North Carolina

[Hollowoakfarm]

hey everyone! decided to pop in!
im wanting to hatch chicks with my broody but im leaving for a week trip to the beach and im worried on how ill have my flocks taken care of. any ideas?
ive also told myself i have to sell my pullets before i hatch anymore

hope everyone is having a great weekend!

We have automatic waterers set up...on the cheap. One 55 gal.pickle drum. One six foot hose. One large cinder block. One automatic dog water bowl. You can take it from there. We refill drums once a week, with around 200 birds. So I know they will last a while for smaller flocks. Easy-peasy. I might still have pictures on my page, but I haven't looked. They aren't on this computer, or I'd re-post. If you are on Facebook, my farm page is Hollow Oak Farm, LLC, and they are on it.

 

[bantambury]

We have automatic waterers set up...on the cheap. One 55 gal.pickle drum. One six foot hose. One large cinder block. One automatic dog water bowl. You can take it from there. We refill drums once a week, with around 200 birds. So I know they will last a while for smaller flocks. Easy-peasy. I might still have pictures on my page, but I haven't looked. They aren't on this computer, or I'd re-post. If you are on Facebook, my farm page is Hollow Oak Farm, LLC, and they are on it.

well, my trouble is that my coop setups are about 200 feet from a water source....or do i need one?

 

[Hollowoakfarm]

 
We have automatic waterers set up...on the cheap.  One 55 gal.pickle drum.  One six foot hose.  One large cinder block.  One automatic dog water bowl.  You can take it from there.  We refill drums once a week, with around 200 birds.  So I know they will last a while for smaller flocks.  Easy-peasy.    I might still have pictures on my page, but I haven't looked.  They aren't on this computer, or I'd re-post.  If you are on Facebook, my farm page is Hollow Oak Farm, LLC, and they are on it.

well, my trouble is that my coop setups are about 200 feet from a water source....or do i need one?

you'd need 200 ft of hose to fill the barrel. That is how we do it with a weekly fill up.
Oh! And put the barrel up on cinder blocks or something for gravity feed! A screen on top keeps debris out.

 

[crazyhen]

Hollowoak does the water get really nasty looking? I have a real problem with the hens dusting close to the water bowl and its gets terrible. It sounds like an ideal set up otherwise. I have two of the tpye they peck but they do not seem to get the hang of them. They peck the water falls off and onto the ground and they peck the ground. I just want their water to stay fresh and me not have to refill it twice a day. I have 14 hens on one side of the runs and 18 chicks on the other. HELP/

 

[bantambury]

you'd need 200 ft of hose to fill the barrel. That is how we do it with a weekly fill up.
Oh! And put the barrel up on cinder blocks or something for gravity feed! A screen on top keeps debris out.

so its pretty much a rain barrel set up without the rainwater filling it! and you use the dog bowl to have the water fill it? could i somehow do the poultry nipples?

 

[Hollowoakfarm]

I've not used nipples, so don't know how they work. If they work with gravity feed I would think it would be good. Worth a test.

 

[Hollowoakfarm]

Hollowoak does the water get really nasty looking? I have a real problem with the hens dusting close to the water bowl and its gets terrible. It sounds like an ideal set up otherwise. I have two of the tpye they peck but they do not seem to get the hang of them. They peck the water falls off and onto the ground and they peck the ground. I just want their water to stay fresh and me not have to refill it twice a day. I have 14 hens on one side of the runs and 18 chicks on the other. HELP/

I keep the water bowl on a block so it gets less dust...but it still gets some. I keep a brush by each and give them a quick brush - out when I do chores. Less trouble than open bowls, and less water wasted.

 

[nursebecky99]

Looking for some baby chicks in NC, I looked to order from one of hatcheries but the shipping was $40! Way more than my chicks. I now have two broodies, a bantam who has been trying to hatch all summer and one of my barred rocks just started this week. Will they make good mama's?

 

[Naliez]

Looking for some baby chicks in NC, I looked to order from one of hatcheries but the shipping was $40! Way more than my chicks. I now have two broodies, a bantam who has been trying to hatch all summer and one of my barred rocks just started this week. Will they make good mama's?

I've been looking too! We are located in the Fayetteville/Ft.Bragg area. Have you heard of The Urban Chicken in Raleigh? I've never been there but I hear they sell chicks year round. Can anybody confirm or tell me where to find a list of what they have available?

 

[scottcaddy]

http://www.theurbanchickennc.com/
Hope this helps
Scott