Michigan

[Hillbilly Hen]

Very cute chicks Cricket

 

[fifelakelooper]

The chicks are adorable Cricket and Hillbilly Hen!

 

[Chickmate]

Quote:
Why thank you seven! I love my cute little coop, but if I could have a do over there are so many things I would change, like:
1. The coop and run would be 3 (or 4) times larger!
2. The coop is only one big room inside, I would have at least two separate areas to keep chickens of different ages apart. Same with the run.
3. There is no storage closet for bales of wood chips, feed etc.
4. I made way too many nest boxes and used up an entire wall! Who knew, I thought I needed a box for each hen!!
5. A little more ventilation never hurts.
6. Hoping to add water out there this summer or fall.
7. The roosts are too far away from the wall and a little too high, which makes installing poop pans much harder. I'm going to put some new ones down lower.

No, there was no plan. I bought a shed someone had started to put together but never finished, then the guy who put my new kitchen in said he would build me a coop if I wanted it, so we just went from there. It's solid as a rock, Jim is a fantastic builder. It's all insulated, walls and ceiling and wired. He read a book about building chicken coops before he started so he had measurements for the pop door, nest boxes, etc. I just kept changing my mind about stuff and before we even had the walls up I told him it was going to be too small!

 

[Pyncheon guy]

Cute chicks.... I'm waiting for some of mine to hatch here in few days.... Happy Hatching!!!!

 

[Hillbilly Hen]

Quote:
Sounds like my coop for the most part. You should see my old coop... uh...never mind, it was pretty bad.

 

[RIRJen]

Ok, I can't post all the pictures from the poultry show on here but they are on my facebook...here's the link and I made it available to be seen by anyone! Enjoy!!
http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.1671976399121.2086527.1228727696

 

[Chickmate]

Quote:
Wow, that was fun! Thanks Jen! Some beautiful birds!

 

[keyt1969]

Well, my unknown chicks finally produced 2 chicks. I'm still not sure if the other 5 eggs are any good because I can't see inside of them, but there hasn't been any sign of anything so they're probably duds. I'll leave them in there til tomorrow. The other bator is full of various duck eggs and they are all developing very nicely!

The first chick was a bantam. It took forever to hatch and once it did, I noticed it's legs didn't look so good. After some reading I think it has "spraddle legs". So I bandaged it as the treatment said and now it seems that's the least of its concerns. It hatched almost 48 hours ago and it rarely opens its eyes. It's very weak.

BUT, earlier today another chick hatched in no time. Not sure what it is but i think it might be a cochin combo. I split a large plastic tote with each chick on one side and when the healthy chick chirps, so does the not so healthy one. The weaker one doesn't open its eyes and lays on its side almost all the time, but it perks up when the other chick chirps. I'm feeding it by hand every hour so needless to say I haven't had much sleep. Not that I could anyway when I have a busted tooth that is making my life hell anyway!

The little weak bantam about 6 hours after it hatched

The bantam today

The unknown chick

 

[Opa]

Rather than trying to dust each bird, I decided that it would be much easier to let them to it themselves. I add DE and Sevin to the soil in the dust baths. It may take a day to so but eventually they all hit the dust bath.

Chickmate, I have my roosts located high with a small ladder to allow the birds access. I then constructed trays that are suspended with 6" lengths of light chain.

 

[gallinamama]

A bad thing happened last night... went out to feed and water the chickens and found one had a large wound in her back. I separated the birds, and dressed the wound... she is eating and drinking ...also posted on the illness board and got some real good advice. I have a man coming to pick up the rooster before Friday..Hopefully Burton (the black hen) can heal and get back in the flock.. but I think it will take a long while. I need to address the eating of eggs... one or more of the chickens are destroying or eating the eggs... I only get half of what I used to. I am just not a good farmer. I love to take care of my chickens but this is so frustrating and sad.

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