Consolidated Kansas

[Trish44]

8 eggs from 8 hens today. Doesn't get much better than that!
We're going to candle the classroom eggs again on Wednesday, I'm hoping to see lots of happily developing embryos!

Let us know how it's going, so exciting for the kids.

It was so cool & cloudy today & it's not supposed to be any warmer tomorrow. I was glad we got some rain but now we need some sun.

I finally got a growout pen done after working on it for about 5 hours the other evening & got the bigger chicks moved out there. I had to teach them to go into the doghouse last night when it was raining, they were just sitting out there in the rain, silly chicks.

 

[Prairie Fleur]

Lockdown on my first batch of eggs starts this evening!! EEEE!!!!!! e I have some silkie eggs and also some big eggs in this hatch. The silkie eggs looked a lot more developed that the bigger eggs. Will they tend to hatch sooner?

Also I'm looking for some Blue Partridge Silkie hatching eggs. Anyone know of someone who has them?

 

[zigzag45]

I know this is old-hat for many of you, but I wanted to post a pic of what I finally have as a chick setup for my babies. After spending countless hours cleaning wood chips and poo out of feeders and drinkers, I have hung them and solved the problem. Sure, when they are a few days old, you live with it. But, once they are a bit established it's wonderful. Also, as my birds have had issues with cocci, I think the cleanliness this allows is beneficial.

On the feeder, I glued the two bottom pieces together. They have a tendency to come apart. I drilled two small holes at the top to hook the small bungee on, and you have a hanging feeder. It was modeled after this (http://www.chickenwaterer.com/Automatic-Poultry-Feeders-s/1846.htm), but way cheaper. I still don't have the top fill figured out, that is the next step.

The poultry nipple on the bottom of a pitcher was something I'd meant to do forever. Wow - I can't believe it sooo long. You never, ever have to mess with getting wood chips out. Need to medicate or supplement? Just dump the water, refill, and you're done.

Since I'm just barely past the NOOB stage, and I know there are others that are even newer, I'm hopeful this helps.

 

[thndrdancr]

Prairie,
In my eggs there is quite a discrepancy in hatch dates in the little eggs. Sometimes mine hatch on day 19 for the bantams and the big guys take a full 21.

Hi all, thought I would stop in and say howdy. Some more pretty pics from Hawaii!

 

[chicken danz]

Inventive ZigZag, I am working on my own design for feeders for my building. Just need the time to get all these things done.
thndrdancr You make me want to go there some day. Even though I've gone to mostly very large chickens I still have some that will hatch a full day or more before others. Different incubators will change your hatching some too even if the temp and humidity run the same.
I had to cull one of my araucana roosters while ago. He obviously had something unhealthy going on. Diarrhea and some congestion. Rather than treat him and expose the rest of the birds I just went ahead and culled him. He was always a little spitfire and the first thing I noticed was he wasn't jumping around like usual. I had walked out there with a young cockerel who has the cutest double tufts and was colored just like this one. It didn't take much of a decision to go ahead and put him down and let the young boy take his place. I just started getting fertile eggs again so I hope he wasn't the one doing that for me.
I moved a ton of young birds to the old hoop coop while ago. I emptied the old brooder house and took several young birds out of the new building. I hope they'll all be okay. First time outside for both groups. It sure looks like I have an abundance of boys in that group. I wish I had just a large pasture pen with a shelter to put the boys in instead of having to pen them. I'm sure we'd have overhead threats but it would be nice if they could get out and have lots of bugs and grass to dig through. It'd probably save me a fortune in feed too. Maybe some day I'll have all this under control. Most of these were test hatches and early hatches. Sure wish I had time and could vent sex these birds.

 

[friendshipstar]

Hello everyone!
I think it's finally Spring...I mean still.....wintery....windy....Wait...Yep. I am still in Kansas. And I just described weather here all in the same day.

I just wanted to drop in and say hello and wish everyone well.

Things are busy around here. I've hatched two batches of big bird eggs, one Cochin and one Cream Legbar. I've also hatched one incubator full of Coturnix quail. So far, my hatch rates have been pretty decent.

Right now I have a mixed batch of Cochin and Cream Legbar eggs that was supposed to be put on lockdown on Friday. However, these eggs were just in the incubator for four days when the power went out here for about 48 hours. I candled this afternoon and only found four that I know for sure were not viable. They might all be a day or two behind, but I am still hoping for a decent hatch.

A friend made me a new quail hutch in exchange for some quail. So I have 200 more quail eggs that I just started yesterday.

Well, I should get busy. I am finding that my days are busy enough. So I have to quilt customers quilts at night to support my poultry habit.

Many Blessings,
Tammi Jo Wilson

 

[Jacob Vaughan]

can anyone id the black and white chicken for me kinda new to this. my wife picked them up and doesnt recall what they are. thanks everyone

 

[TaraBellaBirds]

The muffs (puffy cheeks) and green legs tell me you have two Easter Eggers (Ameraucana mixes). They are great layers and fun birds that lay pastel colored eggs.

 

[chicken danz]

Glad you could stop in friendshipstar. Yes it is a very busy season. It's so hard to balance the rest of life when you are hatching poultry in the spring. It certainly makes time travel fast though. No boredom here!

 

[Prairie Fleur]

I have a Pip!!!! And another one is wobbling!!!! I'M SO EXCITED!!!!!!!!! e e e e e