NY chicken lover!!!!

[PhoredaBurds]

Morning Everyone,
Well the thing I dreaded most took place last night....
I went outside in the rain to check on my two rabbits who are due with litters and also lock up the chicken coops, heard my KC hen making all sorts of racket in the front yard. When they came around back from the front yard I counted 1, 2, 3, 4...Wasn't worried at first because my Black Runner drake has had a tendency to stay in the yard while the other 4 wander across the street into the neighbors yard. Sometimes he follows, sometimes he stays with the littles. When the 4 others came back and up the hill to the back yard I started looking for him, took one step down the hill, glanced across the yard and down across the street and saw him laying there in the road. Could Not Believe It! I ran inside to grab a towel and went and got him right away. He was still warm thru the towel so it must have JUST happened. That was the most awful thing I think I've ever witnessed with my birds. To have one die for no reason, or to an illness is one thing but to think some driver either wasn't paying attention, or just flat out didn't care to stop and just kept on going? It's just awful! Even if it was an accident! At least stop and apologize or Something! Unbelievable. All I can do now is hope that one of these ducklings hatching in 8 days is one of his and I can magically tell which one it is and hang onto it.

So now I don't know what to do. I love letting my ducks free range but now I feel I can't. I can keep them penned in but they fly out. Not all of them, but the KCs sure will. So if I go ahead and purchase another roll of that poultry netting and make them a pen around their pond how do I keep them from flying out of the pen?!? Or do I just hope they don't? I will definitely look at purchasing some that is higher than the one I have now with hopes it keeps them in. I just hate the thought of keeping them "in" all the time. I love seeing them waddle across my yard, I love when follow me around when I go out to feed everyone. I feel like I'm at a loss.

On a good note, all 5 duck eggs in the Brinsea are wiggling around already and they still have 8 days to go. Wonder if they'll pip early? I candled them this morning and it looks like there is barely any more room in those eggs. I candled the silkie eggs yesterday and 4 of the 7 she's laying on are developing, 3 are questionable. I'll look at them all again in about a week. today I'm going to candle the 3 Orp eggs she's sitting on as well.

I'm sorry to hear about your runner. I'm always struggling with how to keep my birds safe but still give them lots of room. For the fliers, clipping the flight feathers of one wing per bird usually keeps them grounded (at least until they molt). Then maybe some fencing separating them from the road.
I can come by to help w wing trimming if you'd like, especially if you have blue/lav orp eggs for sale .

 

[AQHAchick22]

Quote:
I'm so sorry Lynzi that's terrible I agree I think it's worse when somebody hits one like that and doesn't even bother to stop...Fingers crossed that one of the eggs that hatches is hid and you can tell!

 

[marquisella]

Boy this thread moves so fast, I am trying to figure out how to keep up. When one wants to respond to a certain person what is the best way? How does one remember all the different names when wanting to include them all, do you write them down or is there an easier way? New to chickens and new to posting on public forums so much to learn.

Here is a question I can't seem to find the answer to. I just realized that Collette is starting her first molt, she will be 1 this coming May 17Th. I am wondering if she will still go broody? I have some eggs that I was hoping to put under her. If she does go broody is it O.K. to have her sit on some eggs, or is she already stressed enough? I don't know what kind of mother she will be as she has never hatched out any, maybe molting is not a good time to try? Or is molting not really stressful just an ugly time. Should I be feeding her anything different? Thank goodness for this site, or I would have no idea what is wrong with her. I guess Ricky will be starting to molt sometime too? Thank you so much!

O.K. I did find out about feeding more protein, but still don't know about the whole molting and broody thing.

If you can bread her broodiness you should. If you have a wire cage you can hang up so cool air gets to her bottom. Hens go broody & they stay warm on purpose. Or, where ever she is sitting, put ice cubes so she is sittin on them. Sometimes you have to cage them for several days to break it up.

yes, feed more protein anyhow cause she will need it to make new feathers. Feathers are protein. When you see animal feed that has "poultry by products" as the protein, its most likely ground up feathers...yummy

 

[PhoredaBurds]

Some chick pics:

My first attempt with an incubator went ok. Made some newbie mistakes and ended up with 50% hatch rate for nonshipped eggs. 0% hatch for shipped eggs. The shipped eggs were pretty scrambled, but I was hoping to do better w the nonshipped eggs. I'm thinking the issue was humidity. I misunderstood "dry hatch" so it was a few days in before I got the humidity up to consistent 35-45%. Couple shrink wraps & sticky chicks unfortunately. Hate that knot in my stomach that I messed things up for the ones that didn't make it. I will weigh the eggs prior to incu next time rather than just tracing air cells. Any suggestions on getting the humidity right?

 

[WillowWispFarm]

Are you talking to Pharm chick ? if you click quote we can tell ..
You dont need to buy chickens there ...Its a chick Picnic too

Yes I was, sorry, forgot all about using the quote button. Also i'm not worried about buying any there, its just having the gas money to get there. Its a little over an hour drive for me and my truck isn't the best on gas.

Lynzi777- I'm so sorry about your ducks. The people down the road from us have ducks and everynow and then I actually will see one dead next to the road from someone hitting them. We live on a kinda busy road so when they go over to the other persons pond drivers dont care, I've had to hit my breaks a few times to avoid them but I also keep my eye out on them. Would it be a possability to maybe post Duck crossing signs? If people are knew to the road they may not know of them but it could help people to know to keep watch for them.

On another note, today was the first day in almost a week my chicks didn't wake me up from making lots of noise. They actually kept there food and water un-tipped over so they didn't make tons of noise. I'm kinda looking forward to when its nice so they can go outside.

 

[marquisella]

Quote: Sorry about your duck. You can stop chickens from flying by trimming the long feathers on just one wing. That makes them lopsided so they can't get far. Don't know if it works on ducks, but worth a try I'd say. Most duck breeders pinion the ducks at hatch. I don't know how to do it, but I'm sure if you google it, its out there somewhere. I'm surprised KC ducks can fly, I thought they were a heavier breed...

 

[Lynzi777]

Sorry about your duck. You can stop chickens from flying by trimming the long feathers on just one wing. That makes them lopsided so they can't get far. Don't know if it works on ducks, but worth a try I'd say. Most duck breeders pinion the ducks at hatch. I don't know how to do it, but I'm sure if you google it, its out there somewhere. I'm surprised KC ducks can fly, I thought they were a heavier breed...

I'll have to google it, they definitely get up there, about 10 feet up in the air at some points and fly across the whole yard. My KCs aren't heavy at all. They are same size as mallards if you ask me.

 

[rancher hicks]

Hi all think I've got most postings.

Just a few thoughts.

Is it really fair to expect other to run a retirement home for you old age birds? I gave away for sold a few but the roosters I knew were going in the stew pot. Chickens are too expensive to feed til they die of old age. I learned early one I had to have a plan to deal with the unwanted or older birds. Auctions are good for that but I never expect them to be put out to pasture on someone elses dime.

Lyzii - you'll need to clip some wings if you want to keep them in. I suggest both wings and it's something that will have to be done again each season. Do Ducks molt? I don't know.

Now for help when the power goes out and the incubator is running, there are two solutions as I see it. One is a small home generator or a Automotive Power Inverter for the car. This allows you to use your car for other devices such as phone charging, computer power and even small TV's. If you don't expect the power to be out for a long period of time this should work. These plug into where the cigarette lighter is or used to be. My minivan even has one in the back.

A small generator can be had for less than $200. Saw one on Ebay for $125.

Now a request for advice.

I have my incu up and running with very important eggs (puchased eggs) but I am expecting some more important eggs next week. (it was strike while opportunity knocked)

So what can I do? Some thoughts are: 1. to switch out my broody's eggs for some of these new (24) eggs. I have two broodies at this time. Or B. put them in the incu with these other eggs and pull the first chicks as they (if they) hatch. or III. see if I can't find someone who will take some and see if they can hatch them for me. or D. put some under the broodies AND put some in the incubator And give some to someone to hatch for me.

If I put some in the incu I will have to pull all or some of the non shipped eggs and toss them. These are Marans, Dels and EE's The current and expected eggs would be about two weeks apart. I do have a friend who has an old 1600 still air but I've never used a hatcher set up. THESE EGGS ARE VERY IMPORTANT AND I DON'T EXPECT TO GET THEM AGAIN.

I don't have a second incubator. Yet!

 

[Lynzi777]

Now a request for advice.

I have my incu up and running with very important eggs (puchased eggs) but I am expecting some more important eggs next week. (it was strike while opportunity knocked)

So what can I do? Some thoughts are: 1. to switch out my broody's eggs for some of these new (24) eggs. I have two broodies at this time. Or B. put them in the incu with these other eggs and pull the first chicks as they (if they) hatch. or III. see if I can't find someone who will take some and see if they can hatch them for me. or D. put some under the broodies AND put some in the incubator And give some to someone to hatch for me.

If I put some in the incu I will have to pull all or some of the non shipped eggs and toss them. These are Marans, Dels and EE's The current and expected eggs would be about two weeks apart. I do have a friend who has an old 1600 still air but I've never used a hatcher set up. THESE EGGS ARE VERY IMPORTANT AND I DON'T EXPECT TO GET THEM AGAIN.

I don't have a second incubator. Yet!

I'd say, if you care more about these more important eggs, switch them out with the one's the broodys are laying on. Put THOSE eggs in the incu with the ones you have now and and possibly toss some of those - not the shipped eggs since you paid for them. Have you candled any of these eggs yet? Are there any that aren't developing that will free up some space so that you don't have to toss ones that are?

 

[rancher hicks]

I'd say, if you care more about these more important eggs, switch them out with the one's the broodys are laying on. Put THOSE eggs in the incu with the ones you have now and and possibly toss some of those - not the shipped eggs since you paid for them. Have you candled any of these eggs yet? Are there any that aren't developing that will free up some space so that you don't have to toss ones that are?

I have not candled the eggs yet. Day 10 is Sunday the 4th. I usually wait til then to candle. Unless I have a lot then I candle a few each day.

One broody is Frenchy and I'm worried since she is old to stress her out by making her sit for a longer time. The other is a Marans and I think she can handle 6-8 eggs. IF she stays sitting once I move her. I have to since other hens are adding to her load.