Illinois...

[webbysmeme]

Have any of my fellow Illini crossed over?
I am here in east central Illinois.
Christie

I'm here. Pontiac. Hello there!

 

[webbysmeme]

I'm coming to ya from Southern Illinois.. Murphysboro!

I wish there was someone else from here too so I could find a chicken sitter when I go out of town ! HA...

You are as close to us here as your keyboard. Ask anything you are not sure of. Your climate is very much like ours here. 100 miles north for me.
I might go to this event in Kankakee on June 3, 2018 It is only about 30 miles from you. 70 for me.
https://www.poultryshowcentral.com/TriK_Pigeon_Bantam_Fair.html

I checked it out. I'd love to get involved with shows. But I don't drive. My husband is a stick in the mud. He doesn't care for anything I'm interested in. Sounds terrible,I know. He works a lot of hours. Like from 3:00am-3-4:00pm. So when he gets home , he eats, watches news, goes to bed at 7:00pm. That's our exciting life! I live out in the country and can't drive. I don't have friends or family here. So, I got me 15 chickens. That's going to be my life from now on. And I'm fine with that. I just have to figure out how I'm going to finance my chicken adventure! I've come to the conclusion that I'm going to have to build another coop. My 12 babies are outgrowing the one I bought. I didn't know at the time I bought it, that I was going to have so many. And that they grow so fast.
I'm going to get a taxi today, I'm gonna buy what I need for my coop. That's going to be "my" weekend project. I'm excited about it. I bought an air compressor and nail gun and all sorts of tools over a year ago, I've only had one chance to use them.
When we bought this house, It needed crown mold, baseboards, every room needed paint. One still does, I'm just procrastinating. Don't know why. I think because my hubby keeps complaining about it not being done.
Anyways, so all I need is the post and wire to add on to my existing run, and I might try to figure a way to add on to this little coop I've got.
How about I post a couple of pictures of my little coop and you guys here on BYC can help me figure how I can make this coop work? In the least expensive way. He's fussin and fartin every time I say I need something for the chicks. He said "I'm on my own"
Can ya'll tell I'm mad at him today? I'm so sorry, but hey, I have to vent to somebody besides my dogs, cats, and chickens. I guess maybe I need to find a fussy wife website! Or I could start a thread for fussy wife's on one of these forums Ok, here goes the pictures of my coop.
I'll also say that I have a pretty good supply of pallets that I could use! 1. Coop 2. Existing run connected to the barn 3. My garden shed, I don't want to use but may have to 4. Big grill that I am going to buy the rest are my chicks in the coop in the garage. Thank you, KH

 

[Faraday40]

View attachment 1391980 View attachment 1391981 View attachment 1391982 View attachment 1391983 View attachment 1391984 View attachment 1391985

I checked it out. I'd love to get involved with shows. But I don't drive. My husband is a stick in the mud. He doesn't care for anything I'm interested in. Sounds terrible,I know. He works a lot of hours. Like from 3:00am-3-4:00pm. So when he gets home , he eats, watches news, goes to bed at 7:00pm. That's our exciting life! I live out in the country and can't drive. I don't have friends or family here. So, I got me 15 chickens. That's going to be my life from now on. And I'm fine with that. I just have to figure out how I'm going to finance my chicken adventure! I've come to the conclusion that I'm going to have to build another coop. My 12 babies are outgrowing the one I bought. I didn't know at the time I bought it, that I was going to have so many. And that they grow so fast.
I'm going to get a taxi today, I'm gonna buy what I need for my coop. That's going to be "my" weekend project. I'm excited about it. I bought an air compressor and nail gun and all sorts of tools over a year ago, I've only had one chance to use them.
When we bought this house, It needed crown mold, baseboards, every room needed paint. One still does, I'm just procrastinating. Don't know why. I think because my hubby keeps complaining about it not being done.
Anyways, so all I need is the post and wire to add on to my existing run, and I might try to figure a way to add on to this little coop I've got.
How about I post a couple of pictures of my little coop and you guys here on BYC can help me figure how I can make this coop work? In the least expensive way. He's fussin and fartin every time I say I need something for the chicks. He said "I'm on my own"
Can ya'll tell I'm mad at him today? I'm so sorry, but hey, I have to vent to somebody besides my dogs, cats, and chickens. I guess maybe I need to find a fussy wife website! Or I could start a thread for fussy wife's on one of these forums Ok, here goes the pictures of my coop.
I'll also say that I have a pretty good supply of pallets that I could use! 1. Coop 2. Existing run connected to the barn 3. My garden shed, I don't want to use but may have to 4. Big grill that I am going to buy the rest are my chicks in the coop in the garage. Thank you, KH

Good for you for being "handy"! I was able to only design my coop/run - not build it. My hubby's not handy either - unless it involves an operating system / computer network. We have a handyman, &family friend, who helps me build my chicken inventions. DH (dear husband) doesn't participate in my chicken adventures, but he's not against them either. (Likes the eggs & likes to complain about them. However, he can also be caught talking to the flock and saving table scraps for them.) He can identify some of our breeds at the fair as well call some birds by their names. However a long-time running joke is that he never knows exactly how many chickens we actually own. Could be 10?.... Could be 30? The number is always changing every time chicks hatch & then get sold. He's just happier not knowing.

The best advice I can give when building a coop is to look at lots of different designs. BYC & pinterest are great inspirations. pick out what design works best for your situation. Also think about how the chicken chores will change in winter when your hose is no longer available. Make it easy to clean & maintain. Number 1 advice: Build it bigger than you think you'll need. If you have 4 chickens, build it for 6-8 birds. If you have 10 chickens, build it for 16-20. There's something called "chicken math" If you don't know what it is, you soon will. Chickens are addictive.

Since you're on a farm, you might be able to convert an outbuilding (or part of it) into a coop. Finding a used shed & converting it is another great way to get started. Use hardware cloth instead of chicken wire. Chicken wire is only good for keeping chickens out of stuff - not the predators that want to eat them.

I see our coop as an evolving project.... (click on pic to enlarge)
my orig coop/run

After our 1st winter, I added a bottom to keep snow out better. (door & lattice donated from neighbors)

Then wanted a run extension



Made storm windows (using strong vinyl) for the winter. It's like a greenhouse. Now the flocks prefers to sleep in the tall run. In the mornings, they all go into the short run & await for the door to be opened.

added extra roost, shelves, & sift-able poop trays to the tall run


Last year I added a broody breaker cage (but have yet to use it). I've been a sucker & let the girls hatch. Like I said, our coop is an evolving process.

 

[Justso]

[QUOTE="

I checked it out. I'd love to get involved with shows. But I don't drive. My husband is a stick in the mud. He doesn't care for anything I'm interested in. Sounds terrible,I know. He works a lot of hours. Like from 3:00am-3-4:00pm. So when he gets home , he eats, watches news, goes to bed at 7:00pm. That's our exciting life! I live out in the country and can't drive. I don't have friends or family here. So, I got me 15 chickens. That's going to be my life from now on. And I'm fine with that. I just have to figure out how I'm going to finance my chicken adventure! I've come to the conclusion that I'm going to have to build another coop. My 12 babies are outgrowing the one I bought. I didn't know at the time I bought it, that I was going to have so many. And that they grow so fast.
I'm going to get a taxi today, I'm gonna buy what I need for my coop. That's going to be "my" weekend project. I'm excited about it. I bought an air compressor and nail gun and all sorts of tools over a year ago, I've only had one chance to use them.
When we bought this house, It needed crown mold, baseboards, every room needed paint. One still does, I'm just procrastinating. Don't know why. I think because my hubby keeps complaining about it not being done.
Anyways, so all I need is the post and wire to add on to my existing run, and I might try to figure a way to add on to this little coop I've got.
How about I post a couple of pictures of my little coop and you guys here on BYC can help me figure how I can make this coop work? In the least expensive way. He's fussin and fartin every time I say I need something for the chicks. He said "I'm on my own"
Can ya'll tell I'm mad at him today? I'm so sorry, but hey, I have to vent to somebody besides my dogs, cats, and chickens. I guess maybe I need to find a fussy wife website! Or I could start a thread for fussy wife's on one of these forums Ok, here goes...KH[/QUOTE]
Welcome! I'm another self do-er! It's very relaxing to have a hobby, remind your hubby of that and crack him an egg for breakfast! Keep us posted.

 

[Faraday40]

Look what's in my incubator!


Thanks to @Molpet 6 turkey eggs found their way into my incubator last month. All the eggs are due to hatch today but these two decided to hatch a day early. None of the other eggs even have pips yet. I guess it's going to be an unusual hatch.

Meanwhile, I have a new/inexperienced broody sitting on 2 eggs from this batch. If she does well, she'll get the whole incubator. The hen is "Smudge" my giant 10lb orp hen. I never thought that big girl would go broody. Then I've got my penciled rock stealing eggs, squawking, and taking over the #1 nest box. She's also new. Let's not forget Cookie who's still caring for DD's silkie hatch. Now I know what people mean when they say broodiness is contagious!

I don't have a recent pic, but this is Smudge: a HUGE black/lav split English Orp.

Cookie & silkie chicks (a few weeks ago)

Penciled Rock a couple days ago. I now see where she was pulling out feathers & how she's more "puffy"

 

[Molpet]

Look what's in my incubator!
View attachment 1393556 View attachment 1393557 View attachment 1393558 View attachment 1393559

Thanks to @Molpet 6 turkey eggs found their way into my incubator last month. All the eggs are due to hatch today but these two decided to hatch a day early. None of the other eggs even have pips yet. I guess it's going to be an unusual hatch.

Meanwhile, I have a new/inexperienced broody sitting on 2 eggs from this batch. If she does well, she'll get the whole incubator. The hen is "Smudge" my giant 10lb orp hen. I never thought that big girl would go broody. Then I've got my penciled rock stealing eggs, squawking, and taking over the #1 nest box. She's also new. Let's not forget Cookie who's still caring for DD's silkie hatch. Now I know what people mean when they say broodiness is contagious!

I don't have a recent pic, but this is Smudge: a HUGE black/lav split English Orp.
View attachment 1393562
Cookie & silkie chicks (a few weeks ago)
View attachment 1393567
Penciled Rock a couple days ago. I now see where she was pulling out feathers & how she's more "puffy"
View attachment 1393568 View attachment 1393569

Aww
hope they all hatch.... the yellow ones should be a calico or maybe a palm..,. brown should be a variety of bronze or Narragansett

 

[Faraday40]

@Molpet Is it normal for them to hatch a day early? It's strange that all the other eggs still have no pips. Most hatches I get pips at the end of day 20 (which was last night). I'm wondering if my temp was slightly cooler or if the power outage delayed them a bit. It was only 3 hrs and the incubator temp didn't go down much. (I've had broodies do far worse.)

 

[Molpet]

@Molpet Is it normal for them to hatch a day early? It's strange that all the other eggs still have no pips. Most hatches I get pips at the end of day 20 (which was last night). I'm wondering if my temp was slightly cooler or if the power outage delayed them a bit. It was only 3 hrs and the incubator temp didn't go down much. (I've had broodies do far worse.)

This year was my first year and they did hatch early. the chicken broody left the pipped chicken eggs ( which I put in the incubator and they did hatch)...
The turkey and chicken eggs the other chicken left on day 10, hatched later than under the broody who stayed the course.. but the turkeys hatched first... 2 yellow died within a day. I have one brown that the broody accepted. So of 5 of 8, 2 brown and 3 yellow I have right now.
The turkey people all say they put the chicken eggs in a week after the turkey eggs. They also say the eggs that hatch around 30 days usually don't make it. But the early ones do.
I have 2 other chickens sitting on turkey and chicken eggs so I will see.

 

[chickendreams24]

Aww
hope they all hatch.... the yellow ones should be a calico or maybe a palm..,. brown should be a variety of bronze or Narragansett

@Molpet Is it normal for them to hatch a day early? It's strange that all the other eggs still have no pips. Most hatches I get pips at the end of day 20 (which was last night). I'm wondering if my temp was slightly cooler or if the power outage delayed them a bit. It was only 3 hrs and the incubator temp didn't go down much. (I've had broodies do far worse.)

This year was my first year and they did hatch early. the chicken broody left the pipped chicken eggs ( which I put in the incubator and they did hatch)...
The turkey and chicken eggs the other chicken left on day 10, hatched later than under the broody who stayed the course.. but the turkeys hatched first... 2 yellow died within a day. I have one brown that the broody accepted. So of 5 of 8, 2 brown and 3 yellow I have right now.
The turkey people all say they put the chicken eggs in a week after the turkey eggs. They also say the eggs that hatch around 30 days usually don't make it. But the early ones do.
I have 2 other chickens sitting on turkey and chicken eggs so I will see.

Eek!!!! I'm so excited!!!

Hatch little littles!!!!

We finished our hatch up yesterday 29 hatched but 2 died within 24 hours so 27 little peepers!!!

Here's a preliminary picture to show off the first littles.

I haven't snapped any more yet. Hopefully I'll have time today but we'll see.
I spent most of yesterday trying to catch a golden retriever that we believe was dumped a couple miles from our house. Poor thing is frightened, may have been abused and is showing fear aggression. I left food and water where it's hanging out. I'm trying not to frighten or push it too far. I really don't want to get bitten. It's a beautiful dog but I haven't been able to tell gender yet.

The kindergarten class hatched 20 eggs but I haven't heard from the teacher when I'm getting them yet. Hopefully not today as I have a ton to do getting ready for our family Mother's Day and DH2B is back in the fields.

So I'm flying solo today. Plus tomorrow we also have our niece's baptism on the other side so tons going on.

Ahhh! I might be going insane.

Hope everyone is well!

 

[webbysmeme]

Congrats!!! Mama. They are so sweet when they are that little. Mine are getting feathers and they are not so cute now! But I still love them. I have 3 BO, 3 black Jersey Giants, 4 Cinnamon Queens, 2 Smmer ? (Kellogg's cereal rooster)