Set our second hatch Saturday 5/12/12

[Beckymca]

Here are my keeper babies. The 2 dark ones are the 2 Dorkings, the others are the Salmon Faverolles. I can't wait until they get bigger and I can see what I really have!!!

How are you babies doing? Did you get the other 3 out yet? Hoping all is well!!!!!

 

[Avonshire]

What is your brooder made of? They are so sweet! So my #10 is iffy. Something is wrong with its leg. It has a swollen joint and the leg does not work. The other chicks abuse it so it was in a separate brooder where my dog got it. It did not seem to have any more damage from the dog incident but I am still not talking to my dog. So we will see what happens with #10. I have it back in the brooder but separated. It is always something. This is what I get for helping it out of the shell. Love how soft and fluffy they are(except #10 who is crispy and scrawny) and compared to my almost 5 wk old chicks they are sooo tiny!

 

[Beckymca]

My brooder is a 35 gallon, low sided black plastic water tank for the horses. I only use it in the winter, the horses go on a 100 gallon tank in the warmer weather. This works great for the first 10-14 days, keeps them safe, warm and draft free. My neighbor just finished making me 2 nice brooder boxes, hoping to get them up and going early next week. I'm totally at my chicken limit for this year. Anything else that I hatch will be to add to the types I have with different lines, hatching for others or for sale chicks. I'll be going into winter with 4 breeds, approx 50 birds, that will be more than enough. I've got a good market for eggs (to eat), so that's helpful. I may even try selling hatching eggs if I can improve my LB stock and work on the new breeds for a bit too.

Here is a picture of my LB's. I'm working like a dog, co-worker broke her leg so got 50 hrs this week and 47 next week. But I will try to get a picture of the water tank tomorrow and will try to follow up with the brooder once they are set up!!

Have a great night!!! How is #10 doing??????

They have good size, good leg feather but they coloring could be better. They lay great, all winter long even up here in Maine!!! Also love the pea combs, no freezing. The Dorkings and Marans may be a challenge in the winter.

 

[Avonshire]

They look good but then I can't tell one breed from another! Anyone try to feather sex their birds? We did yesterday and 3 looked like boys. It will be interesting to see if we are right!! Here is a link to what we used http://animalsciences.missouri.edu/reprod/ReproTech/Feathersex/sld001.htm It is amazing to me how big their wings are getting already. My #10 is named Gimpy and Gimpy is doing better. She has lived another day! She is using her leg better and the swelling seems to have gone down. She still stumbles and the others run her over and still are not very nice to her. Can you see her in the picture? She is so scrawny. She did not puff out at all but she is a fighter! This is my temp brooder for when I am cleaning the other one and the only time they are all together. I have her separated in the other brooder still. Did I post a pic of chickie jail yet?

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[wcstory]

Sorry was off line for a while. Congrats Avonshire and Beckymca.


A little outdoor time while cleaning their brooder.


Just for laughs!!












Here's our other little ones - two Narragansett Turkeys ...... Butterball and Jenny-O and our ADD Maine Coon Cat Jake. He is interested in the turkeys so he moves close. They freeze and he looses interest and walks away. They move and he watches. It just keeps repeating. Most of the time he is stalking the big hens. Never chasing just following.