Colorado

[krcchickens]

I should have some mid-late March. $4.00 for pullets, $2.50 cockerels. I am south of colorado springs, but I will be at Ft Lupton in either April or May. I will have several hatches through June.

I
Trying to get a few early but would like to get 1 or 2 from you. If its possible to work that out when your here for the heritage fair. Thanks

 

[WendyGeisler]

Quote:
Yes, I used a rubber maid container with wire mesh on top, and then balanced the heat lamp on top of it. It worked great till about 6 weeks. I only had 4 chicks so maybe it would be less time with 9
here are some pictures..

 

[Chesterchook]

Rhode Island Red news:

I received a reply today from the breeder here in CO

Awesome! I knew there had to be a breeder somewhere in state. Look forward to hearing how that model of incubator works for you and chick in theburbs

 

[wsmith]

I
Trying to get a few early but would like to get 1 or 2 from you. If its possible to work that out when your here for the heritage fair. Thanks

Sounds fine. I will post on this thread and on our facebook page when we have chicks available, and we can make arrangements from there.

 

[wsmith]

I just looked at the weather forecast.....cooler temps starting Friday with a high wind advisory for our area. Windy Ridge will live up to its name!

On days like that most of my chickens choose to stay in the hen house. I will be putting some extra scratch grains in there to keep them busy. Even with the wood fence, it gets windyer (is that even a word?) in the chicken yard than they like.

 

[krcchickens]

Sounds fine. I will post on this thread and on our facebook page when we have chicks available, and we can make arrangements from there.

What's the Facebook page..never mind I found it

 

[wsmith]

I asked my dad he said its about 35 sqr. Ft inside. The window is just glass but I want to renovate it a little bit. I'm guessing I need to cover the window with screen to keep predictors out while its open

What I did, and has worked out well is derived from the fact that I am cheap. I prefer frugal, but my kids say I'm cheap.

I built my windows with screen in them, and plexiglass on hinges on the top. These can be opened to allow additional ventilation or closed in winter or really bad weather. I don't have to deal with climbing critters, so my screens are regular window screen. Not a good choice it it within reach of growing bored cockerels. (I have to replace one this spring) Also not a good choice if you have climbing critters, like possums, racoon, etc. If you are in an area with these kinds of animals, I would suggest welded wire or "hardware cloth" for screening. Lots of good ventilation takes what could be a hot-house or an oven, to a nice cool pleasant shady coop in the summers. It can be used in the winter to cut down on moisture buildup inside. Moisture combined with cold is a chicken's enemy. They can handle the cold jsut fine, as long as the air is relatively dry. Add moisture, and you will get frostbite and other respritory issues. These we want to avoid. If you hvae a nice big run for them, my experience is that they will tend to stay outside unless laying, even in the winter. Snowstorms, rainy and windy days they will probably be inside the coop. Some peopl like to open and close the chicken door of the coop morning and night to let them in and out. Some of us leave their door open all the time, unless bitter cold. It is really up to you and how you want to do it.

Chickens can and will get bored occasionally. The smaller the space per bird, the more this happens. When they get bored, bad things can happen. imagine a bunch of girls cooped up together during their time of the month...... Lot of scratch grains, space to move around is important to keeping your flock happy. Happy hens lay more eggs and are healthier. If they are bored, they can start picking/pecking at each other, and can injure each other in the process.

Preparing for chickens can be a lot of fun. Get things ready BEFORE you get your first chicks/chickens. Don't be afraid to ask questions. You WILL get many different opinions. Decide what method of chicken husbandry you want to follow, and go for it.

 

[Chick_In_The_Burbs]

Awesome! I knew there had to be a breeder somewhere in state. Look forward to hearing how that model of incubator works for you and chick in theburbs

So far mine is holding the temp awesomely! I am trying to get the humidity right now. :/. Going to try a little shot glass on the side and see if that helps...

 

[wsmith]

So far mine is holding the temp awesomely! I am trying to get the humidity right now.

. Going to try a little shot glass on the side and see if that helps...

What kind is it again?

 

[wsmith]

Beth and I were talking the other day, and found a use for our old brooders. They were massive, and were used before we got the second chicken area built. One of them we are going to cut horizontally, creating two boxes, 4' X 6' X 1'. We will take the screened top from the other one and attach it to the new shorter box that now doesn't have a lid. These we will use for a couple of years as chicken salad bar type things.... They will go in the chcken yard, have dirt/compost in them and grow oats, alfalfa, wheat, grass, clover, whatever. With the chicken wire lids, they will be able to graze and eat the parts that grow up through the wire, but not destroy the whole plants as they like to do.

The other brooder we will take apart are re-use the wire and the wood for other projects. As soon as the compost pile thaws out we'll see about mixing up some decent dirt, unlike what we have naturally at our place...