California - Northern

[capayvalleychick]

Whoohoo Deb! Hope you have pics! Would love to hear about the show.

I am really enjoying hearing about how you all brood chicks. I have only brooded 20+ at one time, at the most. I do it the poor man's (ie redneck) way. Since I want to hatch large numbers this coming year, I would appreciate ideas on how I adapt what I have to work for larger numbers of chicks. I'll post pics of what I have done. No laughing, please, it has worked fine! I would like to fix it so that I could brood them in the large stock tank for the entire time. I don't know if that will work since the coop is open on the east side. The heat lamp has kept the older chicks warm enough in there. Not sure if it would work for day olds. I'm thinking that I could line the tank with the insulation that Deann mentioned.

I start day olds out in the house, on top of the dryer, in a veggie lug. I use a heat lamp to keep them warm:



When they outgrow that container, I move them into my office. I put them in a small stock tank, with same heat lamp:



When they start hopping out, like that little guy, they are moved outside. I have a large 100+ gallon stock tank, with a heat lamp, inside a coop. This is the tank that I would like to fix up to be able to raise all the chicks in, from the start. Do you think that's possible?



You can see the tank through the wire in this photo of the coop. It's open to the East, the coop stays dry but is well ventilated:

 

[ronott1]

Whoohoo Deb! Hope you have pics! Would love to hear about the show.

I am really enjoying hearing about how you all brood chicks. I have only brooded 20+ at one time, at the most. I do it the poor man's (ie redneck) way. Since I want to hatch large numbers this coming year, I would appreciate ideas on how I adapt what I have to work for larger numbers of chicks. I'll post pics of what I have done. No laughing, please, it has worked fine! I would like to fix it so that I could brood them in the large stock tank for the entire time. I don't know if that will work since the coop is open on the east side. The heat lamp has kept the older chicks warm enough in there. Not sure if it would work for day olds. I'm thinking that I could line the tank with the insulation that Deann mentioned.

I start day olds out in the house, on top of the dryer, in a veggie lug. I use a heat lamp to keep them warm:



When they outgrow that container, I move them into my office. I put them in a small stock tank, with same heat lamp:



When they start hopping out, like that little guy, they are moved outside. I have a large 100+ gallon stock tank, with a heat lamp, inside a coop. This is the tank that I would like to fix up to be able to raise all the chicks in, from the start. Do you think that's possible?



You can see the tank through the wire in this photo of the coop. It's open to the East, the coop stays dry but is well ventilated:

The system looks fine to me! You could easily enlarge the first two steps.

I hatched 21 today, so that is a large number for me. The 21st chick had pipped through a vein and was very week. It died right after getting out of the shell. Now I have some serious clean up to do. I have them under an infra red heat lamp now. I want to watch them for a couple of days since there are so many different breeds including Bantams mixed with Very large fowl(two of them are Favorelles)

Eggtopsies will be this afternoon on the remain 8 eggs.

 

[ronott1]

I moved the 20 chicks down to the brooder. I put them into a box that they send chicks home from the feed store in for a hoot:

 

[waititout]

My Daughter and I are going to make Christmas cake pops... might have to make these after Christmas :yiipchick :yiipchick :yiipchick :yiipchick

Those are so cute! Did you find those on Pinterest? They have so many cute designs. I need to get one of those pans!

 

[waititout]

I moved the 20 chicks down to the brooder. I put them into a box that they send chicks home from the feed store in for a hoot:

Oh my gosh, look at all those little cuties! Is it going to be hard to let those go?

 

[Hangtown Farms]

The run is done minus the barb wire I will put on in a bit. just tired now. the chickens are kinda starting to venture out but still scared. The hawk is in the next row of trees on the forest line. It will be interesting to see if he lands on it. I do not think he will get in to the run. if so I doubt he is getting out. I am putting barb wire on all the seams where I put the wire together.

 

[Hangtown Farms]

if he does manage to get in I have a pull string to close the coop door.

 

[zooweemama]

I'm sorry Jeff.

Last night the rains came dumping down on us and the was flooding the coop. It was an everloving nightmare. We were chilled and soaked to the bone trying to patch it up temporarily to make it through the night. Frankly the coop is just a mess. Even though it is now covered in a zillion tarps. Oh my gosh. The chickens were wet from playing in the rain during the day (is that even normal??). They do not seem to mind rain all that much. The downpour the did get out of though. Is it going to hurt them that they got wet? We managed to eventually keep their area of the coop dry but the chickens look a mess. LOL Like their feathers drying made them look rough. Is this normal? They all act dandy. The rains caught the extra roosters completely off guard and they spent the night under the porch. They stayed very very dry. I was so afraid something would eat them or they would freeze to death. Found them on the front porch this morning crowing their heads off.

Gave all my chickens treats this morning. They earned it. That rain was insane.

We have the plans for our coop finalized. Material list running and heading to the store today to get started. Rain or not. We are getting this going! It's going to be a 10x12 to avoid needing permits. haha! Take that county!

It's a simply lean too style but I am excited to get started!

 

[ronott1]

Quote:
I get to keep a couple. I need to find out which breeds I can keep. Did you see the two RhodeBars? One boy and one girl

 

[Hangtown Farms]

I'm sorry Jeff.

Last night the rains came dumping down on us and the was flooding the coop. It was an everloving nightmare. We were chilled and soaked to the bone trying to patch it up temporarily to make it through the night. Frankly the coop is just a mess. Even though it is now covered in a zillion tarps. Oh my gosh. The chickens were wet from playing in the rain during the day (is that even normal??). They do not seem to mind rain all that much. The downpour the did get out of though. Is it going to hurt them that they got wet? We managed to eventually keep their area of the coop dry but the chickens look a mess. LOL Like their feathers drying made them look rough. Is this normal? They all act dandy. The rains caught the extra roosters completely off guard and they spent the night under the porch. They stayed very very dry. I was so afraid something would eat them or they would freeze to death. Found them on the front porch this morning crowing their heads off.

Gave all my chickens treats this morning. They earned it. That rain was insane.

We have the plans for our coop finalized. Material list running and heading to the store today to get started. Rain or not. We are getting this going! It's going to be a 10x12 to avoid needing permits. haha! Take that county!

It's a simply lean too style but I am excited to get started!

I feel ya. I was out in the rain all day yesterday and today too.