Maine

[buckabucka]

No staggered hatch here. One group hatched a couple weeks ago. I'm saving eggs to set on Saturday.

 

[kinsey228]

Kinsey, in my assortment, the BLRW were not fertile, and most of the BCM, if I remember right. The seller did mention that she hadn't done any hatching since October, so she hadn't tested for fertility. The olive eggers were jumping around as embryos and the first to hatch out for me, and the wheaten Marans were very fertile also.

The 3 olive eggers, a Welsummer, and 2 Ameraucana eggs were not fertile. I think I'll stick with the other breeder. She packaged the eggs so much better than the assortment. Here's hoping the rest of the eggs hatch

 

[blueseal]

anyone ordered chicks from dick hortsman . he has some nice silver penciled rocks. allways wanted some of those.

 

[CoopChick719]

LOL I know. I have one in there who has been pipped with a beak out for a looooong time. I wonder if its going to make it. One more has pipped. Four fuzzies are out and resting and peeping. Gosh, they are loud! No one told me about their gross umbilical poop. And get this
THEY STARTED THIS ON THE FIRST DAY OF SPRING How much more coordinated could that be!?

Congrats on the hatch! I was surprised at how loud the chicks could be too.

My bee stuff just arrived

Now all I need to do is wait until May for the bees ....

Since today is the first day of Spring, I did a bird & chick count. I have 64 birds in the barn, 76 chicks and 6 started birds in the chick room upstairs. I think I can stop hatching for this year

That is some flock!!

Has anyone ordered any supplies from mypetchicken.com? ETA: For those who raise baby chicks--where do you keep your brooders? Also, I have a cat...does anyone have issues with any pets trying to eat their chicks?

My brooder is in the computer/pellet stove room on top of the mealworm farm tote so it's raised up about 18 inches.. Nice & warm. My cat is very interested in the chicks but has to stand on her hind legs w/her feet against the dog crate to look at them. That does not stop her from trying to reach in with her paw. I'm shocked she has not tried to climb on top of the crate. I have kept a squirt gun handy.

We've shown them to her and she sniffs them but that's it. My 3 dogs are funny w/the chicks. My female loves to sniff & lick them if we are holding them. My smallest pom is a little jealous. Only because I'm tending to them when I should be siting in the recliner so he can take his nap on me.

He also likes to sniff & lick. The 3rd dog sniffed then tried to mouth one, not sure if he really wanted to bite it or not. I'm thinking of moving them to the garage when they get bigger. My basement usually has some water in it in the spring. I'm afraid it would be too damp down there.

My sick hen's crop is totally deflated, but she still won't eat. Tonight I chopped up 1/3 of a monistat suppository and mixed it with kefir (2 different miracle cures I read about) and syringe fed her. She is pooping stuff out, so I don't think her crop is blocked, but if there is a fungal infection, maybe that is why she has no appetite. I only offer yogurt and scrambled egg, as I read grains will just feed the infection. It seems like she would be really weak from not eating, but she fights like a bull when I force feed her.

Hope your hen feels better soon! Hopefully that fight in her will serve her well.

 

[Mainechick168]

SOmeone asked about where we all keep a brooder- I kept ours in the spare bedroom/husbands music room- I made it out of plywood, and we used an old screen door, which my grandfather cut down to size to put over the top to keep the cats out.

 

[PollyC]

I keep the smaller one in my livingroom and the larger one in the brooder barn. They stay inside till they are 2 weeks then go into the bigger one. the bigger one is heated also

 

[hoppy]

nice brooder. I've seen similiar on craigslist that a local person makes.

I keep the smaller one in my livingroom and the larger one in the brooder barn. They stay inside till they are 2 weeks then go into the bigger one. the bigger one is heated also

 

[ashandvine]

I have wondered how these work. Is there a tray inside to make it easier to clean? What's the heat source(s)? Aren't the ones on top going to be much warmer than those on the bottom?

PS- 7 out of 8 hatched so far. Noisy little peepers!

 

[PollyC]

I have wondered how these work.  Is there a tray inside to make it easier to clean?  What's the heat source(s)?  Aren't the ones on top going to be much warmer than those on the bottom? 

PS- 7 out of 8 hatched so far.   Noisy little peepers!

the heat source is direct wired light sockets with 75 watt bulbs for outside and 40 watt inside house. they are plenty warm. I lined the inside of the pens with the plastic type pet food bags and duck tape up on walls. I have a small hand held vacume that works perfect to finish cleaning. There is no tray. I line the bottom with newspaper and cover with shavings after the first few days. The newspaper just slides out bringing most of the old bedding with it. a quick vacume, then wipe it down and good to go. In the outside one I have plastic draped over the front of each set of doors and at night drop down a piece of black rubber roofing to help hold the heat in. Even after the cold nights we have had have not lost a chick or had water freeze in the pens. There is a solid floor between each pen so all pens stay the same temp. I put the youngest on top and as the age they move down till they are ready to go into nursery barn.

 

[lazy gardener]

the heat source is direct wired light sockets with 75 watt bulbs for outside and 40 watt inside house. they are plenty warm. I lined the inside of the pens with the plastic type pet food bags and duck tape up on walls. I have a small hand held vacume that works perfect to finish cleaning. There is no tray. I line the bottom with newspaper and cover with shavings after the first few days. The newspaper just slides out bringing most of the old bedding with it. a quick vacume, then wipe it down and good to go. In the outside one I have plastic draped over the front of each set of doors and at night drop down a piece of black rubber roofing to help hold the heat in. Even after the cold nights we have had have not lost a chick or had water freeze in the pens. There is a solid floor between each pen so all pens stay the same temp. I put the youngest on top and as the age they move down till they are ready to go into nursery barn.

If any one is interested in making a cabinet brooder, I saw an awesome cabinet at the Bangor Habitat for Humanity store. It appears to be home made, solid plywood throughout with end grain of the plywood on the front covered with soft wood, corners rounded over. It's rugged, just needs paint or sealer and doors. Origionally designed for a TV cabinet, I would guess, with the large compartment up, and a shallower compartment lower about 15" high. It's 29$. couldn't buy a sheet of plywood for that.