The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[aaggjg]

Okay - the turkey walk thing for a broody is new to me. Never knew that they did that. Is that pretty common? Do they all do it or just on occasion?

Every time they get off the nest !!! That is actually what trigger the light bulb over my head a few days ago, as my ameraucana that just went broody did that and the dinasaur screech for days before actually going 100% broody. First time I've had a hen do it pre broody ... but when they are broody they do it to announce they are getting off the nest , if anybody comes near, if you look at them .... So I'd watch that hen of yours ... I bet she'll be broody in a few days!!!

 

[lalaland]

I didn't wait for others to answer before speaking to the contractor. We are going to make it 32" by 4 feet each brooder with removable wall partitions so we can have either large brooding pens or like I said 32" by 4 feet First one will be 2 feet off the ground, and the next one 2 feet above that. The top one will go right to the ceiling.

You did make a very good point. I'm glad we decided to do it this way as well. He is also going to put a shaving barrier of 8 inches up.

Yikes! the shaving barrier is such a great idea - these chicks are just at the scratching stage today and I have shavings everywhere. am going to rig up a cardboard barrier, but wish I had thought of that earlier.

sounds like it is going to be wonderful space.

 

[brandislee]

Se

**** it, now two of the three remaining are pipped, and the third one is chirping. I mean that's good, that's potentially a 100% hatch- I never candled these eggs or anything. But seriously, my first 100% hatch is to a mama who won't accept the chicks? What's that all about???

Seriously? I just typed dang it and it edited it? I didn't think we were that uptight here

 

[brandislee]

Se

**** it, now two of the three remaining are pipped, and the third one is chirping. I mean that's good, that's potentially a 100% hatch- I never candled these eggs or anything. But seriously, my first 100% hatch is to a mama who won't accept the chicks? What's that all about???

Seriously? I just typed dang it and it edited it? I didn't think we were that uptight here

 

[brandislee]

Se

**** it, now two of the three remaining are pipped, and the third one is chirping. I mean that's good, that's potentially a 100% hatch- I never candled these eggs or anything. But seriously, my first 100% hatch is to a mama who won't accept the chicks? What's that all about???

Seriously? I just typed dang it and it edited it? I didn't think we were that uptight here. Or maybe my auto correct filled in an actual bad word...

 

[lalaland]

thanks hotrod. sounds like it would be better to use a white 150 watt versus a red 250. will stop at store tomorrow, for some reason I can't find the red 150 watts.

 

[hotrodflash]

So the chicks I've moved to the brooder- I've never seen new hatches chicks, only after mama has brought them off the nest. How long should try be all wobbly? And they're okay with just a lamp, right? Each was mostly dry when I pulled them out, so I assumed that was okay. And I'm trying to decide what to treat their head wounds with tomorrow, so any thoughts on that would be appreciated. All the wounds are really close to or including their eyes, which is limiting my ideas. I have some boric acid solution I've been using on my kittens, is that safe for chicks?

I have a naked neck that was scalped by the older pullets and I used neosporin, not pain killer kind, and she healed without a scar and the feathers are growing back. Hers was so bad the skull was showing.

 

[hotrodflash]

thanks hotrod. sounds like it would be better to use a white 150 watt versus a red 250. will stop at store tomorrow, for some reason I can't find the red 150 watts.

I am using a 60 watt bulb on mine at the moment, they are 4 weeks old and no lights at night now and outside all day in the grow out pen. But I am in Texas so it is in the upper 80's here already. Usually the middle 90's is normal for this time of year here. So I only use a 250 watt bulb for about a week on my brooder even in winter. I keep all wattages because I never know when I will need to change the wattage due to the weather.

 

[aaggjg]

**** it, now two of the three remaining are pipped, and the third one is chirping. I mean that's good, that's potentially a 100% hatch- I never candled these eggs or anything. But seriously, my first 100% hatch is to a mama who won't accept the chicks? What's that all about???

That is such a bummer ! I'm sorry your hen is a bad mama

 

[brandislee]

Thanks

I have a naked neck that was scalped by the older pullets and I used neosporin, not pain killer kind, and she healed without a scar and the feathers are growing back. Hers was so bad the skull was showing. 

Thanks! And another hatching question- do already pipped eggs need heat only or heat and humidity to finish hatching? In other words could I put pipped eggs under a heat lamp to finish hatching? Ugh, it's times like this I wish I had an incubator... One without a mind of its own!