California - Northern

[ronott1]

Ron, I think you could send eggs to Russia and they'd make it great! You do such an amazing job. BTW- what was it about BOSS making the eggs darker? I've heard some foods can do that. Is that the only one?

I have not looked into what in Black Oil Sunflower Seeds would make the eggs dark. It may be the oil though.

I am packing the eggs like Skyline Poultry. I watched a video about his packing method. His son tossed the eggs as high as he could and let the box smack into the side walk. None of the eggs broke and the hatched well for him too. Along with protecting the eggs, I am trying to lessen the vibration.

 

[liz9910]

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This is true...especially when it's warmer outside.

 

[lawatt]

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i actually had just put some outside in december when we had our crazy cold snap -- and all but one came through without a hitch, and the one was a runt-ish one, very small and weak at hatch. as long as they have some friends to snuggle with, they're pretty hardy at 4 weeks.

 

[ronott1]

i actually had just put some outside in december when we had our crazy cold snap -- and all but one came through without a hitch, and the one was a runt-ish one, very small and weak at hatch. as long as they have some friends to snuggle with, they're pretty hardy at 4 weeks.

Especially if a brooder plate is used instead of a light. Premier1 has one that seems to be very good for half the price of the Brinsea eco Glow.

 

[PetRock]

I've actually been putting my chicks outdoors at roughly four weeks, and they've been doing just fine -- particularly now that temps are more mild. wish i could put them out a week earlier, as i've only got one brooder and it's going to be a bit crowded for a week coming up soon! as there will be new hatchlings to add next tuesday (i hope) but the biggest chicks will still only be three weeks...

I have a group of 4 wk old chicks that I put outside a few days ago. I didn't plan my hatches very well and needed the inside brooder space for newly hatched chicks. They are sleeping in a dog kennel next to the house and I put a towel over the door to prevent drafts. I worry about them but they seem to be doing fine. I usually wait until they are 5-6 weeks old before moving them out. My DH grew up on a small farm and he keeps telling me that every year they ordered a flat of chicks. They just put them out in the chicken pen as soon as they got them with no additional heat or extra care. He does admit that they lost a few but not many.

 

[lawatt]

Especially if a brooder plate is used instead of a light. Premier1 has one that seems to be very good for half the price of the Brinsea eco Glow.

you mean using a brooder plate before putting them outside? yes, couldn't agree more -- the ones i've raised since getting the EcoGlow seem far less neurotic and more able to look after themselves than the ones i raised last year under a (red) light. giving the little ones in the brooder some garden soil (i.e. pulled some clumps of grass & put them in) to peck at seems to have WAY reduced my troubles with cocci, too.

if it stays warm next week, i might have to try the three-week-olds outdoors, just to see how they do! as there are 12 eggs in the incubator set to hatch tuesday; if they all hatch, that would be 22 chicks in the brooder box, at three different ages -- seems like a recipe for chaos!

 

[ronott1]

you mean using a brooder plate before putting them outside? yes, couldn't agree more -- the ones i've raised since getting the EcoGlow seem far less neurotic and more able to look after themselves than the ones i raised last year under a (red) light. giving the little ones in the brooder some garden soil (i.e. pulled some clumps of grass & put them in) to peck at seems to have WAY reduced my troubles with cocci, too.

if it stays warm next week, i might have to try the three-week-olds outdoors, just to see how they do! as there are 12 eggs in the incubator set to hatch tuesday; if they all hatch, that would be 22 chicks in the brooder box, at three different ages -- seems like a recipe for chaos!

Yes! the brooder plate seems to make them feather faster and become cold hardy faster.

 

[sewandgrow]

I am Soooo going to the ranch to see if I can scrounge one up. If not - how much did you say the bins are?

The ones I get are $20 a piece & are well used, some better than others, but I have used them for all of mine.

Rebecca I am coming to Modesto today to pick up my son on Standiford. Can I drop the incubator off to you? It will be later this afternoon. He has to pick up his girlfriend's grand daughter from school at 3:30 so I need to pick him up after that.

 

[sewandgrow]

I like this one a lot!

Well thank you. True to form I cut many sets of the bric a brac scalloped parts then never mad another just like this that could use them. I am sooooo impulsive & compulsive.........LOL

 

[sewandgrow]

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Pretty easy to make Liz. I spend right at $60 with the recycled bin all the hardware & cedar fence boards & hardware cloth (wire).
Wolftracks bought one a few years back & came out for the day & we build a coop out of it but she hasn't gotten it yet. It is in my corral. I think re figured out that it wouldn't go through her gate to get to her back yard after it was built. I can't remember for sure All hers needs is a roof & some paint & it's good to go with using scrap lumber I had around.