Maine

[CoopChick719]

Any guesses on breeds for my new chicks? I know one is a mille fleur!!

I have no idea what they are but they are awfully cute!

 

[ducklucky]

Everyone has their own methods and you will find what works for you. Would say it's safe to start on grower especially if they appear to be growing well. If you are uncomfortable, you can always mix them up, maybe 2/3 or 3/4 grower to starter, and add some oats as well, and gradually eliminate the starter altogether. Usually we switch right over to layer pellets at the very first egg, with some cracked corn and oats, and the rest start laying very soon after that. We have no formula, really, ours are for pleasure and eggs and not show, but generally 2/3 layer to 1/3 mixed corn and oats. The key is the quality of the feed and whether you are trying to be all natural or organic or whatever as well. Storey's is a good source, and the bags usually have instructions, which you know already.

 

[ducklucky]

Have seen my chicks starting to dust bath very young as well. Amazing what instinct they have, and a good sign that they are mentally "normal!" If they see the big girls do it, they will want to give it a try too ;] Also quells those itchies a bit...

 

[Carrie54452002]

Have seen my chicks starting to dust bath very young as well. Amazing what instinct they have, and a good sign that they are mentally "normal!" If they see the big girls do it, they will want to give it a try too ;] Also quells those itchies a bit...

Will do in a couple weeks but haven't put them with the big girls yet

I have no idea what they are but they are awfully cute!

Thanks!!

 

[buckabucka]

Here's an early report on the deer fence. So far, I have only installed just over 100 feet, but I like it. It is so lightweight that I am able to put the step-in posts fairly far apart. It has not been tested on the chickens as I'm not finished, but I am using earth staples, rocks, and logs to hold the bottom down.

Here's a few tips for anyone considering this stuff:
The 7 foot tall roll comes folded in half. We cut the roll across the top to make 2 (3 1/2 foot tall) pieces. Do not bother trying to cut this with a steak knife. It makes much more sense to use a band saw or other tool. When you unroll the fence, you'll be getting two pieces at once, so you'll need to roll one back up to avoid tangling it a the same time that you are hooking the other piece to the posts. I don't recommend doing this by yourself, especially if you used the steak knife and sometimes you didn't cut all the way through, not to mention it is fairly invisible and really difficult to see what you are doing.

Okay, back to work. I want these chickens to have a chance to get out!

 

[pellepeterson]

Hoping to have the coop all done this weekend, and move the girls out from the basement. Down near the coast it should not get too cold I hope...they are all feathered out, and they are getting cramped up again inside the bigger brooder we built. Any pointers? We are new to chickens but have some serious plans for the near future.

Thank you all!

 

[longgrove]

So... Had chicks set to hatch this weekend. Put them in lockdown last night. What do I see this morning? A whole bunch of pipped eggs! At last check four were hatched and four more with pipped shells. My temps have been consistently 99-100, so I'm not sure why they are early? They all seem to be doing ok though so I'm not gonna complain!

Yours were late, I'm at the other end. Put a clutch inder a young broody on March 24th. She has been very conscientious about sitting on the eggs. Candled the bunch yesterday. pulled out 2 looken duds and one with a huge air sac. 2 had little within but the silkie egg had a chick (to our horror) just a couple of days from being ready (which was initally breathing but didn't have the yolk inside and, of course, died.) We put the remaining 5 eggs back in the nest and this AM, there was a cute (very noisy) chick (bluexsplash or blue, looks to be splash) The other 4 show no sign of pip or noise. A 25 ot 26 day incubation seems unblievable. In a quandry of how long to wait for the other 4 to hatch, sure don't want to give up on any other potentially viable shicks.

 

[gracejr]

For being my first hatch, and for it being early, I am thrilled so far! I originally set 17 eggs. One was infertile, but all other 16 developed normally. So far 12 have hatched, just four more to go! :yiipchick

Any guesses as to what some of these chicks will look like? The roosters are blue and buff Orps. Hens are a brahma, white rocks, red sexlink, americaunas, blue orp, splash orp, buff orp, and an am/americauna cross. I do have notes on who hatched out of what egg, but other than the Marans cross and the Am eggs, I don't know which hen laid which egg. I don't suppose any of these yellow chicks will turn out to be splash huh? There are three more yellow chicks not pictured since they weren't totally dry yet. The first individual chick picture, that's a blue, right? Am I safe to assume she is a pairing from our blue orp roo and blue orp hen? Pretty sure she has a straight comb.

 

[longgrove]

For being my first hatch, and for it being early, I am thrilled so far! I originally set 17 eggs. One was infertile, but all other 16 developed normally. So far 12 have hatched, just four more to go!

Any guesses as to what some of these chicks will look like? The roosters are blue and buff Orps. Hens are a brahma, white rocks, red sexlink, americaunas, blue orp, splash orp, buff orp, and an am/americauna cross. I do have notes on who hatched out of what egg, but other than the Marans cross and the Am eggs, I don't know which hen laid which egg. I don't suppose any of these yellow chicks will turn out to be splash huh? There are three more yellow chicks not pictured since they weren't totally dry yet. The first individual chick picture, that's a blue, right? Am I safe to assume she is a pairing from our blue orp roo and blue orp hen? Pretty sure she has a straight comb.

Super cute! If I have it correct, your boue orp roo can throw blue (1/2), splash (1/4) or black (1/4) with a blue hen (of any breed) and a blue (1/2) or splash (1/2) with a splash hen (of any breed). The one chick hatched so far is from an Isbar roo (either the blue or the splash) and a blue Wyandotte cross Cochin hen. It looks splash or, possibly, really light blue.

 

[gracejr]

Oh duh! I forgot splash/blue would throw blue as well. Whoever it's from, I hope it turns out to be a girl! I'm really interested to see what these gray ones with the red faces will look like! Either way, she should be a nice fluffy baby. Both the blue and splash hens are from English lines, and the blue roo is an english cross. Lucy, my splash girl, has got to be at least 10 pounds, she is HUGE!

"The one chick hatched so far is from an Isbar roo (either the blue or the splash) and a blue Wyandotte cross Cochin hen. It looks splash or, possibly, really light blue."
Sounds adorable!! Congrats! I hope the rest hatch soon. Could that have gotten cold at one point to slow down their development maybe?