Farming and Homesteading Heritage Poultry

[ronott1]

Thanks. Mr. Dickey, also mentioned misting the eggs in the hatcher. I do want to hatch in succession. I like the idea of having a good size group of similar age, it should help during grow out and minimize the demand on coop space. The low end dickies is not that expensive if I don't get the digital thermometer/readouts. Can you manage the temp OK with the plain old fashioned thermometer? Hard to believe I am thinking about this, just learned how to manage broodies and now I'm going to take on something new?

You need a thermometer that reads in tenths and reads temperature changes quickly.

The Brinsea spot check it the best incubation thermometer.

 

[finnfur]

Thermometer with humidity.
Some one here pointed these out to me
One sits inside to get humidity reading and both probes sit on eggs so I can read temperature without opening.
http://www.amazon.com/Taylor-Digita...=8-3&keywords=taylor+digital+thermometer+1523
Sometimes you find them less expensive and they read in 10ths

 

[Beekissed]

Tomorrow starts the first of the fall cull of the flock, though this one is just to weed out nonproductive layers and/or those not in the breeding pool anyway but are also crappy layers as well. All three are standard bred heritage breeds but all three have been a huge disappointment in regards to laying, though one has served well as a broody mama for a couple of seasons.

Later cull will be of the chicks bred this season, those not making the cut to go into winter will find a home in the jar, as per normal around here. Since I have limited space in the coop, I don't normally carry over many birds for winter as they tend to become confined by heavy snows into the coop these last few years. Coop space that works great for all year round free ranging doesn't necessarily work well when the same flock stays in the coop for many days, so I like to keep the stocking to a healthy rate.

I currently have 34 birds on the land, adults and juveniles, and will be thinning that down to take only 12-15 breeders and utility birds through the winter months. Since those that I am breeding lay as good as the utility line, I don't have to keep many utility birds on hand but choose to simply for variety of color and interest in the flock.

One can never have too much canned meat on hand! Anyone else doing a fall cull?

 

[cubalaya]

already culled my older, less productive hens. I need to ship some and take some more to the gilman swap in sept. will be down to 30 birds by oct 1st. since we didn't can as many veggies this year, will be putting plenty of chicken meat in jars

 

[Fentress]

Not yet. Will be starting my exams soon, been practicing picky them up and holding them, it does make a difference, especially for birds that free range and are a little wild.

 

[NanaKat]

Thanks. Mr. Dickey, also mentioned misting the eggs in the hatcher. I do want to hatch in succession. I like the idea of having a good size group of similar age, it should help during grow out and minimize the demand on coop space. The low end dickies is not that expensive if I don't get the digital thermometer/readouts. Can you manage the temp OK with the plain old fashioned thermometer? Hard to believe I am thinking about this, just learned how to manage broodies and now I'm going to take on something new?

I use those digital humidity thermometer combo units from Walmart. I change out the batteries regularly.

 

[chickendreams24]

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[ronott1]

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Hi and welcome to the thread!

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[chickendreams24]

@ronott1
Thanks but I don't see one. I'm on mobile if that makes a difference.

 

[ronott1]

@ronott1
Thanks but I don't see one. I'm on mobile if that makes a difference.

On the mobile version there is an icon at the top of the screen that has an arrow going to the right. tap on it and you will see either subscribe or un subscribe. Tap to change.

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