully*. The only one left out of 8 eggs. I think the rest of the babies are too old for me to put that one in with them.
*wait, I'm not really "up there".

 

[Hangtown Farms]

Hmm.. maybe toss it to somebody who wants to put a digitial thermostat in it? I never liked the wafers either. Looks like everything is there... I would take it if you are really getting rid of it - use it for a hatcher... I have a few thermostats floating around here somewhere.

you can take it if you want. I was gonna use it to hatch but if it hits 104 it wont do much good

 

[Grandmas Basket]

Im only 2500 messages behind ! yikes!!! So sorry for the losses from the heat

It is one thing I dont have to worry about here. I am adding some new chickens ... Bantam Cochins, to my Silkies only flock. They will be here later today, cant wait to see them . A few pictures from the breeder...

Eye candy! Urban chicks for me so I am small scale. Did get 3 bantam Cochin chicks from Miss Molly 8 weeks ago. The only my solid black is a girl - she is a lot of fun and way more coordinated that the guys. Both boys are males and flashy but not keepers. BTW I am a Fort Bragg native. Miss the coast especially during the hot inland summers.
.

Also, does your automatic waterer have a holding tank or is it directly house water on a pressure reducer? If it's a holding tank, you can drop a 2 liter bottle of ice in the tank to make the supply colder.

I only have a few chicks. During this heat set up double DIY waterers as insurance. One is a 5 gallon bucket with 2 nipples on the bottom. The other is a 5 gallon insulated water cooler from Lowes (Igloo brand). That one cost us more but am hoping the insulation will help on hot days. I didn't check the temp difference on the hottest days. Went out a bit ago and found the uninsulated bucket at 80.4 while the insulated cooler is 77.8. I like the idea of freezing and dropping litter bottles into the waterer! Thanks . .