North Carolina

[KristanB]

I use the square Styrofoam one now for a while, and have a low mortality rate. I do pick carefully what to put in them. I also have a turner, but have only used it once for a short time, and removed before 16th day. It was purchased at TSC. And if I keep a check on temp, moisture and turn by hand... each time as soon as the chicks have dry hair they go in the brooder box and I spray it down and start the next group.
If you get something like this be sure not to put it near a window or draft where temp is likely to change because you will have to adjust the temp manually when it spikes half-way through as the chicks form. I also line the bottom with a cloth to be replaced with each quick clean and back to being loaded. It will NOT be turned off till it starts to get cold! Chris (DS-1) went to look at what it was called and it is the same as you are looking at. Get a good hydrometer if you by one of these, and you would have to keep a close eye on it as well for micro adjustments. I don't think they come with a Turner, but that does not mean that you can not get one separate. I was just afraid the little ones would get legs caught in the turner if left in, so when I am real busy I left it for a while, but removed it. I also have used it to hatch quail for the neighbor at the same time as our Turken, and Am eggs.

Right now I have 5 EE's out and in a brooder a few more to go, 1 Silkie and 2 more to go. The EE's eggs were found under a pool, and she is known for doing this, and this is how I turned the bator on last year too. Last year we found them in the ducks nest. I guess if I had found it a few days later there would have been more, but I also have others on a different time frame because I check it often. I don't recommend having as many dates, because it can get confusing, but each to their own. DO mark dates that they go in on eggs, not just a chart or calender.

Chicks from last year's hatch.


I think most people would prefer the type that will regulate the temp for them. I don't mind turning and checking to alter the temp, and/or moisture levels. Healthy Happy Birds! That is what maters. A may buy a bigger one some day, or twist the hubby's arm, so that he will build me one ...

I can hatch even more at once then!

Thanks for the info!!!

 

[soupysmomma]

TarheelBirdy

You are near me! I am near Providence Grove High school... nice to meat you. I was really interested in Guineas for tick control but my family were not excited about it.

So I finally got some chickens.. to bridge the gap. Do you keep you guineas up at night? I have heard you can but all the ones around here are just out and about all the time. I have heard that we are having a coyote problem around this area and I do not want them to be something's dinner...

What are your thoughts?

It is nice to meet you!

Amanda

 

[Farrah]

Just wondering if anyone has any good ideas on marketing and selling their eggs? I am new to all this.. thanks in advance!

 

[Hollowoakfarm]

Ya'll have been chatty this morning!

Welcome to all the new folks!

Hubby spent this weekend emptying one compost bin into the garden and spreading it. He planted peas, carrots, lettuces and spinach so far. We aren't doing potatoes this year, as we don't eat many. Normally, we do them the lazy way, because we prefer the small new potaotes. Just lay your potato starts on top of the ground, and cover with a layer of mulch. I always use the waste hay from the sheep for that. When I want potatoes, I just lift the mulch and grab enough for dinner, then put the mulch back and let the plant make more. I can keep them going well into the summer that way, always having lovely new potatoes. But we eat so few now, since I can no longer eat them, that it's not worth the garden space.

I hired a friend's ten-year-old for summer garden weeding. He's so proud of having a summer job! But I can no longer do it, and with Chris traveling all the time the weeds take over pretty quickly. Having an enthusiastic boy to pull weeds will be helpful. And since after he does the weeds he's got the dogs to play with (He absolutely loves Levi!) and I'll pay him too, he's thrilled. He was willing to do it just to play with the dogs, but I'll pay him!

The calves are down to one bottle a day now. They are eating LOTS of creep feed. I need to get in some round bales, so I can cut down on the pellets. And next time I breed rabbits, there will be three does bred. The younger girls will be old enough then. Lots of meat for the freezer! I'm limiting to three breeding does at a time on these. I ran a herd of up to fifty French Angoras not too long ago, and they were a lot of work. The NZs are far less work, but still there is some. Unless and until I build a market for rabbit meat, I'll keep the numbers down.

I got FOUR eggs yesterday! All those pullets are coming on line now. There are nine in this age group. That'll enable me to provide an occasional dozen to the patiently ...and not so patiently...waiting egg customers. It'll be another two months before the RIR, EEs and Welsummers joing the BOs, but there are 20+ of them. And then another three months or so for the 40+ in JDC. But I'm feeling much better about things since the eggs have started coming again. During December after all our birds had been put down, I was feeling pretty down.

Next month I'll be moving the oldest batch out the chickenhouse where the MG was. It should be long gone, but cross your crossables anyway. I'm totally paranoid! In fact, I'll probably bleach everything down one more time, just to pacify my paranoia, even though it can't live on surfaces anywhere near this long.

Okay, enough babble out of me! Hope everyone is enjoying their day...I need to get back to work!

 

[TarheelBirdy]

TarheelBirdy

You are near me! I am near Providence Grove High school... nice to meat you. I was really interested in Guineas for tick control but my family were not excited about it.

So I finally got some chickens.. to bridge the gap. Do you keep you guineas up at night? I have heard you can but all the ones around here are just out and about all the time. I have heard that we are having a coyote problem around this area and I do not want them to be something's dinner...

What are your thoughts?

It is nice to meet you!

Amanda

Cool! You are close! I love my guineas. I have two flocks - one that I keep penned up all the time (for breeding purposes - all my females and a couple of males), and then I have a "Rat Pack" of boys that do tick patrol. I'd love to have them go inside at night but it's just not gonna happen. They are wild boys. We are having the same coyote problem, but owls seem to be the biggest problem for guineas - they swoop down and grab them while they roost at night. My boys seem to have found a good roosting place - it's very thick and brushy there - pretty non-swoopable.

I know a lot of people do train their guineas to come in at night, so it can be done.

I raise and sell guinea keets, so let me know if you are interested in any, or anyone you know. They should start laying in the next month or so.

 

[TarheelBirdy]

Just wondering if anyone has any good ideas on marketing and selling their eggs? I am new to all this.. thanks in advance!

Hatching eggs or eating eggs?

 

[jdeoliveira74]

Very cool idea about the potatoes.

I have started seeds inside and starting more today and this weekend.

yeah I totally stole it from beth... but i had some scrap i used to make the boxes.. I will post pics thought i had it on the phone but i don't

 

[wildriverswolf90]

Well I found my two does late last night, and they are now happily in back in their pens. I brought my buck with me over to the nieghbors and after a very long talk, they rembursed me for the dead bunny and offered to fix my broken coop. They promised to lock up the dog and they kept their word, I can see up th the house and the dog is now on a very large runner cable, they promised they would have a fenced in an area next month hoping they stick to it.

Hollow- thanks for the offer on the buck, but I breed netherland dwarfs and lionheads. But down the road I'd love to talk meat rabbits with you, as I'm hoping to get into breeding them later this year or next.

I have never been able to bring myself to shoot a dog, unless it is being outwardly aggressive to me. I will shot at one, to scare it away, but usually work with animal control to catch the dogs, or just go straight to the owners.

 

[TarheelBirdy]

Well I found my two does late last night, and they are now happily in back in their pens. I brought my buck with me over to the nieghbors and after a very long talk, they rembursed me for the dead bunny and offered to fix my broken coop. They promised to lock up the dog and they kept their word, I can see up th the house and the dog is now on a very large runner cable, they promised they would have a fenced in an area next month

hoping they stick to it.

Hollow- thanks for the offer on the buck, but I breed netherland dwarfs and lionheads. But down the road I'd love to talk meat rabbits with you, as I'm hoping to get into breeding them later this year or next.

I have never been able to bring myself to shoot a dog, unless it is being outwardly aggressive to me. I will shot at one, to scare it away, but usually work with animal control to catch the dogs, or just go straight to the owners.

This was much better than having to shoot it. Nobody would have been happy with that.

 

[TarheelBirdy]

Tractor Supply in Burlington has chicks! SLW, RIR and ducks. Maybe more. I had to walk-on-by to keep from buying some.