NY chicken lover!!!!

[melbu23]

Thanks Rancher hicks for the pics. I am looking through craigslist to see if I can pick up a shed somewhere to convert into a coop.

Metella - that's a great option- I am really not a fan of anything that can cause fires and so I like your method much better. I will check out the local TSC for them. Right about now I am really disliking the heating lamp in my garage for the brooder. Can't wait until I wont need it anymore.
Some of my chicks are starting to take short "flights" so that makes me even more nervous.

 

[marquisella]

Quote: OK, If you see through the egg then its a dud. If most of it looks black, and you see at the end of the egg, a light space, then there is a chick developing. The black is the chicks body, the light space is the air cell. Sometimes you can see movement of the chick if you tap the egg while you are candeling.

 

[bakingintherain]

I have a computer question. Maybe one of your kids can answer it if you can't. 

I've been deleting my spam each time and quite frankly I get a lot of it.  60-70 or more, every time I'm on. If I didn't I have over 200 in a day. 

Would it help if I moved it to "trash" instead of deleting it?  Would Google get the hint that this stuff is trash and not let it through?  

I can't follow every chicken newsletter or stuff like that and I'm really not interested in a Russian Bride. Women who speak English are hard enough for me to understand let alone one who speaks a foreign language.      

Mark them spam instead of deleting them then they will go directly into you spam folder

 

[armorfirelady]

 
Melbu23 - Welcome ! 

The discussion of buy or build often gets heated     because those who can sink a nail in the right place (not me) realize how much they save and want the best for their friends .....  

However for me - when I had to get a coop fast - the SnapLoc was the one I got and I have had it over a year and LOVE it .


If building - a hoop coop is tough, hardy and the cheapest way I know to go.

Thank you Metella. I am checking them out as we speak. If all goes well I will have at least 6 hens so I need a good size coop =). How do you keep your water from freezing in it? Homemade or bought water heater? Lots of questions I know....I'll pay it forward when the next person asks =). 

I built a hoop coop. It is fine for our harsh winters. There's a link under my name that goes to my hoop coop page

 

[Sweetpea3829]

Thank you. O.K. deep breath, at least my son kind of thinks it's funny if we have just been watching eggs for 22 days. He said," If someone came over we would say, oh we are just watching some random food." Megan, she does not see the humor in any of it. I will try later tonight, heck the whole family will go into the bathroom and see what we can see. In the meantime, I will add more water and continue to wonder. Oh, the pressure, as all I can hear in my head is do not open at lock down. Thanks again, I hate to have such a learning curve with what could be living chicks.

I know that this goes against everything you've read/heard but honestly, its not the end of the world if you do have to open during lockdown. Even if there's one that's pipping, as long as the humidity doesn't drop too badly.

My last hatch was a staggered hatch by two days so I had chicks that I had to remove from the incubator while the later hatch was just starting to pip. 2/3 of the late hatch came out just fine, with the 3rd one being malpositioned in the egg.

 

[Sweetpea3829]

This was supposed to be a cochin but turned out to be a surprise EE (a big surprise, because it hatched out of a standard-colored light brown/pinkish egg).

But isn't he the cutest freaking chick?! I just love his little cheeks! So fluffy!

 

[Lynzi777]

4 days left, some ducks just don't wanna wait I guess...

 

[Nuttyfrom6kids]

I did find some nice instructions for a cabinet incubator so hubby is going to build me one and I am still buying one too

 

[PhoredaBurds]

I love my brinsea. I have an advance 20 with the pump and have never had a problem with it. The replacement tubing for the pump is kind of expensive - could not find a replacement that was cheaper - but other than that I love mine. I set it at 42% for hatch, 62 for lockdown and have always had a good percentage hatch with no shrinkwrapping. It's kind of small and I do open during hatch to get chicks out when they are sandwiched in like sardines, but other than that..

Wow. Must be so nice to set the humidity & walk away! Sounds wonderful.



That is very helpful info. Thanks for sharing. I was hoping my neurotic tendencies & record keeping would help me get a better hatch. But guess I should have been trying to be more like a broody chicken.. Will have to try again.

 

[SAHchickenmom]

I'm having no luck setting a temp on this cabinet bator. With 5 thermometers I get 5 different temps :| I don't know what to do.