She said/He said Who's right? Who's wrong? No one!

[WalnutHill]

Sounds like a great way to keep unwanted roosters. I hate to get rid of my extras, but don't want the girls worn out! What age-range does it need to be done?

Three to 8 weeks, the earlier the better for recovery and success. Be aware that there is a learning curve to it, and it helps if you have feather-sexable dual purpose birds.

 

[rossfam06]

So my coop is done. But I still have to build the run. Now comes the even harder part...transitioning my babies out of my living room! I closed up the nest boxes. And I've read to lock them in the coop for a week. My problem is that it is so dark in the coop. There are 2 vents for ventilation but no windows. How will they be able to see to eat and drink? The roof can be propped up on one side. I was thinking to prop it open and find some kind of hardware cloth that I can cover the open part during the day? What do you guys think? I'll take some pics when I can. It's raining now. This is a pic of the whole coop minus the ramp.

Is this one of those cool plastic snap together ones? I like it! Let me know how it works out!

 

[NTBugtraq]

Well I fear I may never go on vacation again. I got the most tragic call this morning every single one of my baby chicks were found dead. They apparently drowned. Day 2 away from home and I lost another 10. This is the roughest time I think I have ever had. I am going to pull my hair out I'm so stressed. I knew I should have smuggled the little ones in the car with me. I know you cant save them all but if I was home I could have at least brought them inside out of the rain. So next time find a crazzy chicken person to babysit them. Then i know they will be right on top of things and worry as much as I do.
Sorry for my rant had to get it off my chest.

I know exactly how you feel. I left 22 chicks in my bator 1 day more than I should've and woke to seeing 19 dead chicks in the bator...its tragic, I'm so sorry for your loss.

 

[Fowling around]

So here is a better pic of the turkey and chicken working together to hatch some eggs

 

[mother of many]

Well it has been ridiculously hot at the house and the second day we're gone it decides to have torrential downpour. I didnt factor that in before we left. It was set for just in case it rained but not for a flood. Where the coop is at there normally isnt water buildup but it rained so much it flooded the entire yard.. so my husband and I will be building the baby coop and breeding coops up off the ground with cinder blocks up underneath. And thankfully my husband is super supportive of my chicken addiction and has decided to get me some more incubators when we get home. And he is going to get me a bunch of hatching eggs. So thankfully I will be able to have some more babies before the end of summer. still sucks that they all passed and all that hard work feels like for nothing. But such is life.

 

[NTBugtraq]

I'm sorry for your loss. I'm going away for 4-5 days and worried about mine too. My youngest set will only be 3 weeks old. I'm still debating whether to leave them inside in the brooder tote, or move them outside into my baby pen/coop. But my plan is to move them outside, because my neighbor will be able to check on them. But she is not a "chicken" person either. Lol

My 4th week with 19 in the brooder was the dirtiest of the lot...the volume increased enormously.

 

[WVduckchick]

 Three to 8 weeks, the earlier the better for recovery and success.  Be aware that there is a learning curve to it, and it helps if you have feather-sexable dual purpose birds.

Oh, well too late for this batch. I wasn't sure what sex they were until recently, and still not positive on a couple. But still good info. Thanks.

So here is a better pic of the turkey and chicken working together to hatch some eggs

I just love that they work together. So cool.

Do your chickens and turkeys live together? I've read that I shouldn't let my turkey live with my chickens because of blackhead and such diseases but I haven't been able to part them yet.

 

[WVduckchick]

My 4th week with 19 in the brooder was the dirtiest of the lot...the volume increased enormously.

I'm just using a large tote, and only have 6 chicks, 3 of which are bantams, but they already make a pretty good mess!

 

[AmyLynn2374]

The hatch before my last was my biggest with 33 hatching 32 making it to the brooder (one I found dead at about a week with no clue.) So that left me with 31. The cleaning became overwhelming!! lol I was used to 16/17....lol

 

[sjturner79]

There is no way I would ever leave town when I have chicks less than 8 weeks old.