June Hatch A Long

[jolenesdad]

Not the most picturesque setting, but I finally got a better pic of Susan and her shipped in babies! Susan has forgotten all about all of the time we’ve spent with her, and she’s pretty sure that we are deadly threats to her babies. Sigh. Since she can’t get the babies up the ramp to the brooder box, that makes for a fun evening of chasing terrified and fast babies as Susan does her best to dissuade us... I’ll be pretty happy when these chicks figure out the ramp!

Gahhhhh Susan is so cute!!!

I've read so many accounts of chicks having trouble understanding ramps that I made stairs for mine. Mama taught them the stairs on second day outside, and they have just popped right up and down ever since.
View attachment 1838603

Brilliant!!! Stairs are fabulous and better exercise anyway!



Y’all. I feel AWFUL. I’ve been using a gallon chicken waterer for the ducks, and yesterday they figured out where the water comes out of the top and how to drain it in five minutes. Lol.

Anyway time to change to a duck watering contraption. So I did the milk jug thing, and as a first timer my holes were too big. Not five minutes after I put it in I came around the corner to check and I killed a duckling. She got stuck trying to climb through my hole and freaked out and dumped the waterer over and drowned.

So sad!!!!!

On a PLUS side I’ve got eggs coming! Probably too many but @LilyD made me nervous and I felt like if I wanted four or five pullets to hatch I probably need to set 40 eggs.

I have to say I’m unbelievable impressed with Windy whiskers poultry outside of San Antonio Tx. sherolyn Craig is her name and she has a few of the top cream Legbars this year. We discussed at length success of shipping in the summer and she said there really shouldn’t be a problem that lots of the development in the summer shipping is from eggs in nest boxes too long (Interesting potential point) and that eggs don’t spend time in the heat or sun with the post office or there’d be problems year round. We are in the same state so I’m going with it. But I’ve also got some coming from Louisiana, Kansas and california(!!!).

Anyway, this morning I got a link to a surveyMonkey online survey tailored specifically to my order going out today from Windy whiskers. It’s asking exactly how the eggs arrived, if any were broken or displaced in the foam and where, and if air cells were displaced and any additional notes.

I get the feeling that many breeders don’t really want to be too engaged in the shipping process or discussion of what could improve or what went wrong because they don’t want to be responsible for shipping replacements. I get that, but this is another level of stepped up customer service and I’m so impressed.

 

[Mixed flock enthusiast]

Gahhhhh Susan is so cute!!!


Brilliant!!! Stairs are fabulous and better exercise anyway!



Y’all. I feel AWFUL. I’ve been using a gallon chicken waterer for the ducks, and yesterday they figured out where the water comes out of the top and how to drain it in five minutes. Lol.

Anyway time to change to a duck watering contraption. So I did the milk jug thing, and as a first timer my holes were too big. Not five minutes after I put it in I came around the corner to check and I killed a duckling. She got stuck trying to climb through my hole and freaked out and dumped the waterer over and drowned.

So sad!!!!!

On a PLUS side I’ve got eggs coming! Probably too many but @LilyD made me nervous and I felt like if I wanted four or five pullets to hatch I probably need to set 40 eggs.

I have to say I’m unbelievable impressed with Windy whiskers poultry outside of San Antonio Tx. sherolyn Craig is her name and she has a few of the top cream Legbars this year. We discussed at length success of shipping in the summer and she said there really shouldn’t be a problem that lots of the development in the summer shipping is from eggs in nest boxes too long (Interesting potential point) and that eggs don’t spend time in the heat or sun with the post office or there’d be problems year round. We are in the same state so I’m going with it. But I’ve also got some coming from Louisiana, Kansas and california(!!!).

Anyway, this morning I got a link to a surveyMonkey online survey tailored specifically to my order going out today from Windy whiskers. It’s asking exactly how the eggs arrived, if any were broken or displaced in the foam and where, and if air cells were displaced and any additional notes.

I get the feeling that many breeders don’t really want to be too engaged in the shipping process or discussion of what could improve or what went wrong because they don’t want to be responsible for shipping replacements. I get that, but this is another level of stepped up customer service and I’m so impressed.

I’m so sorry about your duckling!!! The whole water and ducks part of duck husbandry has flummoxed me over and over! I did the gallon water jug with rocks at the bottom (for weight) and holes cut out when our ducklings were babies and it always made me so nervous! I did come home to ducklings inside the waterers multiple times - getting those holes sized just right with rapidly growing ducks is totally hitting a moving target! Even my present day duck waterer is problematic. It works great for the ducks, but I couldn’t figure out how to modify it so that our new chicks couldn’t get into it and drown! Fingers crossed that I didn’t just jinx myself... Again, sorry about your duckling!

So cool that you are hatching more eggs! I’m trying to hatch guinea eggs right now - one lavender keet! I’ve been posting about it on the June - July hatchalong.

 

[Mixed flock enthusiast]

I've read so many accounts of chicks having trouble understanding ramps that I made stairs for mine. Mama taught them the stairs on second day outside, and they have just popped right up and down ever since.
View attachment 1838603

That’s quite brilliant! Mine is a bit higher, and open instead of butting into a wall... My problem with both ramps that my two chicken mamas use is that mom flies up from the side, rather than actually using the ramp. That two feet is too high for baby to fly, so they just sit at the side cheeping instead of going around to the front of the ramp... I’ll need to think about your idea and see if something stair like could work.. . Thanks!

 

[SueT]

That’s quite brilliant! Mine is a bit higher, and open instead of butting into a wall... My problem with both ramps that my two chicken mamas use is that mom flies up from the side, rather than actually using the ramp. That two feet is too high for baby to fly, so they just sit at the side cheeping instead of going around to the front of the ramp... I’ll need to think about your idea and see if something stair like could work.. . Thanks!

if she always flies up on the same side, maybe you could improvise some sort of steps on that side. It only is needed temporarily, they grow so fast. By one week of age, mine were using their wings and skipping multiple steps. Now they can fly quite well, and are roosting w Mom at 3 weeks, roost is probably 15" high.

 

[jolenesdad]

I’m so sorry about your duckling!!! The whole water and ducks part of duck husbandry has flummoxed me over and over! I did the gallon water jug with rocks at the bottom (for weight) and holes cut out when our ducklings were babies and it always made me so nervous! I did come home to ducklings inside the waterers multiple times - getting those holes sized just right with rapidly growing ducks is totally hitting a moving target! Even my present day duck waterer is problematic. It works great for the ducks, but I couldn’t figure out how to modify it so that our new chicks couldn’t get into it and drown! Fingers crossed that I didn’t just jinx myself... Again, sorry about your duckling!

So cool that you are hatching more eggs! I’m trying to hatch guinea eggs right now - one lavender keet! I’ve been posting about it on the June - July hatchalong.

I can’t imagine brooding ducks and chickens together. These ducks are a lot to figure out, but fun—and I’m learning. I’m reconsidering all the plans though for where they will stay for grow out and permanently. I’m so glad I’m putting them in an old wash stall with a DRAIN on the ground!

Lavender Guineas! Awesome!

I think I’ll have Guineas once we move and I’m free to make as much noise as I want on the property!

 

[CluckNDoodle]

Gahhhhh Susan is so cute!!!


Brilliant!!! Stairs are fabulous and better exercise anyway!



Y’all. I feel AWFUL. I’ve been using a gallon chicken waterer for the ducks, and yesterday they figured out where the water comes out of the top and how to drain it in five minutes. Lol.

Anyway time to change to a duck watering contraption. So I did the milk jug thing, and as a first timer my holes were too big. Not five minutes after I put it in I came around the corner to check and I killed a duckling. She got stuck trying to climb through my hole and freaked out and dumped the waterer over and drowned.

So sad!!!!!

On a PLUS side I’ve got eggs coming! Probably too many but @LilyD made me nervous and I felt like if I wanted four or five pullets to hatch I probably need to set 40 eggs.

I have to say I’m unbelievable impressed with Windy whiskers poultry outside of San Antonio Tx. sherolyn Craig is her name and she has a few of the top cream Legbars this year. We discussed at length success of shipping in the summer and she said there really shouldn’t be a problem that lots of the development in the summer shipping is from eggs in nest boxes too long (Interesting potential point) and that eggs don’t spend time in the heat or sun with the post office or there’d be problems year round. We are in the same state so I’m going with it. But I’ve also got some coming from Louisiana, Kansas and california(!!!).

Anyway, this morning I got a link to a surveyMonkey online survey tailored specifically to my order going out today from Windy whiskers. It’s asking exactly how the eggs arrived, if any were broken or displaced in the foam and where, and if air cells were displaced and any additional notes.

I get the feeling that many breeders don’t really want to be too engaged in the shipping process or discussion of what could improve or what went wrong because they don’t want to be responsible for shipping replacements. I get that, but this is another level of stepped up customer service and I’m so impressed.

I'm so sorry about your duckling! I lost another chick too and this time it was also to drowning. I usually keep a couple really large dog bowls of water out with the chickens because in the heat they will dunk their heads to cool off and sometimes even jump in. I dumped them out because of the chicks but it has been raining here soooo much, I didn't flip them over, and a chick jumped into one and couldn't get out. I feel so so guilty about that one as if I didn't lose enough chicks this round.

I'm glad you'll be joining us in the July hatch along! lol, I look forward to hearing about what you're getting!

 

[CluckNDoodle]

I’m so sorry about your duckling!!! The whole water and ducks part of duck husbandry has flummoxed me over and over! I did the gallon water jug with rocks at the bottom (for weight) and holes cut out when our ducklings were babies and it always made me so nervous! I did come home to ducklings inside the waterers multiple times - getting those holes sized just right with rapidly growing ducks is totally hitting a moving target! Even my present day duck waterer is problematic. It works great for the ducks, but I couldn’t figure out how to modify it so that our new chicks couldn’t get into it and drown! Fingers crossed that I didn’t just jinx myself... Again, sorry about your duckling!

So cool that you are hatching more eggs! I’m trying to hatch guinea eggs right now - one lavender keet! I’ve been posting about it on the June - July hatchalong.

EEeeeek!! Finally a little Guinea keet!!

 

[Mixed flock enthusiast]

I'm so sorry about your duckling! I lost another chick too and this time it was also to drowning. I usually keep a couple really large dog bowls of water out with the chickens because in the heat they will dunk their heads to cool off and sometimes even jump in. I dumped them out because of the chicks but it has been raining here soooo much, I didn't flip them over, and a chick jumped into one and couldn't get out. I feel so so guilty about that one as if I didn't lose enough chicks this round.

I'm glad you'll be joining us in the July hatch along! lol, I look forward to hearing about what you're getting!

So sad to hear about your chick, CluckNDoodle!!!!

 

[jolenesdad]

I'm so sorry about your duckling! I lost another chick too and this time it was also to drowning. I usually keep a couple really large dog bowls of water out with the chickens because in the heat they will dunk their heads to cool off and sometimes even jump in. I dumped them out because of the chicks but it has been raining here soooo much, I didn't flip them over, and a chick jumped into one and couldn't get out. I feel so so guilty about that one as if I didn't lose enough chicks this round.

I'm glad you'll be joining us in the July hatch along! lol, I look forward to hearing about what you're getting!

Not a good week for all of us! :-/

 

[Mixed flock enthusiast]

I can’t imagine brooding ducks and chickens together. These ducks are a lot to figure out, but fun—and I’m learning. I’m reconsidering all the plans though for where they will stay for grow out and permanently. I’m so glad I’m putting them in an old wash stall with a DRAIN on the ground!

Lavender Guineas! Awesome!

I think I’ll have Guineas once we move and I’m free to make as much noise as I want on the property!

Ok, so I know that this was really crazy... but I actually incubated the ducks and guineas together, then combined them with breeder bought chicks in the brooder. So, we had ducks, chickens, and guineas all together, 15 of each! This was just as insane as it sounds.... I wanted to get one big happy flock out of this, but they really self-segregated and were kind of mean to each other. I’ve wondered if that’s why as older juveniles the guineas started going after select ducks and chickens, because the guineas were the smallest in the brooder and got pushed around a lot... I also lost a couple of chicks while brooding, maybe from the wet conditions (not water as much as all of that wet duckling poo!) maybe as the start of my Marek’s problems. At any rate, I now agree with the advice of practically everyone everywhere not to brood mixed species together! I’m just too stubborn for my own good, had to see for myself.