California - Northern

[Hangtown Farms]

sorry Jeff about the chicken problem.

I am getting ready to go back out in the rain and cover there run so I can let them out of the coop.

 

[chiqita]

good morning everyone!

I'm finally mostly home and trying to get ready for thanksgiving.

Papa: So sorry for your loss, that's horrible! I'm always worried about babies, they are so fragile. I have a bunch of juvies in my office right now I have to move before company, not sure what to do with them, They were all supposed to be gone by now, but I haven't advertised chicks in a month after not being home.

MissMolly: My chicks all know to sleep under the ecoglow, BUT I'm not sure I like them either. It doesn't seem like its a consistent temp, and some of the younger silkies still seem to get too cold. maybe use a seedling mat or a heating pad in an area, put it under a piece of glass and put shaving on it? Should be non flammable and the bedding keeps the heat in, I'm finding i like ground heat better then high heat.

Cooper: Put Cd's all over your dog run, those DO have a visible affect on hawks. If you don't have old ones, new ones at like Fry's are cheap. Any way you can attract some crows? they will chase the hawks off legally.

Deb: Grats that is so exciting! Thought about going to Reno but its sheer madness here, no way to get anywhere until December.

waititout: I have FCBM babies, some that hatched last night ( expecting a few more) and some that are a couple weeks old. They lay very nice dark eggs. Don't know where you are in the bay area. I'm in San Jose but make it up to Novato fairly regularly. If you want to chat about it PM me.

Ron: Did I tell you I had one CL egg that was fertile? I have a little boy running around the brooder. I'm worried Orlando might not be very fertile. The girls have stopped laying now however, so we wont see until I add light to the coops. I'll take pictures of the monster bator today. DH wants to mess with the air flow holes ( he says they a re too big) and double check some of the outside insulating stuff and something with the heat source and something ( he got technical) I want him to paint me a panel to go over the ugly part on the side with chicken pics! He does these amazing line drawings and I miss seeing them around the house since he has become crazy house fixing man instead of paint in my spare time geek guy.

Cheryl: I'm jealous of you getting away. my MIL runs a Japaneses restaurant in Rosarita, so when we got to Mexico we usually don't go very far. Its so cold her cabo sounds awesome.

Is everyone ready for thanksgiving? sadly I haven't even started pay attention except for to decide I'm not cooking a turkey this year. This seems a crime with the 3 ovens, but I will NOT be ready in 4 days, lol.

 

[Hangtown Farms]

we do have crows around more in the winter when they come down the hill some.
I think it will work out. we are still hoping to move so once I do I can build proper runs and pens though I still want them to have there big yard that I can let them out in. Either one breed a day or the layers. Maybe I can get a big Langshan rooster for the layers or Jersey Giant. Maybe they would be more intimidating. When we get another dog I will train him to like the chickens and he can hang out with them on good weather work days. But now the labs I have would love to take down a hawk but also love to take down the chickens

 

[Miss Molly]

we do have crows around more in the winter when they come down the hill some.
 I think it will work out. we are still hoping to move so once I do I can build proper runs and pens though I still want them to have there big yard that I can let them out in. Either one breed a day or the layers. Maybe I can get a big Langshan rooster for the layers or Jersey Giant. Maybe they would be more intimidating. When we get another dog I will train him to like the chickens and he can hang out with them on good weather work days. But now the labs I have would love to take down a hawk but also love to take down the chickens

I keep my dog out side most of the time I'm at work. I think it really helps.

 

[Miss Molly]

Hey Ron....waiting for pics and a update on the chicks..

 

[debs_flock]

Quote: Molly/Cheryl, I have the large size eco-glow, but I use it in the middle stage of my brooder from GQF. The top unit is heated and the bottom two are for growouts. This way I have a very warm incubator on top, the gentle heat from the ecoglow in the middle and a grow out on the bottom. The unit resides in our workshop and stays fairly warm anyway.
https://www.gqfmfg.com/store/comersus_viewItem.asp?idProduct=63 It's pricey, but I love it and can easily raise 75-100+ chicks at the same time.

The next stage is they move to a grow out pen in a wooden shed we have. This is the heat lamp I use and I couldn't rave more about it. http://www.premier1supplies.com/detail.php?prod_id=18266&cat_id=173 I don't constantly have to worry about a fire from a clamp style heat lamp. I sprung for the stand and it is wonderful. http://www.premier1supplies.com/detail.php?prod_id=83120&cat_id=173 This also was a super buy and I'm so glad I got it.

When they are finished with the indoor shed, they get moved to a pen with a full roof attached to the shed. They basically have three walls and a roof to make the next transition. Next step, out to a coop/run in the "chicken compound". It works for us and you need something to do when you are in the 250-300 bird stage. Not to mention the 100 eggs I have cooking right now and the NYD hatch coming up.

Then I need to get serious about hatching the next generation for my show birds.

Speaking of which, we got home last night from Reno. I'll post some pictures once I get organized, but it was an 800+ bird show. On champion row for selecting best in show, 30ish birds, I had 2 up there

Deb

 

[lllory]

Here is my fluffy 3 month old black cochin frizzle bantam who needs a new home. I am in Livermore, Ca, a no roo zone. Isn't he cute? Wouldn't you love to take him to live at your place?

I also have a black d'anver bantam cockerel who needs to find a new home. His tail is in this photo behind Curly Sam.
Laurie

 

[ronott1]

Quote: I keep them in the garage, but I live 70 feet from sea level

I have a left over roll of insulation that goes under pergo flooring. It is the thick type. I put a sheet of it on a carpet that is on the cement. That insulates them at the bottom. Even so I still have to go out at night and tuck them under the eco glow. If I don't, they huddle together in the corner.

good morning everyone!

I'm finally mostly home and trying to get ready for thanksgiving.

Papa: So sorry for your loss, that's horrible! I'm always worried about babies, they are so fragile. I have a bunch of juvies in my office right now I have to move before company, not sure what to do with them, They were all supposed to be gone by now, but I haven't advertised chicks in a month after not being home.

MissMolly: My chicks all know to sleep under the ecoglow, BUT I'm not sure I like them either. It doesn't seem like its a consistent temp, and some of the younger silkies still seem to get too cold. maybe use a seedling mat or a heating pad in an area, put it under a piece of glass and put shaving on it? Should be non flammable and the bedding keeps the heat in, I'm finding i like ground heat better then high heat.

Cooper: Put Cd's all over your dog run, those DO have a visible affect on hawks. If you don't have old ones, new ones at like Fry's are cheap. Any way you can attract some crows? they will chase the hawks off legally.

Deb: Grats that is so exciting! Thought about going to Reno but its sheer madness here, no way to get anywhere until December.

waititout: I have FCBM babies, some that hatched last night ( expecting a few more) and some that are a couple weeks old. They lay very nice dark eggs. Don't know where you are in the bay area. I'm in San Jose but make it up to Novato fairly regularly. If you want to chat about it PM me.

Ron: Did I tell you I had one CL egg that was fertile? I have a little boy running around the brooder. I'm worried Orlando might not be very fertile. The girls have stopped laying now however, so we wont see until I add light to the coops. I'll take pictures of the monster bator today. DH wants to mess with the air flow holes ( he says they a re too big) and double check some of the outside insulating stuff and something with the heat source and something ( he got technical) I want him to paint me a panel to go over the ugly part on the side with chicken pics! He does these amazing line drawings and I miss seeing them around the house since he has become crazy house fixing man instead of paint in my spare time geek guy.

Cheryl: I'm jealous of you getting away. my MIL runs a Japaneses restaurant in Rosarita, so when we got to Mexico we usually don't go very far. Its so cold her cabo sounds awesome.

Is everyone ready for thanksgiving? sadly I haven't even started pay attention except for to decide I'm not cooking a turkey this year. This seems a crime with the 3 ovens, but I will NOT be ready in 4 days, lol.

This is the low fertility time of the year, so getting a fertile egg now and with such young pullet is very good! You will have a bunch of CLs next spring.

I am cooking a turkey today and then pies and rolls for ThanksGiving at my Mom's in Shingletown. I cook one every year even though I am going somewhere else for Thanks Giving.

Time to get cooking!

 

[ronott1]

Hey Ron....waiting for pics and a update on the chicks..

Hi Molly,

The hatch is about finished. I will freeing them from the incubator soon.

Pictures later too. I managed to hatch most of the "special ones" 2 Rhodebars and 4 CLs. One of the CLs is weak so we shall see. 2 of the three Favorelles hatched.

There are some amazing chicks in there.

 

[Happy Chooks]

Quote:
Not Cheryl, but I'll answer you.

I am not allowed to raise chickens in the house, garage, and I've been kicked out of the well house too because of the dust. I brood in a small coop. I too have an Eco Glow (love it!). I find this time of year when it's really cold, I put a 100 watt light bulb in addition to the Eco Glow for the first week and it works fine. I have 9 9 day old chicks in there right now. I'm going to swap out their 100 watt for 50 watt today.

It depends on how big your shed is on how much supplemental heating you need. Pet stores have the 50, 75, 100, 150 heat bulbs for reptiles. Those may help. My little coop is roughly 3 ft X 5ft, so it holds heat in well. (provided you don't open the door too much to check on them) There's no drafts too.