INDIANA BYC'ers HERE!

[Chaneys Ranch]

The ducks are very difficult to keep up with. They are messier than my embden geese! The severe cold played havoc on their coops.
I have muscovy and pekin. We also raise Embden, African, and Chinese geese.
They stayed in it for 3 days, barely came out. With 12 ducks and 14 geese its a chore.
We use a large snowmobile trailer lid, and old truck caps for their houses. The lid is aluminum and very easy to move.
Its 8x20 I believe. It was given to me use due to a large hole in the lid poked by an unsecured snowmobile ROFL!
I use the tractor and move the lid and caps, then scrape out with the bucket. Set the lid back, add fresh hay.
The bedding goes on the compost heap. We have a john deere 790 with a loader & fork attachments, really helps!
Its the only way I can keep up with their mess.

 

[kabhyper1]

I think I am going to get peafowl next spring. I want a mini farm of strange animals.

 

[Kiniska]

I don't have a huddle box, but having openings at the top of the boxes will keep moister out of the boxes, humid air rises.
I've been planning to get a roo for quite some time and see if I get any fertile eggs. I dont order fertile eggs, I only do local. Who says I'm going to try to sell The incubator? I'm doing this mainly for fun. It's a good learning experience also. Maybe it will be a success and I will end up with some chicks.
No rain landing on my parade, just some melting snow and chilly weather, finally. e

I am going to give the make your own incubator project a try my self. So far I have priced things out, including the homemade egg turner, and I am looking at right around 100.00 worth of stuff. Included us a calibrated digital hygrometer/ thermometer combo with probe, thermostatically controlled heat source, a small electric motor, a timer, and some PVC. I like tinkering, so my time I am not worried about.

 

[Kiniska]

All right final chick tally is four. Two splashes, one blue, and one black. They are lovely, will post pictures tomorrow. There were ten total eggs, I found this about the ones that did not hatch. Two were not fertile and the other four appeared to have stopped developing at the same time. I am guessing during the cold snap. M2H, if both the splashes are girls, one has your name on it.

 

[Chaneys Ranch]

Quote:
UGH I really hate missing this, I love his silver laced polish too!
Ah well, later this summer.

 

[Chaneys Ranch]

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I did one with a cooler, and was able to hatch geese in it no problem.
Want to add a window in the top this year.
I hand turned my goose eggs last year, so either way I knew I would still be doing it.
It worked out great, freed up my still air for other birds.
I lined the bottom with inch thick patio brick to keep heat steady, then put the rubberized liner on it.
Still plan to get a sportsman cabinet next month, but geese eggs take up a LOT of room!

 

[Chaneys Ranch]

All right final chick tally is four. Two splashes, one blue, and one black. They are lovely, will post pictures tomorrow. There were ten total eggs, I found this about the ones that did not hatch. Two were not fertile and the other four appeared to have stopped developing at the same time. I am guessing during the cold snap. M2H, if both the splashes are girls, one has your name on it.

Congrats on the babies!

 

[RowdyReptile]

I am going to give the make your own incubator project a try my self. So far I have priced things out, including the homemade egg turner, and I am looking at right around 100.00 worth of stuff. Included us a calibrated digital hygrometer/ thermometer combo with probe, thermostatically controlled heat source, a small electric motor, a timer, and some PVC. I like tinkering, so my time I am not worried about.

Awesome! I almost have everything I need for mine. All I need is to drill some vent holes and build in a window, but I gotta run to the hardware store for some replacement saw parts. I feel like a kid on Christmas day when it comes to building stuff and experimenting, trying out all the new stuff. When are you planning to start putting eggs in?

 

[RowdyReptile]

All right final chick tally is four. Two splashes, one blue, and one black. They are lovely, will post pictures tomorrow. There were ten total eggs, I found this about the ones that did not hatch. Two were not fertile and the other four appeared to have stopped developing at the same time. I am guessing during the cold snap. M2H, if both the splashes are girls, one has your name on it.

Congrats on your chicks!

 

[SallyinIndiana]

The ducks are very difficult to keep up with. They are messier than my embden geese! The severe cold played havoc on their coops.
I have muscovy and pekin. We also raise Embden, African, and Chinese geese.
They stayed in it for 3 days, barely came out. With 12 ducks and 14 geese its a chore.
We use a large snowmobile trailer lid, and old truck caps for their houses. The lid is aluminum and very easy to move.
Its 8x20 I believe. It was given to me use due to a large hole in the lid poked by an unsecured snowmobile ROFL!
I use the tractor and move the lid and caps, then scrape out with the bucket. Set the lid back, add fresh hay.
The bedding goes on the compost heap. We have a john deere 790 with a loader & fork attachments, really helps!
Its the only way I can keep up with their mess.

Do ducks need light for 16 hours a day to lay eggs or will they keep laying in a coop with no power on the short days?