Colorado

[cassidy22]

I recognize that most of us are chicken addicts. I just got my last batch from the hatchery last week, and intend on having no more chicks until next spring.

BUT - I have a pretty chicken addiction. I bought a BLRW roo and two hens at the 4H fair in August. I had already put my incubator up for the year, because I didn't need any more hens, and my turkeys are no longer laying. So I never tried to breed them, besides, the girls had just barely started to lay.

So, now my roo is sick, and my husband doesn't think we can save him. And I really really wanted to breed him and the girls this coming spring. Someone on this site is selling that breed of hatching egg RIGHT NOW, but I typically don't brooder any chicks past early september, because it's so cold at night, it's hard to keep the brooder warm enough. My brooder should be empty by the time these guys hatch, but they'd need to stay in the barn all winter, because they will be too small to mix with egg layers. Is it stupid to get them now, just because I really want to be able to breed them this spring... Am I being an idiot who has no patience? and I setting myself up for failure?

 

[OwensMom]

Quote:
cassidy22, In my opinion, I think that if you want these eggs and are willing(which it sounds like you are) to do the work all winter, you should get them. You never know what next year will bring. You may not be able to get the eggs next spring for some reason. Then you are out of luck!! It has been my experience that if I see something and I wait to get it, the object is not available!! Beside if you don't get those eggs you will be a year behind your goal. Wishing you a good hatch and at least 1 roo!!

 

[coloradochick]

Go for it Cassidy. I think many of us here have had chicks in the winter. Just keep the heat lamps over the brooder and a place for them to cool if needed and you should be fine. Like Owensmom said, if you are willing to do the work then go with your heart

What's wrong with you roo?

 

[coloradochick]

Free male Pekin:

He's started to get more agressive with my other males, and is a tad rough with the girls. I'm tired of worrying about it and just need to find him a good home if anyone is interested. Was hatched this last March. I got him from Murdocks.

 

[Vitesse304]

Quote:
I'm going to go against the grain and say that you answered your own question in the last line you wrote. You already know it will be too cold, and it will be a lot of work dealing with new chicks and trying to keep them warm.

You know the right thing to do is wait... but coloradochick is right, if you think you have the time and effort to spend on it, then go for it. Personally, it would devastate me more to lose chicks because I couldn't care for them properly, than to not have them ready for breeding in the spring.

 

[Wifezilla]

Pekins are good eating....just sayin'

 

[coloradochick]

Zilla!

You know better

And Cassidy, we've done chicks for the past 4 winters and as long as they have a heat lamp available like I said before there's really know difference than doing it in the spring/summer. IMO

 

[cassidy22]

Well, I didn't check back on the auction in time today, so I think I missed it.

HUbby would have killed me for it. But last year we lost a LOT of chickens to coyotes in the fall, and I couldn't wait until spring for new birds, just to wait another 6 months for eggs. So we got 100 chicks in December. We thought they would be ok in a big brooder in our tack room in the barn - no drafts, could keep them isolated from any bigger birds that might be mean, or sit on them and steal their food.

20 made it to spring time to start laying. it was TERRIBLE! Even thought we thought it was warm, we couldn't keep them from piling up on each other, then they picked up a sinus disease and started to die before we fitured out what it was. Just awful. I will be patient and wait till spring.

George has the sinus issue right now, he is segregated and is on duramycin. I hope he pulls through.

 

[coloradochick]

I've got 34 babies that hatched out on the 6th under a 250 watt bulb and they're doing fine so far. I've got another at the ready for the start of the really cold nights. Although, this is the first time that we've done the brooding somewhere other than the house. They're in our shop. So we'll see how it goes.


Sending get well wishes to George

Seems like there are quite a few BYC members that are dealing with sinus and eye problems this year.

 

[Mtn Margie]

Quote:
Ya know, funny you said that..., I have seen lots of horses with respiratory issues this year as well. Hummmmm.