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

[smyers32]

Those chicks are 31/2 weeks old?

My mistake. They are 3 weeks yesterday. There are 3 or 4 that are considerably bigger and much more feathered out.

 

[bruceh]

well went to the coop. what did i find but big daddy possum. i freaken ran out of bullets. so i did it the old fashion way. baseball bat. yep no more of that possum. that is 3 in a couple weeks. i think i got the family.if not i kill the rest.

can the chickens eat possum.

 

[smyers32]

well went to the coop. what did i find but big daddy possum. i freaken ran out of bullets. so i did it the old fashion way. baseball bat. yep no more of that possum. that is 3 in a couple weeks. i think i got the family.if not i kill the rest.

can the chickens eat possum.

Shoooot, skin 'em, grill 'em and throw 'em in the yard! I believe mine would eat it, if not the dogs will love it!

 

[Fred's Hens]

I'd not, just because of the worm issue. 'Course, if you cook him thoroughly first, then, yes. They can eat him.

Me? I use him to fertilize one of my younger trees. Nice swing of the bat, BTW.

 

[JulieNKC]

What do oldtimers use as far as incubators? Besides broodies.

I've been using a still air lg, no turner, added fan and have had great luck with it and ducks. Not so much with chickens. So I'd like to know what type of incubator I should keep my eyes out for. Thanks!

 

[Fred's Hens]

What do oldtimers use as far as incubators? Besides broodies.

I've been using a still air lg, no turner, added fan and have had great luck with it and ducks. Not so much with chickens. So I'd like to know what type of incubator I should keep my eyes out for. Thanks!

Whatever we can afford.

A big old redwood incubator is tough to beat. But... they're pricey and some need the capacity of doing 100 eggs, some don't. The information on the hatching threads here where the hatch-a-holics are busy at their craft would seem to be as good a place to get information as any.

For the record, I use a Brinsea. I understand the top notch Hova-Bator (not the cheapie) is also very good.

 

[Beekissed]

My second concern is my non-grower. These two were hatched on the same day, and there are a few others that are even bigger/more feathered than the accursed bendy-toe. Why is little 'Groucho' (b/c of the 'eyebrows') so dang small. I honestly don't think he/she has grown in the 2 weeks I've had them. Anything I can do about it?




They appear to be different breeds, so this could be the issue~different breed/type, different size chick. Also, if the same breed, different parentage is going to have different genetics and nutritional levels. Sort of like these 3 wk old flock mates born on the same day and raised on the same feed.....both are 4 wks old. One is a dual purpose layer breed and the other a Cornish Cross strain/type of bird.

 

[mmmchicken]

Hello All!! Newbie here ... well sort of. Been lurking since around Feb. and now have decided to join!

I have no questions or concerns (as yet) and don't know that I ever will since this thread pretty much answers any and all questions I had and some I never even knew I wanted to know! I am just so very thankful for all the advice on here... just thanks so much! I tend to think I have loads of good old fashion common sense in me , but even at that it is chickens we are talking about and sometimes going to the old timers for help is just what the doc ordered! So thanks to Bee and all the old timers!! You guys are just the best! I have thoroughly enjoyed reading you and completely love the sense of humor too! I think that's mainly why I come here so often!

Not that you asked, but just some back ground on me ... My husband and I purchased an old farm house with 3 acres (looking to get more soon) here in good old Wisconsin almost 2 years ago. I really didn't think too much about chickens before that, but since the purchase... well, what do you do with an old farm house with a big empty barn? Besides store all my husbands worldly goods that is! The old previous farmer definitely had raised chickens. Of that there was no doubt. He kinda just up and left it the way it was. Hay, feathers, whatnots we'd rather not mention... just there it lay! So, after a year plus of clean up etc.. I purchased 10 hens in April. Yay! Of course one of the lovely ladies did a switcheroo on me and thereby my avatar. I don't like him very much, but he does a good job according to what Bee has said a rooster must be like. So, I let him live. However there may come a day I smack him too hard, but so be it. I did manage to lose one girl when they were around the 15 month old age. I had a momentary loss of good old common sense when we saw a doozy of a storm coming in and I in all my brilliance had to round up my free rangers and corral them into their coop... in all the commotion and flapping of wings and squawking of dissatisfaction... I didn't do a head count. Storm came, night was there, next morning came and I went to work. Husband lets them out when he gets home with no thought to do head count. When I returned and called them to give them some treats (leftovers) one is not coming. After much calling and searching we came to the conclusion she was completely gone. Not a foot or a feather to be found! My only mistake so far. Not too bad I guess, but it was a bummer none the less. I didn't even get and egg outta her!!

So, that is pretty much were we are at. I have 1 buff brahma, 3 light brahmas, 5 easter eggers (fun colors for the kids... and me. Living the dream!! I hope you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving! One of my thanks is for this site and the people on it with their wonderful wisdom!! Thank you for that!

 

[smyers32]

They are supposed to be the same breed, hatched at the same time. They definitely all started out the same size when I got them and they are all growing at slightly different rates, but this little one literally hasn't shown any growth in two weeks. I haven't been weighing him, so he may have grown some, but not like I would expect it to in this phase of life. The different sizes don't bother me, just the fact that this one's size hasn't changed. It's wierd. I honestly keep expecting him to act sickly or keel over, but it seems like a perfectly happy week old chick...too bad it's 3 weeks old.

 

[thedragonlady]

My mistake. They are 3 weeks yesterday. There are 3 or 4 that are considerably bigger and much more feathered out.

Betcha your little chick came out of a small pullet egg ! She looks healthy. She'll grow.