The Moonshiner's Leghorns

[The Moonshiner]

I think next time I've got extra money I'm investing in some solor powered electric fence for the coops. One for each coop as they are not that close together.

Like hot wire or netting. I know very little about either although I'm learning hot wire because of cows at work.
I've had kids here so never wanted it here.

 

[NagemTX]

I brood in my office room right next to the incubator and hatcher. First two weeks if I have 12 or more. When I have six or less they get an extended stay inside.

 

[NagemTX]

Like hot wire or netting. I know very little about either although I'm learning hot wire because of cows at work.
I've had kids here so never wanted it here.

Hot wire, the netting will do nothing to deter a coon.

 

[KF0002]

Effing heck. Coon broke in to the Silver Ameraucana pen and killed one of the only two hens I have and all her babies. Now I have to hardware cloth the top of the pen. Set backs are heck.

Oh no! I am so sorry!

If it is any consolation, at least you didn't lose approximately 30 birds like I did. Set backs are the hardest part of chickening for real. It never fails, it is always one step forward and two steps back most of the time for me it feels like.

 

[KF0002]

My reds from the same place were very poor. I lost two the first day and the remaining one was always pretty runty.

Yes my Reds from MM were not anything to write home about either. I only ended up with 2 roosters out of all that I ordered, including the re-shipped birds. They were just too weak to survive shipping. I will be working on a line of Reds using my MM rooster and Buff Leghorns from Curtis Oakes bloodline. Hopefully, unless something kills them all, which seems to be the trend this year.

 

[KF0002]

Oh no that sucks. So sorry.
Is this gonna be the bad year for everyone?
I'm trying to thin down way way more then I want to so I can afford feeding chicks this season. I'm gonna end up with low enough enough numbers that something like you all have had could really set me back.

I sure hope you don't have the bad luck we have had. Losses are part of it, and they are inevitable I know, but hopefully you don't experience anything too devastating or lose any very important birds. I hope I have met my quota for bad luck this year!!

 

[KF0002]

Oh, I knew about the bloating but when I looked up "foundered" it was some kind of hoof issue.

There is feed founder, and hoof founder. Two totally unrelated conditions.

 

[KF0002]

Final count for this hatch is 17. Once these eggers hatch in 2 weeks I’m done for the season unless something wonderful and exceptional comes my way. For example, OEGB or something that I don’t actually have to hatch. We find room when we want it bad enough. My focus MUST shift toward bees and honey harvest in late June.
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Congratulations on your hatch! That is a good number of chicks. Bees scare me, but I do appreciate their role in our lives and all that. lol

 

[KF0002]

Nice score today. Was getting low on chicken feed. Had to go to town to get the boys some food figured I would stop by their Farm store and get like three bags of feed. That and what I have at home would get me to Wednesday when I had the day off.
I usually never mess with buying any Chick feed from them because it only comes in 40 lb bags and I could usually get it cheaper elsewhere. Today they had a one-day sale. Bonus 10 extra pound bags so 50 lb chick starter $10.99 each. Only had 14 bags in the store but I bought them out.

Wow!! That is a great deal! I would have bought them out too!

 

[KF0002]

In other news...
Today is lockdown. Candled the 12 eggs in the little incubator this morning and took the turner out. Only one clear and no blood rings so 11 have potential there.
30 eggs in the MaticoopX but I won't candle them and remove the trays until after dark since it's a lot easier than.
With six trays and 30 eggs I want to get through them as quick as possible.
Probably should see about getting my brooder set up soon huh?

Woohoo! Mooney chicks incoming!