North Carolina

[Hollowoakfarm]

Yeah, we thought about the ceramic ones, but locally they were just too much. I'll have to ask my son where he gets his for his snakes. And check Ebay. That's probably where he's getting them, anyway! What's the lifespan on those, d'ya know?

I got the guinea pig cages because I wanted the deep bin so they couldn't scratch stuff out. And after all the discussions about the pine pellets, I figured to give them a try. All my rabbit cages are hanging ones, and far too large to bring inside even if they had bottoms to them.

Any problems getting them to transition back to open water when they go out, once you've gotten them on bottles? That would certainly free some space and save some work, and I have extra rabbit bottles handy. I do like that idea!

 

[MaryRuthLangdon]

Who is going to the WCA tomorrow?? I'll be there around 12:30-1. I don't have anything to sell but I have a friend that asked me to bid on some hens for him.

We will be there... and we will have a couple of hens and one roo to sell.
I sure hope their new heaters work good. Now if they could just improve on those danged bleachers...

 

[atmaclean]

Yeah, we thought about the ceramic ones, but locally they were just too much. I'll have to ask my son where he gets his for his snakes. And check Ebay. That's probably where he's getting them, anyway! What's the lifespan on those, d'ya know?

I got the guinea pig cages because I wanted the deep bin so they couldn't scratch stuff out. And after all the discussions about the pine pellets, I figured to give them a try. All my Ibbit cages are hanging ones, and far too large to bring inside even if they had bottoms to them.

Any problems getting them to transition back to open water when they go out, once you've gotten them on bottles? That would certainly free some space and save some work, and I have extra rabbit bottles handy. I do like that idea!

If I remember correctly, the lifespan of those ceramic heat emitters was something like 2,000 hours but don't quote me. I'd have to research it more. I do remember it seemed like a long time.

The cages I use have a slide out tray under the bottom of the cage so poop falls through and into the tray - I put shavings in the tray - those pelleted pine things would work too, I would imagine. They can't scratch out anything since they are on the wire - boy do those little boogers try though! I've got a few guinea pig cages as well and they work just fine. I use paper towels the first week to 10 days just to make sure the babies don't eat shavings or sawdust. They will sometimes do that and it can mess up their little crops and kill them from what I've been told.

I've never had a minute's trouble getting them to drink from the other waterers. Once they know how to drink from the rabbit water bottles, they will drink from either one - at least that's been my experience. I even use the rabbit water bottles for the guinea keets too. They really take to the water bottles fast. They also have no trouble drinking from the regular waterers when I switch them to the outdoors.

I've got a tub of babies that I need to switch to the cages this coming week. Luckily, I've collected many good-sized rabbit cages over the years and store them up in the hayloft of the barn. My hubby keeps threatening to throw them out but I won't let him. They have come in handy so many times for various things....

Sounds like you will have a great set-up for your babies

Angela

 

[Coop Scoop Boogie]

That is excellent. I use the dry incubation method, how about you?

I use the Beth.....that fixed all my hatching problems

thank you Beth

 

[wildriverswolf90]

 [COLOR=008000]I use the Beth.....that fixed all my hatching problems  [/COLOR]

[COLOR=008000]thank you Beth  [/COLOR]

 

[Hollowoakfarm]

Good Morning, Happy People!

Yesterday while we were out running errands I told hubby that i'll likely take him up on his offer to build another chickenhouse...but not this year. This is my breed choosing year. But he does need to build me two raised coops for the breeding pens; ones to hold half a dozen birds with easy access for cleaning and egg gathering. I'll need those later this year, but no rush. Keeping my eye out for more chain link kennels that break down into panels. Missed a couple recently.

Two Buff Brahmas hatched yesterday. Two more eggs went to lockdown. Hopefully they'll hatch today. Or last night; I haven't checked yet.

Have a great day!

Editing after chores. It's not so great a morning. Once again I forgot to lock up. Hubby has been helping, and it's thrown my pattern off. No excuse; it's still my fault. Eighteen dead. Seventeen BO pullets and one GLW. The ones that sleep on the ground. This morning, too, as the bodies were limp, not frozen, and blood was still wet. A dog, this time. A well fed dog. Not a bite out of one of them. Just dead. It didn't dig into the pasture, so it's a fence jumper. And I'm guessing not too big, since it got the ones on the ground. It tried for the guard turkey hen, and got a bunch of feathers, but she's not hurt. I'm guessing her tail was the lowest of the perched birds. So this morning, but before daybreak. And it's my fault. Again.

Since I didn't lock up, I also didn't bring in the milk bar bucket, and had to thaw that is morning. Thankfully the nipples didn't split. And I'm glad we lock the calves up when they are fed, else the dog(s) might have mauled them, too.

It's not so good a morning here. Hope your day is better.

 

[atmaclean]

Good Morning, Happy People!

Yesterday while we were out running errands I told hubby that i'll likely take him up on his offer to build another chickenhouse...but not this year. This is my breed choosing year. But he does need to build me two raised coops for the breeding pens; ones to hold half a dozen birds with easy access for cleaning and egg gathering. I'll need those later this year, but no rush. Keeping my eye out for more chain link kennels that break down into panels. Missed a couple recently.

Two Buff Brahmas hatched yesterday. Two more eggs went to lockdown. Hopefully they'll hatch today. Or last night; I haven't checked yet.

Have a great day!

Editing after chores. It's not so great a morning. Once again I forgot to lock up. Hubby has been helping, and it's thrown my pattern off. No excuse; it's still my fault. Eighteen dead. Seventeen BO pullets and one GLW. The ones that sleep on the ground. This morning, too, as the bodies were limp, not frozen, and blood was still wet. A dog, this time. A well fed dog. Not a bite out of one of them. Just dead. It didn't dig into the pasture, so it's a fence jumper. And I'm guessing not too big, since it got the ones on the ground. It tried for the guard turkey hen, and got a bunch of feathers, but she's not hurt. I'm guessing her tail was the lowest of the perched birds. So this morning, but before daybreak. And it's my fault. Again.

Since I didn't lock up, I also didn't bring in the milk bar bucket, and had to thaw that is morning. Thankfully the nipples didn't split. And I'm glad we lock the calves up when they are fed, else the dog(s) might have mauled them, too.

It's not so good a morning here. Hope your day is better.

Oh gosh! I am so, so sorry.... Just makes you sick, I know. Someone told me about a way to hook up a motion activated light to a radio in your house. That way, when something was around the chicken coup, the light would come on and it would also turn on a radio in your house to alert you to the predator! I thought it was a fabulous idea. We are so very fortunate to have Banjo, our LGD who does not allow any predators around our chickens. I was a nervous wreck before we had him and he started working for us. I am notorious for forgetting to go back out and shut the coup door - its usually 9pm before I remember to go back out there and shut them up and a lot of times hubby has already done it.

I'd try to find that dog and have a word with his owners! Maybe you could try the motion sensor light/radio trick until you can figure something else out. So sorry.....
Angela

 

[tick22]

****, Hollow, I am so sorry for your losses. I am at that stage in life where I forget things or start something and then get a thought and move on forgetting what I was doing. ( not that I am saying you are old!!!

) That is why I do the midnight check. to be sure everyone is locked up and safe. The missus has been home sick this past week and yes, that does throw your pattern off. Taking care of her and the animals. maybe I should put her out to pasture. snickers...
Well tomorrow starts the warm up and boy am I ready. I bet my animals are also.
Everyone have a good day and if possible an awesome day.

 

[CJJenkins]

I have some quail that got stressed and three died due to broken necks i guess. I think the culprit was a cat i seen a day later. I added a heat lamp to each cage (taking donations for light bill lol ) to ease the stress. Instead of paying 65.00 for a 100 ft. Drop cord. I bought a 250pair roll of 12-2the house wire a drop cord end plug and an outlet box. Only thing is you gotta know how to wire it to prevent a fire.

aww, I am sorry about your quail

. I am going to try just household cords, that is my project for the week, too cold this weekend and DH is home, can't get anything done when he is home!

24 hours at the firehouse for me... maybe everyone will act like they got sense... fortunately ice was not much of an issue for us... YEAH!!!!

The girls were looking around this morning saying "Who cut on the AC last night?" It's cold out there!!!
Everyone stay warm out there....

Stay safe chief! My babies don't seem to mind the cold, I like to have broken my neck going out to check on them.

if its just for light what about solar??
Jon

I don't need light, I am just trying to keep my waterers from freezing.

My chickens are in portable coops...tractors. Think I will move them over near the outlet that is for the electric fence and just leave them there for a while. Think this cold has set in for a bit. 20° this morning..
Have a great day. Off to visit the grands get me some sweet grand baby loving!

 

[Coop Scoop Boogie]

Good morning folks

Hollow

so sorry about your chickies

another cold morning.......I keep telling myself
this is a good thing because it is killing back
some of that over abundant bug population.......
even if it isn't.......it makes the cold more tolerable.
We are waiting for some of last summer/fall
pullets to start up on the laying so I can divide
them into the breeding pens. I am hoping for
some nice OEs to get the egg color project going

I have a few hens but more would be better

hope everyone has a good day