North Carolina

[Banriona]

Blech. Finally getting some posts in the ground for the chicken run. An auger sure would be helpful, this digging by hand stuff is for the birds!

Have 8 out of 13 holes dug, and 2 posts in so far. Just need to get the other 11 posts in and the gate installed. Oh, and sometime in the next three weeks get a transition coop built so my guy in quarantine can ease into the flock. In the meantime, the boys are loving playing in the holes and all the dirt/mud piles I'm making.

Hope everyone is having a great week!!!

 

[ramirezframing]

Well it just donned on me today that the state fair is coming up in a few weeks, who all is planning on going?

 

[ramirezframing]

Blech. Finally getting some posts in the ground for the chicken run. An auger sure would be helpful, this digging by hand stuff is for the birds!

Have 8 out of 13 holes dug, and 2 posts in so far. Just need to get the other 11 posts in and the gate installed. Oh, and sometime in the next three weeks get a transition coop built so my guy in quarantine can ease into the flock. In the meantime, the boys are loving playing in the holes and all the dirt/mud piles I'm making.

Hope everyone is having a great week!!!

I got 3 kids that can dig a man eating hole in no time, just might not be where you want it (ok 90% chance that it wont be where you want it). I'll rent them to you for a day if you need.

 

[Banriona]

I got 3 kids that can dig a man eating hole in no time, just might not be where you want it (ok 90% chance that it wont be where you want it). I'll rent them to you for a day if you need.

Hmmmmm Can they make it 6' deep? That may prove useful to me at some point... Maybe just keep one of those handy out back in the woods in case DH tells me I can't have more chickens... hee hee hee

 

[Coop Scoop Boogie]

Good morning folks

Yesterday started out as a bit of a wet morning..........
not a surprise but the cold breeze that blew in later in
the day was a surprise. I'm glad I keep a jacket/light
coat in the car.

It's good seeing so many members posting to this
board and although I don't always respond to every
post, I do enjoy reading them......thanks for the company

hope everyone has a good day and stays warm

 

[lindz8504]

Good morning! Seems like it is going to be another chilly fall day. Stay safe everyone!
I have to do some work on the coops for the cold weather that is on its way!
CSB... I love your morning posts! Great way to start the day.

 

[dutchbunny83]

Good morning!

Traps were empty this morning so whatever it is doesn't like eggs (all I had to bait with) or can't fit through the opening of the crawfish trap (or just smarter than I gave credit for). BUT all pullets are accounted for since I locked them in that hutch last night. Guess I'll have to keep doing that every night until they are bigger. The little ones (like 3-5 weeks) were roosting lowest to the ground or sleeping on the actual floor of the coop so they were easy to grab if someone came in.

NOW, I am having hatching problems I don't know why. The first 10 hatches or so went great no problems, this one and the last one I don't know what is happening. When the eggs go in lockdown you can see them rocking around. Then you can hear them chirping through the shell. Then on hatch day they are still and silent. When I open them, there is a fully developed healthy looking chick dead. I had 6 exchequer leghorns on lockdown this week. And last night all 6 were rocking around chirping. This morning I have one with a pip, one still chirping but no movement, and 4 totally quiet and still. I carefully opened the 4 and once again, fully developed chick dead. Then I opened the one still chirping and helped it out. It's looking good for now, and didn't really bleed, it was ready to come out. The final one is pipping.

Ideas on this??? It's like they can't get in the right position. Do you think it could be taking them out of the egg turner and putting them down in the bator is messing them up? (The early hatches I didn't use an automatic turner). Or could it be humidity? I've been doing dry incubation (up until hatch when I put in a wet papertowel to bump it up a bit) so maybe it's too dry and they're getting stuck? When I open the eggs the filmy thing is almost stuck to their skin?

Grrrr so frustrating!!!

 

[Lizabelsherrill]

Good morning! I hope everyone is enjoying the cooler weather.

I noticed yesterday that after Patty had something to eat she went to the nest box. OK..it's time to lay an egg. She was in there all evening...even when the others went to roost. This morning she was STILL in there. Is there any other reason besides being broody that would keep her in the nest? I don't have a rooster so her eggs aren't fertile. I can get fertilized eggs from someone I go to church with. Is it too late in the year for her to raise chicks? Should I let her hatch eggs or should I break her? Suggestions/advice are appreciated!

 

[Tikkijane]

Good morning!  I hope everyone is enjoying the cooler weather.

I noticed yesterday that after Patty had something to eat she went to the nest box.  OK..it's time to lay an egg.  She was in there all evening...even when the others went to roost.  This morning she was STILL in there.  Is there any other reason besides being broody that would keep her in the nest?  I don't have a rooster so her eggs aren't fertile.  I can get fertilized eggs from someone I go to church with.  Is it too late in the year for her to raise chicks?  Should I let her hatch eggs or should I break her?  Suggestions/advice are appreciated!

You need a rooster to have fertile eggs. Since you don't have one, she'll end uo sitting on rotting eggs. If you don't care, leave her alone.

You can sneak the new eggs out and give her a golf ball instead. If you don't want her broody, you'll have to break her.

You might check to see if she's egg bound if she's acting like she needs to lay.

 

[Tikkijane]

People hatch all the time, too, fwiw. I think it's your call if you want to chance trying for chicks or not. If it was me, I wouldn't chance the chicks right now. If I had enough eggs, I'd leave her alone.