Meyer Hatchery Chicken pics anyone??

[christine9]

24 week update!


We've had so much rain, there is mud everywhere. These are the four eggs from six little ones: cuckoo marans, welsummer, light brahma, and speckled Sussex. Just waiting on the two ameraucanas to catch up.

Olive-light brahma. oh my gosh, she's so dirty...her feathered feet are a mess, but hopefully things will dry out soon. Her first egg was laid at 20 weeks.

Sarsaparilla-Cuckoo marans. I just love her eggs. First one was at 19 weeks, they are slowly getting bigger.

Strawberry-Speckled Sussex. Her first egg was at 22 weeks. It's the cutest little creamy colored egg.

Pumpkin-Welsummer. Laid her first egg today at 24 weeks. It's a nice brown with tons of speckles. I hope they stay that speckled as time goes on.

Eggplant-Black Ameraucana. Not laying yet, but squatted for me for the first time today. She's finally starting to fill out.

Limabean-Splash Ameraucana. Not laying but her face has been really red for a few weeks. She's still so tiny and definitely the bottom of the pecking order.

My boy Peppy (only one not Meyers). 8 months old and just finally started to roost with the girls at night. I'm thinking this is solidifying his role as head of the coop.

Kiwi-Delaware. My alpha hen. She's missing some feathers on her head and neck. I think she has been challenging Peppy and not ready to give up her spot.

Apricot-Buff Brahma. Such a sweetie.

RIR-Persimmon. I'm secretly hoping she'll decide to go broody again this year.

ETA: the oldest three are a year and a half old already!!

 

[NanaLynn]

Such a great website and so many services at their store! You can wash your own dog in their sink... LOVE that. AND they take Paypal.... I will be buying for sure. I have some $$ in my account burning a hole in my pocket. Can't wait to see what the vet suggests for puppies. After our horrible 'pigs ear' incident I'm afraid to give them anything. I did see that the 2 bit dog food chains took out all the China made jerky treats killing dogs but they are still in tons of other stores.
So nice your son/DIL moved so close!! Dream come true I'm sure
you gave me a good idea... maybe I can tell breeder my pup developed an allergy to the food and had to change!! I have enough food for about 4-5 months but I'd like to switch to something I don't have to pay shipping for and also pay so much for. For no reason!!
Time certainly does fly. We'll be empty nesters this coming fall but I think my older son wants to go to law school so when he graduates next spring he'll be back to live with us and go to school. Luckily we have several good schools near us so we can save a little money on room/board.
Wow, she's so different looking... in a GREAT way!!

It is neat that you can wash your dog there. They also clean up after you. Another reason why I want them to open a store near us. Love having money that is just begging to be spent! Our daughter is still home with us and graduates this fall from college. She may be working overseas, if she gets the job she is trying for, so we may be empty-nesters around the same time as you. Well sounds like you'll be just temporary empty-nesters. Send one away and the other comes back. That's nice though. If they both were gone too long, there's no telling how many chickens you'd end up getting!

Got my horizontal nipple waterers built and put them in the run. I put one in the run yesterday around 4:30. Took about 2 minutes until some of the girls figured out how to use it. I put the second one in the run this am before letting everyone out, pulled their other waterers and let them out. They took to it like it had ways been there. The BR and Delawares have been the ones to take the lead and have shown others. I still need to secure them against some support poles in the run and put the bucket heaters in them as well, which I will do today. Next task is building the no waste bucket style feeders and get them set up, I will be building them out of a 15 gallon plastic drum and a five gallon bucket. Surgery is a week from tomorrow and I have been trying to get things organized, meals made, chickens streamlined, etc. I am glad our girls took to the watered so easily, wasn't sure they would since we used nipple waterers before. Also I bought 15 nipples not realizing that one nipple waterers 6-8 birds and I have only used 9, so will have plenty to set up waterers for baby chicks this spring and to have a bucket in their free range area as well.

Hope everyone back east is staying warm.

Pictures? Good job getting it taken care of, I'm sure whoever takes care of your chickens after the surgery we'll appreciate it.

 

[COChix]

Pictures by request

Yesterday's shot

Today's shot

They picked it up quick, which surprised me as we have never had nipple waterers. It was a hit by afternoon.

Here is a shot of the heater we are going with...they are made for buckets either metal or plastic, fully submersible or floats. Oh and they have thermostats.

 

[NotableNancy]

Got my horizontal nipple waterers built and put them in the run. I put one in the run yesterday around 4:30. Took about 2 minutes until some of the girls figured out how to use it. I put the second one in the run this am before letting everyone out, pulled their other waterers and let them out. They took to it like it had ways been there. The BR and Delawares have been the ones to take the lead and have shown others. I still need to secure them against some support poles in the run and put the bucket heaters in them as well, which I will do today. Next task is building the no waste bucket style feeders and get them set up, I will be building them out of a 15 gallon plastic drum and a five gallon bucket. Surgery is a week from tomorrow and I have been trying to get things organized, meals made, chickens streamlined, etc. I am glad our girls took to the watered so easily, wasn't sure they would since we used nipple waterers before. Also I bought 15 nipples not realizing that one nipple waterers 6-8 birds and I have only used 9, so will have plenty to set up waterers for baby chicks this spring and to have a bucket in their free range area as well.

Hope everyone back east is staying warm.

Dodged a bullet.... we were supposed to get 6-12" of snow and got 2!! Perfect. Looks pretty but not so much as to be a huge hassle!! But the cold is moving in for the next week or so. Temps around 10-20 degrees max. After last winter's harsh temps I don't worry about them at all. I just go out a few more times a day to collect eggs so they don't freeze.

Awesome job! I'd love to see the feeders when you get that done. I like my PVC feeders, but would love something that eliminates even a little more waste. I can't believe how much feed we go through now. Although 3xs the birds is 3xs the feed, right? Duh! Obviously I wasn't thinking about that when I kept adding chicks to my order last year! Lol.

AND 3x the poop!!! I didn't think about it either. I had 13 chickens for a year but going up to 20 is a lot more food/poo. I'm thinking 16-17 is more my speed. Maybe because the puppy has added more work for me and I'm watching a neighbor's house while they are gone for a month I have lots to do. Im over there 2-3X a day changing bird bath water, watering plants, getting mail/newspapers and just making it look like someone is there. She has live feed cameras all over the place so she's watching me too

Getting paid well so I don't mind. Thinking I should make a business out of it or possibly dog walking. People pay $15-20 to take their dogs for a 30 min walk while they are at work. I have a posh retirement home close by with a lot of dogs there. I could hang a sign and maybe get a few customers. I wouldn't need many to make a little more chicken spending money!!

24 week update!


We've had so much rain, there is mud everywhere. These are the four eggs from six little ones: cuckoo marans, welsummer, light brahma, and speckled Sussex. Just waiting on the two ameraucanas to catch up.

Pumpkin-Welsummer. Laid her first egg today at 24 weeks. It's a nice brown with tons of speckles. I hope they stay that speckled as time goes on.

Eggplant-Black Ameraucana. Not laying yet, but squatted for me for the first time today. She's finally starting to fill out.

Limabean-Splash Ameraucana. Not laying but her face has been really red for a few weeks. She's still so tiny and definitely the bottom of the pecking order.

My boy Peppy (only one not Meyers). 8 months old and just finally started to roost with the girls at night. I'm thinking this is solidifying his role as head of the coop.

Kiwi-Delaware. My alpha hen. She's missing some feathers on her head and neck. I think she has been challenging Peppy and not ready to give up her spot.

Apricot-Buff Brahma. Such a sweetie.

RIR-Persimmon. I'm secretly hoping she'll decide to go broody again this year.

ETA: the oldest three are a year and a half old already!!

Love the pics of the girls/boy!! Working on my 'want list' for next year. It's modest.... Welsummer for the speckled eggs and Splash Ameraucana for the pretty factor and of course blue eggs (May have to get a few LOL) Yours are so pretty and I always

the Buff Brahma. Apricot is so pretty!!

It is neat that you can wash your dog there. They also clean up after you. Another reason why I want them to open a store near us. Love having money that is just begging to be spent! Our daughter is still home with us and graduates this fall from college. She may be working overseas, if she gets the job she is trying for, so we may be empty-nesters around the same time as you. Well sounds like you'll be just temporary empty-nesters. Send one away and the other comes back. That's nice though. If they both were gone too long, there's no telling how many chickens you'd end up getting!

Pictures? Good job getting it taken care of, I'm sure whoever takes care of your chickens after the surgery we'll appreciate it.

My vet said no bully bones, ham bones, pigs ears, antlers or rawhide. Funny how all vets are different. My friend gives her dog a rawhide bone every day per her vet's advice! I will be getting a few of the toys and sweet potato treats. I'm sure I'll find more too

Wow, over seas? Where is she going to go? Thankfully my coop/run is full with 20 chickens so that is my max an my DH is finished adding on to it. If I want more I will have to get rid of old ones. That won't be until next year. I'm trying to hold out on any changes for a while. We'll see how loud it is this spring, I may have to sell off a few.

Pictures by request


Today's shot




They picked it up quick, which surprised me as we have never had nipple waterers. It was a hit by afternoon.

Here is a shot of the heater we are going with...they are made for buckets either metal or plastic, fully submersible or floats. Oh and they have thermostats.

GREAT set up!! We have that bucket heater too. It's in the big trash can that collects rain water off the coop/run roof. Works perfectly!!

 

[autumnhearth]

24 week update!

Olive-light brahma. oh my gosh, she's so dirty...her feathered feet are a mess, but hopefully things will dry out soon. Her first egg was laid at 20 weeks.


Pumpkin-Welsummer. Laid her first egg today at 24 weeks. It's a nice brown with tons of speckles. I hope they stay that speckled as time goes on.


Limabean-Splash Ameraucana. Not laying but her face has been really red for a few weeks. She's still so tiny and definitely the bottom of the pecking order.


My boy Peppy (only one not Meyers). 8 months old and just finally started to roost with the girls at night. I'm thinking this is solidifying his role as head of the coop.

RIR-Persimmon. I'm secretly hoping she'll decide to go broody again this year.

ETA: the oldest three are a year and a half old already!!

Gah! I <3 your chickens! Way to go girls, congrats on the new eggs! And that a boy Peppy! Really looking forward to our Welsummer and Light Brahma chicks in March. I love Pumpkin and Olive. Limabean is so pretty! I love how her beak looks almost translucent. Is it just the picture or is Persimmon looking like a lighter shade of red this season?

 

[autumnhearth]

Pictures by request





They picked it up quick, which surprised me as we have never had nipple waterers. It was a hit by afternoon.

Here is a shot of the heater we are going with...they are made for buckets either metal or plastic, fully submersible or floats. Oh and they have thermostats.

So I noticed that both your waters on sitting on bases, as well as the crates. Are those electric water bowls for dogs? And do you have them on with water in them to send heat upward or do you just have the bucket heaters going? May I ask where you got the heater and the horizontal nipples. Looks like a good setup for next year. We tried the vertical nipples at the bottom of a bucket in November. Despite having a warmer inside they froze and I didn't like the nipples sticking out underneath the bucket anyway. I had to balance it between two logs.

 

[COChix]

So I noticed that both your waters on sitting on bases, as well as the crates.  Are those electric water bowls for dogs?  And do you have them on with water in them to send heat upward or do you just have the bucket heaters going?  May I ask where you got the heater and the horizontal nipples.  Looks like a good setup for next year.  We tried the vertical nipples at the bottom of a bucket in November. Despite having a warmer inside they froze and I didn't like the nipples sticking out underneath the bucket anyway.  I had to balance it between two logs.

You are correct those buckets are sitting on top of dog bowls, they were in the run from my previous set up. I had them filled with sand and then had the baby chick waterers on top to keep from freezing and to keep the roo's from dipping their wattles while drinking. I just set my buckets on top of the dog bowls to see how the height was for the gang. I will probably go with two milk crates, haven't decided. The heaters and nipples were both ordered off amazon, the heaters were a little pricey $50 but we ordered them during a cold snap. The week before they had been priced at like $40. I decided on this set up based on many reviews for the horizontal nipples and them not freezing. I have read too many people complaining about the vertical nipples and no matter what heater they used they would freeze and knew I didn't want those. Of course now that I have these heaters it hasn't been cold enough for them to really be out to the test. I am not worried though based on reviews off amazon and a review I read on here. I will try to find the link to the review on here...

https://www.backyardchickens.com/pr...-tank-de-icer-250-watt-removable-floater-ring

@NotableNancy glad to here yet another person who likes the heater we got. Can't wait for cold, sort of, just so I can see how they do.

 

[christine9]

Gah! I <3 your chickens!  Way to go girls, congrats on the new eggs!  And that a boy Peppy!  Really looking forward to our Welsummer and Light Brahma chicks in March.  I love Pumpkin and Olive.  Limabean is so pretty!  I love how her beak looks almost translucent.  Is it just the picture or is Persimmon looking like a lighter shade of red this season?

Thank you!! The translucent beak really freaks me out, but it's quite different. And yes, Persimmon feathered in slightly lighter after the molt this year. Most of the black feathers on her tail also came in red instead of black. Still such a stinker!

 

[trsturself]

Well I just sent my friend an email asking her to find a new home for her chickens. I think I've been more than generous to house them since Sept. The thing that really tipped me over the edge is our roosters have been fighting and one had blood all over his comb and head today. I need to get them separated. I hope that helps calm things down and get the girls back to laying. I get a sporadic egg here and there but really only about 2-3 a week!

 

[jtn42248]

Well I just sent my friend an email asking her to find a new home for her chickens. I think I've been more than generous to house them since Sept. The thing that really tipped me over the edge is our roosters have been fighting and one had blood all over his comb and head today. I need to get them separated. I hope that helps calm things down and get the girls back to laying. I get a sporadic egg here and there but really only about 2-3 a week!

If you have been taking care of this ladies chickens for almost six months I am not sure I would use the term friend in refering to her. Also, possession is 9/10 of the law they say. I would give her notice and then after 30 days take possession. I don't know how many birds your are talking about but the feed and care alone...