Illinois...

[BReeder!]

Snow started here. I'm in the office working though (no window) so not sure how much has accumulated. It's nasty out there today though. I ran out earlier to buy supplies for replacing two window screens and was not enjoying the weather at all.

 

[Molpet]

Snow started here. I'm in the office working though (no window) so not sure how much has accumulated. It's nasty out there today though. I ran out earlier to buy supplies for replacing two window screens and was not enjoying the weather at all.

I fell asleep and when the cat woke me up after 2 it was snowing.
Maple syrup in West Chicago, dupage county
https://drloihjournal.blogspot.com/2017/01/kline-creek-farm-living-history-farm-in.html?m=1

 

[Faraday40]

To distract me from the grossness that is my yard right now, I am planning for spring. I think I am going to let Millie be a mama because she seems intent on hatching unfertilized eggs as is. I think I'll let her have 4 in case any don't hatch or turn out to be boys. My coop and run can't hold much more than what I already have so I can't let her go crazy. So here's where I am torn.

1) Should I give her hatching eggs and see what happens or let her sit on unfertilized eggs and sneak day old chicks in at night? I feel like the actual sitting/hatching process would be much more fun and scratch her broody itch better, but I am guaranteed a better shot at pullets if I buy day old chicks for her.

2) Can I give her an enclosed nest in the coop with everyone else or do I really need to give her a totally separate space to raise the babies? I don't keep any food or water int he coop, it's all in the run. I was thinking I could just get her a little cozy box, maybe a covered cat box or something, and put it in the coop. But I can't put food and water in there so she'd have to walk the littles to the run for food and water. Is that a no-no? The other hens are terrified of her when she's broody so I think they'd stay away from her chicks.

3) I'm thinking late March to get her started because we'll be gone for Spring break on 3/20-3/25 and I don't want to leave her while I am gone in case something happens. Is mid-April too cold for chicks outside? I've brooded my others in the house before so this will be the first time they are hen-raised outside.

It's so much fun to plan ahead.

If your main goal is the fun of hatching, then "borrow" some duck eggs from @BReeder! or turkey eggs from @Molpet. Let your hen hatch and be mama, then when she's done, offer them back or give them away here for adoption. The hen really doesn't care what species. You may also want to increase the egg number since they may not all hatch - especially since she's a 1st time broody. Shipped eggs are a big gamble. 50% hatch rate is considered good for shipped eggs. Local eggs will do far better.

If you want a specific breed assortment, then buying chicks from the feed store would be better. (You already have an "In" and can easily pick the breed and gender. You could also go as low as 2-3 chicks.

 

[SnootyHen]

It's so much fun to plan ahead.

If your main goal is the fun of hatching, then "borrow" some duck eggs from @BReeder! or turkey eggs from @Molpet. Let your hen hatch and be mama, then when she's done, offer them back or give them away here for adoption. The hen really doesn't care what species. You may also want to increase the egg number since they may not all hatch - especially since she's a 1st time broody. Shipped eggs are a big gamble. 50% hatch rate is considered good for shipped eggs. Local eggs will do far better.

If you want a specific breed assortment, then buying chicks from the feed store would be better. (You already have an "In" and can easily pick the breed and gender. You could also go as low as 2-3 chicks.

I'm going to keep these (unless they are boys) but that 50% hatching rate scares me because with my luck, I'll either only buy 4 and 2 will hatch and 1 will be a roo, or I'll give her 6 or 8 and they all hatch and are pullets. LOL!! Ideally, I'd just have 2 or 3 so I figured the 4th was the insurance policy. The boys are super excited about letting her hatch and raise them (and maybe so am I! ) We'll see if I still think so when it's time.

 

[Molpet]

I'm going to keep these (unless they are boys) but that 50% hatching rate scares me because with my luck, I'll either only buy 4 and 2 will hatch and 1 will be a roo, or I'll give her 6 or 8 and they all hatch and are pullets. LOL!! Ideally, I'd just have 2 or 3 so I figured the 4th was the insurance policy. The boys are super excited about letting her hatch and raise them (and maybe so am I! ) We'll see if I still think so when it's time.

Would be easy to sell extra pullets. 6 is a good number, or 2 of each breed so 8

 

[SnootyHen]

Would be easy to sell extra pullets. 6 is a good number, or 2 of each breed so 8

Enabler!!!

 

[Molpet]

Enabler!!!

Mainly I'm a turkey pusher

 

[Molpet]

Well I have over 4 in . Shoveled stoop before I locked up coops. It's drifted back as was my footprints

 

[STACEYH]

About a half inch of sleet and a dusting on snow on it. Still spitting out snow. The snow I don't mind the ice makes it very hard to tend the ladies.

 

[BReeder!]

About 3" of snow here I would say. Plows are being slow to act here, which is annoying. They didn't salt ahead of time in anticipation either. I had to go to Menards after the snow to get a second piece of window screen because I messed up repairing one earlier.

I did have a productive day though. I did my day job, got both window screens repaired (replaced the screens), and cleaned out the dryer (full of lint due to a damaged lint trap for which a replacement arrived today). I also watered my garden seed starts, several of which are sprouting now.