NY chicken lover!!!!

[cow whisperer]

I am in need of some advice. Every few months I get a soft shell egg. I give the chickens complete layer pellets plus as a treat they get grit and cracked corn. What could be causing them to lay a soft shell egg?

 

[tao chick]

I've had the same. She intended to use them so I'm hopeful she stored them well. I have a whole system planned to monitor each group of eggs. This is the first time I'll have such a diverse group to compare side by side. I'm up to 96+ eggs for the fridgerbator. I'm happy to increase my odds. Losses won't feel as devastating.

I'm rewiring and taping the incubator today. A couple wires were still loose yesterday. I scrubbed the hatching trays, found my chick tagging system (cable ties and twist ties), and have a good idea of where the temps and humidity will run in my incubator.

Had to replace my thermostat. I'm glad I've been test running it all week. This would irritate me if the eggs were loaded. I have to rewire the old thermostat in a different system to see if it still could work as a backup.
Eggs have started to arrive. 1 box today. 1 box tomorrow. 4 boxes on Friday. I hope to load them all at the same time Friday night or Saturday morning. It'll depend on if they all arrive as expected.

 

[cow whisperer]

I get baby chicks every two or three years which have already hatched. So I've never had the privilege of seeing them hatch. Is it messy? Do they need some help sometimes?

 

[Pyxis]

I get baby chicks every two or three years which have already hatched. So I've never had the privilege of seeing them hatch. Is it messy? Do they need some help sometimes?

A little bit messy, and some of them sometimes need a little help. But it's very rewarding and fun, and one of my favorite things to do I've currently got 26 Call ducks, which I do expect to need to help hatch, and four goose eggs incubating. When I get home I'll be adding another goose egg and two ayam cemani eggs (first of the season).

 

[wcfinklized]

I have one like that, instead I just give her chicks.
I'm doing the same thing, tired of the regular water dish full of shavings. I tried the rabbit water bottle in prior year, chicks took to that well but it leaked. I don't expect any problem with the chicks learning to use the cups, but will watch them.

I pulled the watering cups (tapped into gallon jug) out. They still havent figured them out. So i guess qe are back to what we had before but already had it filled with sand. Cant do the nipples cuz no way to hang. Going to find some wood to set up on in am. Otherwise....blah. Cant set it too high cuz i do have a runt. Shes maybe a quarter the size of the rest. Acts healthy eats and drinks fine. Ill post a pic in am of her compared to others.

 

[Gramma Chick]

Quote: Did you try filling water in the cups ?...try maybe putting some scrambled egg on the part that lets the water come out ..
Or some scratch in the cups ..once the start pecking in the cup they will figure it out

 

[AmberKnits]

If you haven't used it, you might try the dollar store for a wide puddy knife. What you have there is a cheese slicer.  Also at the dollar store you might find some packages of gloves. I carry them in my pocket. Not the latex but a clear plastic gloves. Sometimes I need to pick poop out of a nest box. 

I scrape up a lot of chicken poop. Our coop is a coop, that was converted to a garden shed, then back to a coop again. We left the shelves, and the chickens really enjoy pooping on them. A cheap putty knife is the way to go! They are also called scrapers sometimes.

 

[Gramma Chick]

Quote: I use a turner which is okay it just bends too much ...I did try a scraper once.. I think it broke .
it seems to work I just need to get used to it

 

[Beer can]

I just use a square metal shovel if I ever need to scrape poop. Push it straight down and scrape it towards you so it doesn't dig into the wood.
I bet this style paint scraper would work good for those who need a hand held. I have a cheaper plain black plastic one (for paint lol!)
This was the best pic I could find of the style though

 

[dcba flock]

So we have had a strange raccoon wandering the neighborhood in the mornings totally disoriented not afraid of cars etc. well it decided to camp out behind our garage this morning out in the open.... we ended up calling the local PD they sent an officer after some convincing she did put it out of its misery (appeared to have distemper symptoms) but then she just left it here for us to dispose of so bizarre...? IMO sick wild animals are a danger to ppl and domestic animals as well and isn't there a protocol for animal control or the DNR to be called in? I'm asking idk...?