Colorado

[suncatcher]

Hi! Thankful for the snow here in the Springs! I'm getting five chicks the week of April 5th, can't wait! How long do you all typically keep chicks indoors that time of year? My hubby coaches baseball and we are trying to coordinate coop building so he doesn't feel rushed but can also focus on his team. It's our first chicken venture and I don't want to screw up

Thanks everyone!

I missed this...... There are some great ideas on the Chicken Coop thread, with LOTS of pictures. Read all you can on how to raise baby chicks, lots of info here and on the internet. Wishing you the best on your adventure!!

 

[suncatcher]

Quote: He is so cute, I am sure someone will give him a great home! I think his next color should be pink, so some little girl falls in love with him!!

 

[Adam7]

Hi, my name is Adam an I'm addicted to chickens.

Ok ... Feel free to intervene. I might have spent the last 2 hours designing my next homemade cabinet incubator..

 

[ShysCreations]

No

A question for all of you hatching people...

My husband told me that an incubator is my valentines present. Woohoo! I think I want the gqf hovabator genesis. Is there anywhere in Colorado to pick one of those up or do they have to be ordered online?

None that i know of, i ordered online. I use the forced air with preset thermostat. I use 3 and they've served well. But if u r hatching lots, i'd try a cabinet incubator with a hatching drawer.

 

[dennarahl]

No
None that i know of, i ordered online. I use the forced air with preset thermostat. I use 3 and they've served well. But if u r hatching lots, i'd try a cabinet incubator with a hatching drawer.

Not alot, not yet anyway. To start we're going to hatch out some of our embden's babies for guarding the 2nd coop and eating. then we'll do a small batches whenever its time to grow some eating chickens. That won't be too soon because we'll have some bantam boys for eating in a couple months.

 

[Pozees]

Wendell - teaspoon of molasses in the water last night along with the usual ACV - not a single pasty butt today!

No way I was driving the rear wheel drive pickup (with almost no heat) this morning, barely made it up the hill from the exit when someone who had spun into the ditch decided to pull all the way across the road to get straightened out as I was making my way up the hill with a pickup right on my rear bumper; once I had to stop and wait, making it the rest of the way up the hill was a challenge and the pickup behind me wasn't giving me an out AT ALL, he stayed right on me. Part of the pipeline construction crew I guess as he passed the turn into the landfill. The way the forecast looks for down here, it is unlikely I will get to drive the pickup this week to pick up the brooder.

The pipped porcelain hatched overnight, tonight I moved it and the lavender to the brooder, watched a while, brought the porcelain back up to spend the night in the hatcher - these chicks are somewhat aggressive toward one another once they've completely fluffed out, and I didn't want to take any chances. There is little hope any more will hatch but I will give them a full 25 days before I give up, and then will candle to see if any movement is detected first. This is a learning curve for sure - so far my observations for this hatch are that Silkies need at least 24 hours in the hatcher before they are ready for the brooder, and that despite all being set the same day they hatched well spaced apart. If nothing else hatches they will be expensive chicks, and all I can hope for is that at least 2-3 are female. As they continue to fluff out, I have to say they are gorgeous, much bigger than hatchery Silkies, and I don't regret my decision to buy them, but right now I have 5 chicks from 24 eggs (paid for 18) - pretty poor percentage. Unless I have all males, I don't see any likelihood of selling any right now.

Hoping later this spring to buy some eggs or chicks from Shylee. If I am going to have Silkies as my broody flock, they may as well be nice ones!

All chicks remaining as growers for later sale as started pullets look terrific. It is amusing to see them settling into the bedding as if they were already hens; it isn't until sleepiness overtakes chicken-ness and their little heads fall into oblivion and the shavings, that one remembers they are only 8 days old

 

[Pozees]

Hi, my name is Adam an I'm addicted to chickens.

Ok ... Feel free to intervene. I might have spent the last 2 hours designing my next homemade cabinet incubator..

Can you explain to those of us (me) who don't understand exactly?

 

[TracieJS]

love it ... corn muffins!

I love this group... you guys are awesome. I never feel like the "crazy chicken lady" when reading your posts...

Took my injured chicken into the vet. They xrayed her thinking she had dislocated her hip. No dislocation, no broken or fractured bones. She has feeling in her leg as she pushes on it when you hold it and the vet pinched her toe and she squawked at him and then glared at him the rest of the visit. He thinks maybe its just bruised so she is inside and on antibiotics and pain/anti inflammatory.

Any thoughts? We put her out with the others in the afternoon so she can socialize (except today... too cold for them) but she still hobbles pretty good for a few steps and then just sits down. I don't want her to become a permanent indoor chicken... suggestions?

Had a couple chicks wonder into the snow today but most stayed under the roof. Wish they would stay inside when its so cold but they just come out and huddle together... crazy chickens! Go in where its warm!

Thanks for the great information!
Tracie

 

[suncatcher]

Hi, my name is Adam an I'm addicted to chickens.

Ok ... Feel free to intervene. I might have spent the last 2 hours designing my next homemade cabinet incubator..

LOL! You are too funny!!! Looks big. How many eggs WILL you be incubating in it.

 

[suncatcher]

love it ... corn muffins!

I love this group... you guys are awesome. I never feel like the "crazy chicken lady" when reading your posts...

Took my injured chicken into the vet. They xrayed her thinking she had dislocated her hip. No dislocation, no broken or fractured bones. She has feeling in her leg as she pushes on it when you hold it and the vet pinched her toe and she squawked at him and then glared at him the rest of the visit. He thinks maybe its just bruised so she is inside and on antibiotics and pain/anti inflammatory.

Any thoughts? We put her out with the others in the afternoon so she can socialize (except today... too cold for them) but she still hobbles pretty good for a few steps and then just sits down. I don't want her to become a permanent indoor chicken... suggestions?

Had a couple chicks wonder into the snow today but most stayed under the roof. Wish they would stay inside when its so cold but they just come out and huddle together... crazy chickens! Go in where its warm!

Thanks for the great information!
Tracie

Where did you find a vet that would look at your chicken? Very cool. I know nothing of chicken leg injuries, but I would think you may want to limit her movement, which it sounds like you are already doing.