Illinois...

[NotAFarm]

I can't help but laugh at the sight of my tiny Sebright trying to cover her giant Orpington chicks. They're 4 weeks.


She certainly has the perfect expression for the job.

and

What a great momma!!

 

[cavemanrich]

I am in Glasford Illinois which is 10 mins outside of Canton and 20 mins from Peoria I am new at all this but have a variety of chicks and am loving this more and more every day

Welcome to the Illinois thread.. Its a small world as said, since I know exactly where you are. I pass thru your town every October on my way to a family get together.. They are about half way between Glasford and Canton. Fawnwoods' Farm. On way back home I fuel up at Casey's and grab a cup o joe for the road.

 

[MeepBeep]

Gardening woes already, planted a good deal of sunflower seeds around the chicken coop this year... I tried this last year with some older seeds but nothing came up, so I got some fresh seeds this year for a take two attempt... Much to my excitement in the last few days I have seen them breaking ground, but I went out today and a flippin' chipmunk has dug up about 80% of the new sprouts... it's beyond obvious as there is a little hole about every 8" exactly where I had planted the seeds and all the sprouts that were clearly visible yesterday are gone, while a few seed husk are scattered around some of the holes...

Time for some serious rodent control measures, and free food for the snake...

 

[cavemanrich]

Gardening woes already, planted a good deal of sunflower seeds around the chicken coop this year... I tried this last year with some older seeds but nothing came up, so I got some fresh seeds this year for a take two attempt... Much to my excitement in the last few days I have seen them breaking ground, but I went out today and a flippin' chipmunk has dug up about 80% of the new sprouts... it's beyond obvious as there is a little hole about every 8" exactly where I had planted the seeds and all the sprouts that were clearly visible yesterday are gone, while a few seed husk are scattered around some of the holes...

Time for some serious rodent control measures...

If I'm not mistaken, a possible deterrent is some moth balls placed near where your seeds are planted. The odor of the moth balls on the surface of the ground should mask the seed odor below ground. Its worth a try. I know it works wonders when you don't want stray (or otherwise irresponsible dog owners) dogs fertilizing your lawn.

 

[MeepBeep]

Gardening woes already, planted a good deal of sunflower seeds around the chicken coop this year... I tried this last year with some older seeds but nothing came up, so I got some fresh seeds this year for a take two attempt... Much to my excitement in the last few days I have seen them breaking ground, but I went out today and a flippin' chipmunk has dug up about 80% of the new sprouts... it's beyond obvious as there is a little hole about every 8" exactly where I had planted the seeds and all the sprouts that were clearly visible yesterday are gone, while a few seed husk are scattered around some of the holes...


Time for some serious rodent control measures...

If I'm not mistaken, a possible deterrent is some moth balls placed near where your seeds are planted.   The odor of the moth balls on the surface of the ground  should mask the seed odor below ground.  Its worth a  try.    I know it works wonders when you don't want stray  (or otherwise irresponsible dog owners) dogs fertilizing your lawn. 

At this point, I would rather resort to population control, if I drive them from this area they are likely just going to move to another area and continue to cause problems in the new area...

I have the live traps as well as rat traps and some 22lr bird shot shells, so I should be able to thin the population back in short...

 

[Faraday40]

A former student hatched some chicks & I was offered these guys.
Any idea what kind & gender they are? They look about 3-4 weeks to me. I'd like to help them out but I really don't need more chicks.

 

[Faraday40]

BTW- I was just told they hatched 5 wks ago. If anyone is interested in the 2 chicks, let me know.

 

[Junibutt]

A former student hatched some chicks & I was offered these guys.
Any idea what kind & gender they are? They look about 3-4 weeks to me. I'd like to help them out but I really don't need more chicks.

Don't know about the top one but the bottom one looks like a Brahma to me.

 

[Junibutt]

Does anyone close to Chicago have a spare incubator that I can rent? Please PM me.

My incubator is having temp spikes sporadically (going up to 105) so don't want to risk setting eggs in it. I will clean with Brinsea incubator disinfecting fluid before returning it.
This is going to be my last hatch of the year (possibly for a much longer time). I am rehoming my Mauve Orpington rooster and another 13 week Black split to mottled and chocolate cockerel this weekend. So won't have fertile eggs after 2 weeks.

Just some goodbye pics of Saleem:

 

[Faraday40]

DD's results are still inconclusive, so she wants to get a quick 3rd trial of her experiment done before the fair. In order to know the gender of the chicks in time, she must use sexlink eggs. If anyone has a combo that will result in sexlinks or a breed that can be identified at hatch, please give me a PM. (We only have 2 purebred barred hens that when paired with our black orp roo will give sexlink chicks. So far we have low fertility of those particular eggs, so not many results. The other hens' eggs have no fertility issues.) Also, we'd be glad to give the hatch results away to anyone who needs chicks.