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

[WVduckchick]

Ditto that question. Who uses vertical nipple vs horizontal nipples?

I forgot about that question. DH made a horizontal nipple waterer from pvc pipe (maybe 4"?) and attached a few nipples along the bottom of it. Found that the length didn't hold enough water, so we put a 90-deg elbow on the end and ran it upward, the another 90, and more pipe to hold more water. The chicks use it pretty well, but I still have a regular gallon waterer in there too, and they use it too. I'm scared to take the regular one out, because I don't know if they "all" use the nipples.

You can see it in this pic. The nipples hang down for the lowest horizontal section. I can fill it from outside the run. Its needs a view window though! I just keep it full, because once it gets below the fill point, I can't tell how low it really is! lol

 

[rossfam06]

I have a lot of catching up to do this morning, and I will get caught up when I get to the big computer, I was just going to answer the easiest one first. I found a fairly simple trick on line that is easy on you and the chicken. Take a small trash bag, then tear a he large enough to slip the chickens it through. The bag will let you constrain the chicken without fighting the wings and legs. Shooting them does make it easier, so after sticking his head through the plastic bag, I laid the neck across a sawhorse and shot them with a pellet gun from point-blank range. You can hold them tightly with the bag, so there is minimal movement. As soon as they relax, then you can string them up and bleed them. The quick shot to the brain actually relaxes the muscles, and makes them a little easier to pluck

Good to know!!! Thanks!.

So I woke up to blinking clocks this morning. My worst fear, the power went out while I was sleeping! I went to bed at 12am up at 7am. Called the power company to ask how long my power was out. The lady says "you want to know how long the power was out while you were sleeping?" So I explained about my eggs and incubator and she was super nice and helpful then. Put me on hold and found out that they didnt do any work to get it back on so it probably was a quick off and on deal. I'll know for sure tonight when I candle. Fingers crossed!! Really thinking about starting a little piggy bank for a generator. But can you set up a generator to automatically go on when your power goes out or do you have to turn it on yourself?

I am sure they will be fine. Eggs normally hold temps pretty well for a little while.

So here's my question of the day!: what kind of watering system does everyone use? Is the nipple system the way to go? Can anyone recommend one for me to buy?

I use the nipple system. Its the vertical nipples. I like them alot. Easy to use and fill with PVC pipes.

My other big news from the weekend is the flock swap.
My polish haven't been selling, and I have debated advertising the adult breeding flock. A woman called Saturday from my polish chick ad and said that her 13 year old son had one polish hen that he was showing in 4H, and wanted to start breeding some. She wanted to know if I had any adults available. After talking with her and her son, I decided to offer them Damien and 6 hens for $100. That's very cheap for laying hens, but I was ready to move on, and felt good about selling a breeding flock to an interested young man. They said they wanted them. I have been wanting purebred Ameraucanas for a while, but didn't have the pen space. I had not seen any good ones on CL, so I decided to check out the Ameraucana Clubs website to see if there were any breeders reasonably close, and there was on an hour away! I called her, and she said that she had 17 three week old BBS chicks that she had not advertised yet. I offered her $100 for all of them, and she accepted. So after a full afternoon of chicken swapping, I am the proud new owner of a flock of purebred ameraucanas. The chicks were :8 blue, 7 black, and 2 splash

Nice!!!! I want a splash chicken of any kind really. I think they are so pretty.

 

[RubyNala97]

   

X2!

 

[scflock]

Me deciding to raise and keep chickens came from a number of different factors. But my therapist kept pushing me to start a hobby. And she wanted the hobby to include socializing with other people. So chickens and BYC became my thing! My children and I went through a rough divorce this past year. There's nothing that makes me happier then seeing them watch eggs hatch in an incubator or swing a hammer to build something for our coop. It's brought us together and given us many happy moments already and we're just warming up!

I have got serious mommy/daddy/sibling issues. I've never gone to therapy, I just use my effervescent personality as a coping mechanism

After a bad day at work, or a few bad phone calls, I can spend an hour with the chickens and forget all about it. It's hard not to be in a good mood when 120+ chickens are so excited to see you

 

[AmyLynn2374]

That's awesome! Good luck with the new flock!
I've been reading all about hatching the peas and from what I've read they are hard to hatch. One of the cardinal rules for peas is to hand turn. Much higher hatch rates with hand turning 3xday.
Me deciding to raise and keep chickens came from a number of different factors. But my therapist kept pushing me to start a hobby. And she wanted the hobby to include socializing with other people. So chickens and BYC became my thing! My children and I went through a rough divorce this past year. There's nothing that makes me happier then seeing them watch eggs hatch in an incubator or swing a hammer to build something for our coop. It's brought us together and given us many happy moments already and we're just warming up!

I have never heard that about the Peas. Interesting.

 

[rossfam06]

I forgot about that question. DH made a horizontal nipple waterer from pvc pipe (maybe 4"?) and attached a few nipples along the bottom of it. Found that the length didn't hold enough water, so we put a 90-deg elbow on the end and ran it upward, the another 90, and more pipe to hold more water. The chicks use it pretty well, but I still have a regular gallon waterer in there too, and they use it too. I'm scared to take the regular one out, because I don't know if they "all" use the nipples.

You can see it in this pic. The nipples hang down for the lowest horizontal section. I can fill it from outside the run. Its needs a view window though! I just keep it full, because once it gets below the fill point, I can't tell how low it really is! lol

Love it!!! I need to make one this big. I have one that's a 4" pipe about 2 feet, shaped by 2.5 ft and its enough to water 5 LF chickens. I want your brooder box!!! I love it!!!!

 

[scflock]

Love it!!! I need to make one this big. I have one that's a 4" pipe about 2 feet, shaped by 2.5 ft and its enough to water 5 LF chickens. I want your brooder box!!! I love it!!!!

The brooder box? I was checking out the en suite bathroom

 

[WVduckchick]

I've been reading all about hatching the peas and from what I've read they are hard to hatch. One of the cardinal rules for peas is to hand turn. Much higher hatch rates with hand turning 3xday.
Me deciding to raise and keep chickens came from a number of different factors. But my therapist kept pushing me to start a hobby. And she wanted the hobby to include socializing with other people. So chickens and BYC became my thing! My children and I went through a rough divorce this past year. There's nothing that makes me happier then seeing them watch eggs hatch in an incubator or swing a hammer to build something for our coop. It's brought us together and given us many happy moments already and we're just warming up!

Anxious to see how your peachicks come out. I had never seen a newly-hatched peachick before coming to BYC! And sorry about the rough divorce... that sucks, but its great that you and your kids are making the best of with the chickens!!

I think I've said before... my sister-in-law got me into chickens by giving me some ducks and roosters. And it spiraled from there! But I wouldn't have it any other way now. They are so much fun.

 

[scflock]

Anxious to see how your peachicks come out. I had never seen a newly-hatched peachick before coming to BYC! And sorry about the rough divorce... that sucks, but its great that you and your kids are making the best of with the chickens!!

I think I've said before... my sister-in-law got me into chickens by giving me some ducks and roosters. And it spiraled from there! But I wouldn't have it any other way now. They are so much fun.

That's right, effervescent...

 

[RubyNala97]

I forgot about that question. DH made a horizontal nipple waterer from pvc pipe (maybe 4"?) and attached a few nipples along the bottom of it. Found that the length didn't hold enough water, so we put a 90-deg elbow on the end and ran it upward, the another 90, and more pipe to hold more water. The chicks use it pretty well, but I still have a regular gallon waterer in there too, and they use it too. I'm scared to take the regular one out, because I don't know if they "all" use the nipples. You can see it in this pic. The nipples hang down for the lowest horizontal section. I can fill it from outside the run. Its needs a view window though! I just keep it full, because once it gets below the fill point, I can't tell how low it really is! lol

I see that. Very good to know. Looks easy enough to make. And I really like your set up but I have to ask...did you train the chickens to use the toilet???? That's what I want to know how to do!!!!