FLORIDA!!!!!ALWAYS SUNNY SIDE UP!!!

[cmom]

She must have been EXTRA hungry.

I'm getting antsy. My brooder supplies are all here and the pen is set up; just waiting till a few days before arrival to get bedding set up, will turn on the lamps and fill the feeders and waterers when I get the call that the babies are in. They're supposed to hatch February 2 and I'm brooding two separate flocks here. My aunt doesn't have any indoor space to brood them and the only outdoor space has no electricity for the lamp, so I offered to brood hers here with mine. Separate brooders to hopefully cut down on any pecking order issues when we separate the flocks at 8-10 weeks, or whenever the last chick is feathered enough to go out to coop. (Between us, nine chicks and five breeds.)

When my brooders get filled up I use the big boxes that melons come in and cover them and put the first chicks that hatched out into it and put the new hatchlings in the brooder, but I do staggered hatches and hatch all of my own, and sometimes friends bring over eggs for me to put into the incubator. Good luck with the new chickies and have fun...

There is a heat lamp under the sheet. The chicks stay nice and warm. I have a temperature sensor inside so I can see what it is all of the time.


This is my brooder.

 

[getaclue]

I won't start hatching until spring, but I love seeing the chick pics. The first egg is so exciting! Congratulations everyone.

 

[dwalls86]

If anyone knows where I can find 4 6 month to a year old hens around the tallahassee area please message me.

 

[DRGLENNON]

When my brooders get filled up I use the big boxes that melons come in and cover them and put the first chicks that hatched out into it and put the new hatchlings in the brooder, but I do staggered hatches and hatch all of my own, and sometimes friends bring over eggs for me to put into the incubator. Good luck with the new chickies and have fun...

There is a heat lamp under the sheet. The chicks stay nice and warm. I have a temperature sensor inside so I can see what it is all of the time.


This is my brooder.

I love your brooder. I just wouldn't know what to do with the chicks. I'm trying to fight the urge to hatch more. I don't have the room in my coops right now. lol

 

[cmom]

Quote:
I have the solution, build more coops. We started with one coop and are now up to 10 coops. My DH said no more...

 

[DRGLENNON]

I have the solution, build more coops. We started with one coop and are now up to 10 coops. My DH said no more...

I have 2 now. I hope to get another built this spring. I want to get started with some pure breed ameraucanas this year. Right now I have one for laying hens and one for juvies. I'm so proud of my babies. I raised the parents from day old chicks and hatched their eggs myself(yes, I'm a newbie). Do you know of anyone locally that has good quality Ameraucana hatching eggs?

 

[nikkers390]

I lost a Muscovy duck to a bobcat a couple of months ago during the day. I was outside and heard the commotion, but thought it was one of the drakes chasing a female but I was wrong. About an hour later I found a headless duck near where the commotion was and as I had never had a bobcat issue, didn't realize what killed my duck. I was thinking coon as it had reached through the chain link fence and torn the head off. I dug a hole under the chain link in that area, put the remains of the duck in a large live trap and waited till morning.......problem solved

I wish my problem with bobcats could easily be solved. Apparently bobcats are a HUGE problem in rural SW FL according to all the people I know that raise chickens. Last year was far worse than this year, at least for me, I lost over 40 chickens and 15 Muscovy ducks and 2 young geese.
This year is a bit better.
i let the birds out to free range only occasionally now and still lose a duck or hen every now and then. Always in the day, never any evidence. We live near woods and scrub. I hate those things. They hunt DAY and NIGHT. BTW my flock never even goes near the woods and stay in the vicinity of their coop and runs and our house.

 

[cmom]

Quote: Coyotes and foxes will take birds during the day as well.

 

[cmom]

Quote: I gave all of mine to a friend. I'll ask if she sill has them. She may have some eggs. I did hatch some out for her a couple of years ago.

 

[nikkers390]

Coyotes and foxes will take birds during the day as well.

Thanks cmom. I'm going with bobcats due to numerous sightings and footprints in the sand.
If there are foxes or coyotes, we have no evidence. I'm not saying there are none here, but have never seen prints, or heard their cries or even sighted one in our area. Whatever it may be, it seems the geese are not their target since they are grown and LOUD!
Wish I had a LGD.
My 5 big dogs are not allowed near the poultry or sheep for obvious reasons. But they do make a lot of noise.
The nicest of them is a pitbull who thinks she is a chihuhua; doesn't bother a soul.