The 5th Annual BYC Easter Hatch-a-long!

[winteree]

Just keep the pen clean and clean water. Keep the food bowl clean to. Some chicks will eat poop and other things in there... They could be sick from that. I didnt see that but just to be safe!!!

for sure i have been changing out the water and checking their feed 4 times daily (it still amazes me how they can dirty up the water that fast) i do not want to lose ANY chicks after the raw 6 month hell i went through to get them

 

[Happy Chooks]

I have 6 nest boxes in my coop and four broodies that are driving me NUTS... they sit on some eggs for awhile and then change nest boxes with each other all the time; this has been going on for weeks. I collect all the eggs under them nightly because I don't want any to go to waste. I have eggs in my incubator due on the 23rd... Can I put one under each of them when I notice a pip and let them each hatch 1?

Also - they are in the TOP nest boxes.. how does that work when they hatch a chick? Won't the chicks fall? Could I put each mama and new chick in a separate box on the coop floor after the chick hatches? I just want them to stop being broody and hope this helps.

My broody Olive egger pullet was switching nests too. I gave her 11 eggs and she has stayed on one nest now. I wouldn't give them just 1 egg in case it doesn't hatch, then they have to sit for another 3 weeks. Give them each 2-3, then if one doesn't get a chick, you can pull an egg from the others.

Great looking frames! How many hives do you have? All Langstroth or have you ever tried Top bar? We have 3 Langstroth and have started 2 Top bars this year - big difference and I'm not sure yet which I prefer.

1 Hive - I lost the hive the first winter, replaced last spring and kept them alive through winter. So this will be my first honey extraction. I plan to get another hive, in case I need to do a split next year. I've got to get the Langsroth down before I try another.

So my new baby hatch in my incubator! Its the first successful hatch in my incubator! Its a mixed breed! So you guys remember my golden laced polish that died right? Well she left me a baby surprise! A baby golden laced polish chick! Part polish and part black copper marans! It a polish with FLUFFY FEET!!! ITS SOOOOO DANG CUTE TOO!!!!

So tiny.
Also its my first roosters baby too! He died with mufasha.

So glad you got something good after all of your losses.

The fox killed our cat in our barn where our girls are... Found it today...

So sorry about your cat. Are you sure its a fox? Foxes usually take their prey with them.

added a 8ft by 3ft rectangle to the existing 4ft by 2.5ft brooder heck by space standards i could add one more chick to make a grand total of 15 so much for only wanting 6

You are already a chicken math pro! I started with 7 and now am somewhere over 50. (I'm not counting)

 

[Penny Hen]

i just got my new chicks in this morning from the teacher in Dallas. i was really worried to add them to the brooder because of the size difference (i swear scouts honor that i have only had the older chicks for 9 days) and the fact that they where acting lethargic. It really scared me; when looking for my save-a-chick packets my ma told be that she threw the blue yeast packets away (we get new yeast every year). I darn near had a heart attack i have some save-a-chick on the way from amazon but it not going to be here till later on this week.

they spent most of the day at the heat lamp (i started them on medicated chick feed until the save-a-chick gets here) but they did start running around when one decided to play keep-away with a Caterpillar so i hope I'm worrying for nothing.

on a side note i think the farmer played this teacher for her money (i don't think any of these are "show" quality like the farmer said). while I'll say the blue\Grey colored chick threw me off they do not look like Brahmas none of them have feathered legs.
the pic does the color of the chick little justice the blue\Grey chick is next to the large yellow chick on the wall



every one is in bed and asleep

the new brooder penthouse is open for businesses

i added a 8ft by 3ft rectangle to the existing 4ft by 2.5ft brooder heck by space standards i could add one more chick to make a grand total of 15 so much for only wanting 6

With my goats and sheep I have used both Pedialyte and apple cider vinegar to add electrolytes when I couldn't get the TSC/CoOp to get Save-a-kid electrolytes.

 

[luvmypets]

yeah but at least that one chick gets alot of face time with their owner

Yea before we put it in my dad fell asleep with it on the couch for three hours

 

[winteree]

With my goats and sheep I have used both Pedialyte and apple cider vinegar to add electrolytes when I couldn't get the TSC/CoOp to get Save-a-kid electrolytes.

that a good idea thanks what was the ratio and is it safe for chicks?

 

[winteree]

Yea before we put it in my dad fell asleep with it on the couch for three hours

awwww

 

[winteree]

My broody Olive egger pullet was switching nests too. I gave her 11 eggs and she has stayed on one nest now. I wouldn't give them just 1 egg in case it doesn't hatch, then they have to sit for another 3 weeks. Give them each 2-3, then if one doesn't get a chick, you can pull an egg from the others.

1 Hive - I lost the hive the first winter, replaced last spring and kept them alive through winter. So this will be my first honey extraction. I plan to get another hive, in case I need to do a split next year. I've got to get the Langsroth down before I try another.

So glad you got something good after all of your losses.

So sorry about your cat. Are you sure its a fox? Foxes usually take their prey with them.

You are already a chicken math pro! I started with 7 and now am somewhere over 50. (I'm not counting)

lol's thanks *takes bow* i try

 

[gryeyes]

Just about five years ago, I started with 8 chicks - one of which was an accidental rooster - and now when someone asks me, I say I have "oh, around 50."

People who know me just laugh.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

When I was young we always had a flock of 100 layers and an occasional batch of meaties. We also had some pheasant, cattle, hogs and horses. I didn't start breeding birds till about 2010 so I'm a fair newbie when it comes to breeding. I never know how many birds I have. I have anywhere from 7-12 flocks. When someone asks me how many I have, I have to ponder the birds in each flock and get out the abacus.

 

[ShelbyCoral]

So glad you got something good after all of your losses.

So sorry about your cat. Are you sure its a fox? Foxes usually take their prey with them.

Yes me too. We plan to trap the fox and also stand guard every night. I will protect whats left of my fox! I infested in a few new guns and shoes for running! xD We put posts in the ground yesterday and are getting fencing sometime this week. Using telephone polls for the posts. Ill post what it will look like. NOTHING PRETTY but if theyre safe im happy.