Chickens for 10-20 years or more? Pull up a rockin' chair and lay some wisdom on us!

[Lower Michigan]

Misunderstandings are easy on a forum, even when unintended.

Started pullets from Meyer's and likely from Townline are indeed available for as little as $6.50, provided the buyer wants the commercial layer offered, buys 50 or more, picks up at the hatchery, and doesn't mind that the beaks have been trimmed.

Those smaller flock keepers who raise POL pullets of other breeds would not likely be selling at that price point. I have sold them for $12-$15, which seems, to me, to be about the going rate around here. As always, your mileage may vary.

Holmquist allows you to buy as little as just one bird.

edited by staff

 

[Beekissed]

Brooders: Anyone ever used the poultry nipples for young chicks with any success? I'd like to try it with my meaty batch this spring but wasn't sure if chicks that young could learn to implement them.

edited by staff

 

[kuntrygirl]

[COLOR=2F4F4F]Brooders:  Anyone ever used the poultry nipples for young chicks with any success? [/COLOR] I'd like to try it with my meaty batch this spring but wasn't sure if chicks that young could learn to implement them. 

I've always been afraid to use poultry nipples. Afraid that the chicks/chickens won't get enough water and die.

 

[featherz]

Brooders: Anyone ever used the poultry nipples for young chicks with any success? I'd like to try it with my meaty batch this spring but wasn't sure if chicks that young could learn to implement them.

I am not an OT, but I use poultry nipples with ALL of my hatches. They use them right out of the egg without problems. I tap it a bit when they are out and about and once one gets it, they all get it.

 

[featherz]

I've always been afraid to use poultry nipples. Afraid that the chicks/chickens won't get enough water and die.

I use nipples on all my hatches and on my adult birds as well - never had one die from lack of water. If it's VERY hot outside, I'll put out a pan of water just in case and I use heated dog bowls when winter comes, but rest of the time they use the nipples. One thing that's great, never a problem with chicks drowning in the water, fouling the water or knocking over any sort of waterer.

 

[kuntrygirl]

I've always been afraid to use poultry nipples. Afraid that the chicks/chickens won't get enough water and die.

I use nipples on all my hatches and on my adult birds as well - never had one die from lack of water.  If it's VERY hot outside, I'll put out a pan of water just in case and I use heated dog bowls when winter comes, but rest of the time they use the nipples. One thing that's great, never a problem with chicks drowning in the water, fouling the water or knocking over any sort of waterer. 

You are surely right about no problems with drowning, fouling and knocking over the water.

 

[Beekissed]

Thanks!!! That sets my heart at ease. I know I'd seen the hatcheries pics of chicks using them but they seemed to have a small red trey hanging beneath them and I wondered if I would have to do the same to promote or teach the youngsters.

I'm moving to this with any meaties that I raise due to their high water consumption. I really like the idea of cleaner water with less rinsing, filling, etc. and trying to keep the waterer out of the bedding and such.

Do the nipples freeze easily in the winter if the container itself is warmed?

 

[bestpractice]

I don't believe in grants or taking money from taxpayers so that I can farm. If I can't do it on my own, I'll turn it back into a hobby. Thanks however

Okie dokie. Good luck "chicken farming". I wish you all the best.

 

[JK Farm]

I would like to here more about brooder setups too.

This will be the first go-round for me and after seeing what I've done to my vegetable seedlings, I'm losing faith that I'll be able to keep the chicks alive until they are feathered out. I'd really like to see more pictures if that's possible. I understand better when I can see what someone is trying to describe to me. Thank you!

Edited: Sorry!

 

[featherz]

Thanks!!! That sets my heart at ease. I know I'd seen the hatcheries pics of chicks using them but they seemed to have a small red trey hanging beneath them and I wondered if I would have to do the same to promote or teach the youngsters.

I'm moving to this with any meaties that I raise due to their high water consumption. I really like the idea of cleaner water with less rinsing, filling, etc. and trying to keep the waterer out of the bedding and such.

Do the nipples freeze easily in the winter if the container itself is warmed?

I think there are others that use bucket heaters during the winter and are able to use the nipples, but i just did it the lazy way - once it's sub freezing I put out the bowls. My guess is that the nipples would work with heated water unless we are talking very cold, like zero and below.

I *hate* the bowls, thankfully it's almost time to switch to the nipples again. The nipples I buy here and from qcsupply are already red, so I guess they like to peck at them naturally. Just in case, however, I generally tap one until a drop is hanging out and they figure it out. Within the hour they are all rat-a-tating at those things. I assume you want to set up something fancier with pvc pipe, but I just use hardware store buckets - 5 gallon for the chickens, little lidded two quart buckets for the chicks. I drill a hole in the lid when I put the holes in for the nipples so the water will flow and that's that.