June Hatch-A-Long

[CluckNDoodle]

Reading all these posts about humidity issues has me a little worried. I have eggs under a broody and I guess she handles everything? Just so wet right now with Christobal.

They should be just fine under your hen. It's suuuuuper humid where I live in Georgia and I've never had issues with humidity under a broody hen. As a matter of fact I often find my broodies standing in water and dust bathing in moist sand in the heat of summer (I believe to regulate their temperature in the hot coop) and they still don't have issues with sticky chicks.

 

[ShrekDawg]

Decided not to hatch his eggs right now and put my stash of almost 2 dozen in the fridge.

Too much else to do atm lmao

IF!!!! He gets sick then I will set his eggs then since I think they’re still fertile for like two weeks after???

Although even then I’m not sure I want to hatch anyway cause I really do not want to deal with all these deaths again

 

[SnapdragonQ]

Where are the red rangers coming from?

they Make these ridiculously developed guides for the cx rearing. I got knee deep in actually talking directly to Hubbard genetics this year about potentially housing my own breeder flock of red ranger type birds as a future business endeavor... THATS another whole topic (which I do have a longer than life now thread in the meat forum that includes some of the genetics and corporate info Ive found.

ANYWAY yes Cornish run hotter. I have found 90 degrees works best for me because I have zero drafts and I follow the strict 6 inches a bird space, so they’re sharing some body heat too. Yes, I use it for heritage birds, too. It should be at *least* 90 degrees. But i find 90 is absolutely fine. The science and literally trillions of dollars in this industry have so much research poured into things, and, at first I thought naturally brooding completely was the way to go and the methods of rearing for meat birds were just to get them larger than maybe they should be anyway.

However, over time I have modified my understanding. While I still don't agree with the CX particularly, I love my hybrid broilers, red rangers, etc. I also have realized that while the "industry" is going for meat and growth, I was thinking about it too literally. What they are doing in a general sense is maximizing the potential of the bird from a young age, and now I understand we can all follow this, even if you're looking to maximize the potential for an egg layer.

Meat birds - I do this for 1-2 weeks. I still don't know if I like 2 weeks of non stop lighting on the chicks, but, even the label rouge program and humane standards programs at the highest levels allow for a period of time at the beginning of life for 24 hours of light. The most stringent ones call for a regular lighting period after 4-7 days.

heritage birds - I do this for 1 week.

A day or two before I move to a grow out pen with heat plates, I add the heat plate. its important to clarify that i heat the ENTIRE space to 90, no hot spots. When I add the heat plate, I do not overhead heat that area, I put it off to the side and i reduce the heat by a couple of degrees. I use multiple thermometers in the brooder to ensure there aren't hot spots.

With meat birds, I keep them on paper towels with feed scattered EVERYWHERE. They don't have to travel more than a few inches anywhere they are to find food. The more times you can get a chick to fill and empty its crop during the first 3-4 days of life, the more efficient it will be its entire life at converting food to energy. Also to note, I now give grit from day 1. Giving grit to chicks ensures super efficiency in the gizzard, and, they make more use of the resources in the feed. I see a MASSIVE change in the overall robustness of my birds since offering them grit from day 1.

Hoover. Technically I think they are called "Rudd" Rangers, for the town or trademark or something like that, but appear to be generic RRs. In the past my meaties have come from either Meyers or Mt Healthy out of Ohio. This year was a bit of a late start and I went with what I could find. Later this year, or next, I'll look into the Imperials. They might make a good cross with Bielefelders.

A few RRs will end up in the freezer this fall along with extra roos, but the plan is to raise them on a regular chick starter and work them into a breeding experiment. With it being so warm out already I'm hoping to move everyone outside by week 3ish. Weather dependent.

Grit is something I have not given to really young chicks before and opted to let them forage for grit once they are outside, but you make some good points. I've always had really good luck with my chicks, regulars and meaties, but will consider trying grit since it's such an easy thing to do.
As always, you give me good stuff to ruminate one.

 

[FortCluck]

Hoover. Technically I think they are called "Rudd" Rangers, for the town or trademark or something like that, but appear to be generic RRs. In the past my meaties have come from either Meyers or Mt Healthy out of Ohio. This year was a bit of a late start and I went with what I could find. Later this year, or next, I'll look into the Imperials. They might make a good cross with Bielefelders.

A few RRs will end up in the freezer this fall along with extra roos, but the plan is to raise them on a regular chick starter and work them into a breeding experiment. With it being so warm out already I'm hoping to move everyone outside by week 3ish. Weather dependent.

Grit is something I have not given to really young chicks before and opted to let them forage for grit once they are outside, but you make some good points. I've always had really good luck with my chicks, regulars and meaties, but will consider trying grit since it's such an easy thing to do.
As always, you give me good stuff to ruminate one.

I dig up dirt from the yard and put it in a box then place it in the brooder. My chicks love it.

 

[SnapdragonQ]

I dig up dirt from the yard and put it in a box then place it in the brooder. My chicks love it.

Great idea! Maybe I'll do that instead. I already have the chick feed so one less trip out right now would be good.

 

[jolenesdad]

Hoover. Technically I think they are called "Rudd" Rangers, for the town or trademark or something like that, but appear to be generic RRs. In the past my meaties have come from either Meyers or Mt Healthy out of Ohio. This year was a bit of a late start and I went with what I could find. Later this year, or next, I'll look into the Imperials. They might make a good cross with Bielefelders.

A few RRs will end up in the freezer this fall along with extra roos, but the plan is to raise them on a regular chick starter and work them into a breeding experiment. With it being so warm out already I'm hoping to move everyone outside by week 3ish. Weather dependent.

Grit is something I have not given to really young chicks before and opted to let them forage for grit once they are outside, but you make some good points. I've always had really good luck with my chicks, regulars and meaties, but will consider trying grit since it's such an easy thing to do.
As always, you give me good stuff to ruminate one.

The Rudd ranger has a really excellent growth rate I think you’ll like them a lot.

it is INSANE how hard it is to find meat birds for when you want them.

 

[FortCluck]

The Rudd ranger has a really excellent growth rate I think you’ll like them a lot.

it is INSANE how hard it is to find meat birds for when you want them.

I have 7 that I can give someone I don’t like them

 

[gimmie birdies]

The first week of chicks usually is not bad, their poo is not too stinky. Just today I noticed these guys are getting stinky. I don't want to move them out of the house until the other eggs hatch, I like the hatching eggs to hear chicks peep.

As far as letting chick hatch in an unplugged egg turner, I have, but one time a chick did get her leg stuck in turner, after that, I didn't want to do that.

 

[TexasTurkeyMama]

Buffie and Scruffie are setting five duck eggs apiece. I have also ordered a box of pekins to graft onto these broodies. I am not optimistic of the fertility of those eggs after watching the drakes in action.

 

[chickiebaby1]

So I ended up with 62 chicks all together! I never imagined that many would make it! They are all so cute! It’s going to be hard to part with any!