Maine

[LOVEMYCHICKS03]

Quote:
X2 we hung ours and it works good

 

[Mainechick168]

X2 we hung ours and it works good

haha at a quick glance I thought this said "we HUG" ours and it works good.." !! DH hugs the ladies sometimes

 

[LOVEMYCHICKS03]

LOL

 

[pellepeterson]

We purchased one of those gallon waterers at TSC. Got home and I was so excited to have a little extra time I put it in immediately. The next day it was empty. I was feeling guilty as sin, had I been shortchanging my chickens? The guilt was wearing me down so I decided that I would clean the brooder from top to bottom to show how sorry I was...that is when I figured it out. They did not drink all the water, they spilled it somehow. I cleaned up and refilled and the next day I saw it happen.

One of the young ladies decided she needed a shower; she ducked down and started walking UNDER the water bowl...well once she was almost to the other side, she STOOD UP! TIPPING the entire rig and WHOOSH...all over the floor. The pine chips float very well I may add, especially when they are fresh and dry. I could not believe it. So...down came the hanging bowl and I put it in on a few boards. Now...like it can get any worse...they are making a HUGE mess in the trough...I have had to drink some really nasty water in my days, but this stuff...no way!

I am hoping to have the entire group of them outside this weekend...if I can get back from Lincoln in time on Sunday. I have some more work to do on the coop and simply not enough time. The love of my life

is amazing and has put up with the whole gang for long enough...they are in my man cave downstairs now...but she is losing her patience

Any pointers for a new chicken owner? Should I continue to hang the waterer once they are outside? They are handling the hanging feeder quite well...the waste seems a bit excessive but I am hoping to change that when they are out chasing away the bugs!

I appreciate any ideas/info/critisism/thoughts

B

 

[lazy gardener]

We purchased one of those gallon waterers at TSC. Got home and I was so excited to have a little extra time I put it in immediately. The next day it was empty. I was feeling guilty as sin, had I been shortchanging my chickens? The guilt was wearing me down so I decided that I would clean the brooder from top to bottom to show how sorry I was...that is when I figured it out. They did not drink all the water, they spilled it somehow. I cleaned up and refilled and the next day I saw it happen.

One of the young ladies decided she needed a shower; she ducked down and started walking UNDER the water bowl...well once she was almost to the other side, she STOOD UP! TIPPING the entire rig and WHOOSH...all over the floor. The pine chips float very well I may add, especially when they are fresh and dry. I could not believe it. So...down came the hanging bowl and I put it in on a few boards. Now...like it can get any worse...they are making a HUGE mess in the trough...I have had to drink some really nasty water in my days, but this stuff...no way!

I am hoping to have the entire group of them outside this weekend...if I can get back from Lincoln in time on Sunday. I have some more work to do on the coop and simply not enough time. The love of my life

is amazing and has put up with the whole gang for long enough...they are in my man cave downstairs now...but she is losing her patience

Any pointers for a new chicken owner? Should I continue to hang the waterer once they are outside? They are handling the hanging feeder quite well...the waste seems a bit excessive but I am hoping to change that when they are out chasing away the bugs!

I appreciate any ideas/info/critisism/thoughts

B

Re: wasted feed: I'm using fermented feed for most of my chicks needs, and offering dry crumble on the side. they LOVE the fermented feed and there is no waste. When I get the big coop finished (hopefully this weekend) I'm going to make a trough out of gutter to hold their fermented feed. Now it goes in a bowl that they love to walk through. They must love the way it squishes between their toes. Where does the time go? By the time my H gets home and we get the kids fed, we're both too tired to do any work on the coop that requires his assist. The last big hurdle is to cut and fit the glass board to the curved ceiling. I still have 2 doors to make, as well as install some venting, finish some hdw cloth, and install a pop door... those I can do alone... slow, but alone!!! One of the doms is showing signs of abuse on his/her comb from their getting crowded in the little tractor

 

[lazy gardener]

haha at a quick glance I thought this said "we HUG" ours and it works good.." !! DH hugs the ladies sometimes

Yes, if you just give them a hug and explain why they shouldn't make such a mess, they'll understand and cease their messy habits!!!

 

[hoppy]

 

[hoppy]

I use a 5 gal pail inside of a larger rubbermade tub, found directions here on byc. I also have juice bottles with chicken nipples on the bottom that I hang off fishing line. the screw on cap holds it up. when they are outside, they should not be as messy. they will be too busy.

 

[CoopChick719]

Yes, if you just give them a hug and explain why they shouldn't make such a mess, they'll understand and cease their messy habits!!!

MaineChick--It just cracks me up to imagine J hugging the chickens. I do understand--I tell them I love 'em each night and that I'll see them in the morning when I shut the pop door.

Welcome to all the new people!!

LOL Lazy Gardener on the hugging!

 

[echosrevenge]

Hatch day! Five new babies so far, four pure Salmon Faverolles and one that looks like I missed an egg from the Black Orpington hen that we were minding here for some friends...pure black with a yellow dot on top of its head, and a little splash of yellow under its chin. Super cute, even if it's not pure bred. Our NEXT hatch should be 100% Faverolles, now that all the non-Fav chickens are off the property.

Every egg I can see well has pipped, too! What a relief after that last fiasco... Ducklings hatching next week, I set 48 expecting a 50-60% success, but they're going into lockdown on Monday and it looks like I will have 45 ducklings next week!! Good thing we've got the greenhouse done and the Pekins are just about ready to go live in the outside proper.

Does anyone else have experience brooding on something other than pine shavings or sand? My husband has asthma, and while HE isn't terribly concerned about the dust affecting his breathing, I am experimenting with brooding on cut-down flannel sheets and towels from the thrift store. My hope is that I can amass several weeks' worth of towels/sheets, stash the dirty ones in a metal trashcan, and hit up the industrial washers at the laundramat once or twice a month - reusable brooder materials with a lot less dust! I hate having to buy in shavings just for them to crap on...its OK for now for the big chickens in the coop, since by the end of summer we'll probably break down and buy a chipper, there's just too much brush on this property to go without one for long, and then we'll be able to use our own chips in the coop, but I dont want to put the teeny tinies on big huge chips. Any thoughts?

Everyone cross your fingers for us - my husband is off for his final interview to take over as general manager at Borealis Breads!