South Carolina

[gjensen]

I have always had good luck with the shavings. I have been using them for 18 years, and I have never had cocci. I do stir it daily, and manage the bedding keeping it dry. The bedding gets changed every two weeks. I will also freshen it up a bit if I feel that I am going too far. I have 78 four week old chicks on bedding now. I will be putting 72 plus or minus within a week. I like the bedding because it insulates the floor, hatching this early(which I usually do not). I also use the bedding in the compost piles. I do not use medicated feed either. My luck, I will see cocci this year, but so far so good. I rarely lose any chicks, less a couple that you can't do anything about anyways. I think the trick with bedding is staying on top of it, keep it dry, and when the bedding can't keep up with the load, move the birds up.

 

[WestKnollAmy]

I am sorry I am not keeping up with the thread as well as I used to but BYC has slowed down something awful and loading pages on here takes forever. It is all I can do to get all the PMs answered and I feel I am not keeping up as well as I should with those. My computer is about as fast as they make them but BYC is really bogged down with all this stuff thats added. As soon as I start to read something the page wants to bounce all over the place and trying to read several back pages is a nightmare.

To the person I wanted to answer on bad hatches.....I think I read that humidity was 20-30%. That is way too low for this time of year. It needs to be around 50% for the first 18 days and 60% the last few days. try that and see if it doesn't help.

 

[WestKnollAmy]

Quote:
Oh! Here it is! I see this in my email but getting BYC to let me have it is something else. And I don't understand why the post has to be on the page 3 times when you are answering it. Really bad program, imo.

Anyhow, as Kimberly says because she is a LG expert!!! That is how I learned to deal with the one I run for a friend. It gave me headaches for ages but with Kimberly's help I have gotten it to run really well.

And excuse the edited post. BYC thinks it knows when to post my responses while I am still typing them.

 

[pokey]

Quote: HEY! Nice meeting you too. Believe it or not that was one DH liked ~ and he doesn't like silkies! But he found him & liked him

I am going to add girls to him in a few days...let him adjust to being in a new place first

I picked out some girls earlier to put him with!

Good! Please post pictures when you can, I love pictures! I think after his molt you'll be happy with him. He is quite fluffy. Thanks again!

 

[WestKnollAmy]

Someone has gotten a new bird and not posted photos yet????? Isn't that somehow illegal or something????
The fine for not showing photos of new birds is taking all my extra roosters!

 

[gvilledh]

Record egg day today! Seven eggs from seven chickens. First time everyone has laid on the same day. Only four yesterday, so I am not completely surprised, but really thought someone would always be taking a break each day! After having the shell-less egg on Friday, I am thrilled Mrs. Beasley's egg machine is working normally again.

 

[ChickyChickyBaby]

Someone has gotten a new bird and not posted photos yet????? Isn't that somehow illegal or something????
The fine for not showing photos of new birds is taking all my extra roosters!

Shhhh about roosters!

you know how Nicole is about those little boys!

DH didn't like the LG as well as the hovabator. Both are still air. I like that .... it is not as though a fan blows under a hen's butt!

 

[Patsy29332]

Record egg day today! Seven eggs from seven chickens. First time everyone has laid on the same day. Only four yesterday, so I am not completely surprised, but really thought someone would always be taking a break each day! After having the shell-less egg on Friday, I am thrilled Mrs. Beasley's egg machine is working normally again.

Congrats on the full egg count day! I remember mine! The count was only 6 lol

 

[Patsy29332]

Oh my, that was not Dorking eggs was it? 107 is hard to recover anything from, 104 they are pretty much done. I am soo sorry!

Yes I am afraid it was...

I am going to try and visit the gentleman that I got them from this week and I will see about him selling/shipping for you too.

 

[dixiebeast]

Thats the thing...in that one group I used a huge tote and I changed the bedding every 3 days...I change the paper now daily? Maybe I just had a bad batch...I had hatched my eggs and a mix of one from here and there from several other people also...I have been fine since though!!

ETA: My chicks are in my house so keeping brooders clean and smell non existant is HUGE for me

I have always had good luck with the shavings. I have been using them for 18 years, and I have never had cocci. I do stir it daily, and manage the bedding keeping it dry. The bedding gets changed every two weeks. I will also freshen it up a bit if I feel that I am going too far. I have 78 four week old chicks on bedding now. I will be putting 72 plus or minus within a week. I like the bedding because it insulates the floor, hatching this early(which I usually do not). I also use the bedding in the compost piles. I do not use medicated feed either. My luck, I will see cocci this year, but so far so good. I rarely lose any chicks, less a couple that you can't do anything about anyways. I think the trick with bedding is staying on top of it, keep it dry, and when the bedding can't keep up with the load, move the birds up.