I am soooooo close to giving up.. Graphic story warning

[FredsGobblers]

in pic on post #16 where you said rewiring cage, is that cedar you are using for shavings? Use pine shavings cedar fumes are not good on chickens especially little fragile chicks.

 

[centrarchid]

I am confused on what you mean by "real incubator".

I use an incubator for all my eggs that I hatch.

As far as the broody hens, I only had one and she only hatched 2 chicks out of the 3 times she sat on eggs, then the chicks were quickly eaten by something as she took them outside.

real brooder

 

[centrarchid]

You are going to have to take the endeavor more seriously which I am certain you can. Until then, I am out of the discussion.

 

[HopeSprings]

I got scared of the heat lamp after reading a few tragic stories and returned it before the chicks even arrived. Instead I used a heating pad draped over a wire frame shaped like a tunnel. It worked great and I just shaped the tunnel higher as the chicks grew.

 

[LunaMarieWolf]

in pic on post #16 where you said rewiring cage, is that cedar you are using for shavings? Use pine shavings cedar fumes are not good on chickens especially little fragile chicks.

I have been using cedar on my chickens because its what my family has at our saw mill.

I didn't know it irritated them.

Thank you

 

[LunaMarieWolf]

I got scared of the heat lamp after reading a few tragic stories and returned it before the chicks even arrived. Instead I used a heating pad draped over a wire frame shaped like a tunnel. It worked great and I just shaped the tunnel higher as the chicks grew.

That sounds like an awesome idea! I have just used a heating pad under shavings inside a trashbag.

I guess the cone shape helps with the all around heat.

 

[FredsGobblers]

a bag of pine shavings is pretty cheap $5 at my farm supply store. Cedar can cause respitory problems

 

[Granny Hatchet]

Luna, Your trying so hard. Without the support and help of your parent it will be neer impossible to have everything set just right. Your dad is correct in saying "back in his day they didnt need all that." BUT were not back in those days and maybe he was little and forgot some losses. We moved into the predators homes. We became many and things got tight. Predators are just doing what the do to survive. My whole flock was wiped out a couple weeks ago because of chicken wire and my stupidity . I had some very expensive chickens too. You remind me of myself a lot. I would do whatever it took to get to hold/raise those little fluff balls . They were the love of my life and I will never have any more but Maybe, I can help you. Dont buy/incubate any more chicks right now. Instead pick up a book or read here on building brooders and caring for chicks/chickens. Til you get/make (and it is possible) the things that are needed to safely care for the littles . Then there will be no worries of predator loss and you will be ahead of the game when something comes up that needs your attention.
And for the chicken wire, you can show him this.

 

[BreanneRN]

I have been using cedar on my chickens because its what my family has at our saw mill.

I didn't know it irritated them.

Thank you

You don't have to use shavings at all. I use dead pine needles and dry eucalyptus leaves. In some ways they are better, not so loose and don't get into the feeders and waterers so readily. Hoping you are able to save your babies, especially since you are trying so hard and with so little support from your parents. In the past, in the summer I have just packed my chicks into a cardboard box and brought them inside the house at night. They don't make any noise and no one need be the wiser. Then take them out in the morning and let them spend the day outside. A cardboard box can be quite comfortable for them. It is what they pack the day olds in for shipping from the hatchery. If the chicks need to be warmer put them into a smaller box. If they need to be cooler a larger box. If your hen goes broody again, that is when to buy chicks! Let her set for a requisite number of days, then after dark, slip the chicks under her. In the morning she will wake and think her family has hatched and be so happy! But that is for next time of course.

 

[slippednfell]

I am sorry to hear about your losses. I went through the same thing. Just the other day, my four remaining pullets got attacked and only one survived that to perish within 48 hours despite my best efforts to treat her wounds.

I also used more zip ties (neon like yours) than I thought I ever would by putting 1/2" hardware cloth over the dog crate I had used for the chicks. I have to say that my keets got moved into that crate and still something got the head of one of them. I would've put money on it being predator proof. There is only one small area where the door has a slight gap.

We put a have a heart trap out the other night and didn't catch anything but last night we got a coon. Gonna give it another try and see if we get another one.

There are a bunch of articles about predators on here.

Here are some links to just SOME of them:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/keeping-your-chickens-safe-from-predators.65420/
https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...how-to-protect-your-chickens-from-rats.47714/
https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...ow-to-protect-your-chickens-from-crows.47683/
https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...how-to-protect-your-chickens-from-cats.47706/
https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...w-to-protect-your-chickens-from-snakes.47729/
https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...-to-protect-your-chickens-from-possums.47711/
https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...w-to-protect-your-chickens-from-skunks.47722/


I wish you luck and I hope these articles work for you. I haven't read them yet but have them lined up to read in the next couple of days.