December Hatch-A-Long 2014

[Renee572]

Tonight is lock down over here! And after candling all 42 eggs are going into lockdown! So excited!.... Now to find a large box for a temporary brooder....


Oh, and has anyone had problems with mice and chicks? My basement has a few mice in it and it is the only place where I can put the chicks out of reach of 3 dogs, 2 cats, and 1 little brother.

good luck. I have no idea about chicks and mice but I know chickens will eat mice. Hopefully someone has an answer for you.

 

[Denwendairy]

Excited for everyone in lockdown and hatch! We go into lockdown on Christmas Day so are getting close! Started with 26, have removed 3 that weren't fertile. There are another 4 that we aren't certain about but have left them in until Thursday. Hoping to go into lockdown with 18-20. Fingers crossed!

 

[HerbGir1972]

started with 30 in now 21 in lockdown, got 1 iffy and one marked to keep because it has danced so much for us at every candling

 

[ochochicas]

Tonight is lock down over here! And after candling all 42 eggs are going into lockdown! So excited!.... Now to find a large box for a temporary brooder....


Oh, and has anyone had problems with mice and chicks? My basement has a few mice in it and it is the only place where I can put the chicks out of reach of 3 dogs, 2 cats, and 1 little brother.

There was a post on facebook a couple of months ago where mice had chewed on a hen's feet while it slept. The hen later died from her injuries. You definitely need to protect the chicks from the mice. I keep my chicks in a large rubbermaid container at night for the first couple of weeks. If you fit a wire screen over the top you could keep the mice out. I don't put the lid on mine since the chicks are in the house until they are 8 weeks old. Do you have a bathroom you could keep them in where they are safe from the dogs?

I have not had problems personally with mice since our cats take care of them for use. However, a local lady had contacted me about buying some hens. I offered her some chicks instead. She told me she didn't want chicks since she bought 6 and the rats killed them one night. So she got 6 more the the rats killed them again. The rodents will definitely be a problem.

 

[TheChickenQueen]

I don't have anywhere else I can put them.

I set a few mouse traps(got myself with one too), I'll do everything I can to keep the stupid rodents away.
Awe, poor things.

 

[only1bgirl]

I have a dog, cat and kids to, I just place the brooder, a storage tub, on top of a tall tv table that's the same width as the bin. Up against a wall with nothing around it they can jump on to peek in. We all have showed the dog chicks and have told her no when she gets her mouth around them. They're now 6 months old and the dog stays outside and watches them free range without any problems. She's a Labrador, a bird hunter but now she is a bird watcher. The kids have to ask to get them out as they can't reach in either. i keep the brooder set up in the mud room by the back door.

 

[KDob521]

Well 282 eggs incubating and 35 in Lock-Down-----what else can I say! Busy, busy!!

Wooow! Best of luck to you!

 

[HerbGir1972]

As soon as these hatch we're putting in 18+, Silkie,Sizzle,Frizzle mixture of eggs from a friend and any/all our blue eggs from our girls.

 

[HerbGir1972]

So we'll be setting about Dec 26 for a hatch date of Jan 16th 2015
so I guess our next set would come under a January or New Years Hatch A Long...LOL
We are quitting until spring after that.

 

[frillydishes]

A little help please! I've got 80 in lock down with no problems at all till today! First 1 box spiked to 106 and the heat light was flashing...never seen that before and I hadn't touched the temp since I set them. Then, the heater in the room went out and all of my temps dropped to 97. Now I've got this little guy trying to come out the wrong end and it looks like there's some yoke on his beak and a pinkish fluid just under the membrane...wth! I'm used to a nice bright white, this doesn't look right...what do I do?!