The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[RedRidge]

Thanks Red Ridge.  I don't have a solar powered battery.  I'm talking about building a dehydrator that uses heat from the sun to dehydrate the veggies.

Ah... so not really solar panels just direct sunlight? Like a solar oven?

 

[SallyinIndiana]

Congrats Sally. Both of my babies... 3 decades ago! ... were March babies. I remember it like it was yesterday. Funny how those memories squirm into your brain and become part of you. Wonderful time to have a baby! #1??

Not my first thankfully. Still I think I would prefer a early to mid December Baby. Then there are no issues with should I get a new winter coat. Or cabin fever since I've been a hermit for the last 3 months and when the baby is arrives I'll want to keep it inside for another 6 weeks or so. But the spring baby gives me a reason to start the hatching season early so I can hopefully have empty incubators before the baby comes. But in all honesty, I don't like the risks that snow brings for an almost full term mom to be. Ice increases the risk of falling, snow games are basically not allowed, shoveling now falls only on DH, sledding, ice skating, making angels, snowball fights with the children ~ all stuff for another year.

 

[aoxa]

Not my first thankfully. Still I think I would prefer a early to mid December Baby. Then there are no issues with should I get a new winter coat. Or cabin fever since I've been a hermit for the last 3 months and when the baby is arrives I'll want to keep it inside for another 6 weeks or so. But the spring baby gives me a reason to start the hatching season early so I can hopefully have empty incubators before the baby comes. But in all honesty, I don't like the risks that snow brings for an almost full term mom to be. Ice increases the risk of falling, snow games are basically not allowed, shoveling now falls only on DH, sledding, ice skating, making angels, snowball fights with the children ~ all stuff for another year.

Hey, you better not be complaining that your husband has to shovel That is a reason to get pregnant in and of itself LOL

*dreamy eyes* No shovelling? Yes please!

 

[Toast n Jelly]

Quote: Thanks so much! Will certainly add this to my info and follow your link.

Edited to add: This product is discontinued by Garmin and replaced with: http://www.tritronics.ca/DeltaSport.htm
Note: Bad reviews on Amazon.

You are very lucky to have the Tri-Tronics as the comparison was in favour of it over Garmin and left Garmin buyers outraged at their product.
Sorry if this is off-topic and maybe it should have a life of it's own (own thread).

 

[lazy gardener]

Ah... so not really solar panels just direct sunlight? Like a solar oven?

Yep!

Not my first thankfully. Still I think I would prefer a early to mid December Baby. Then there are no issues with should I get a new winter coat. Or cabin fever since I've been a hermit for the last 3 months and when the baby is arrives I'll want to keep it inside for another 6 weeks or so. But the spring baby gives me a reason to start the hatching season early so I can hopefully have empty incubators before the baby comes. But in all honesty, I don't like the risks that snow brings for an almost full term mom to be. Ice increases the risk of falling, snow games are basically not allowed, shoveling now falls only on DH, sledding, ice skating, making angels, snowball fights with the children ~ all stuff for another year.

Call me a fool, but I was out snow shoeing and ice skating when heavy with child! My reasoning was that I was more likely to fall when not on ice skates than when on them. Now, that I'm older with the older bones and painful joints... I haven't done either in years! But, yeah, you're being sensible and that's a good thing.

 

[SallyinIndiana]

Quote:
It takes a lot of his time that he could be doing other stuff inside. Playing with our toddlers so they sleep better, reading with our beginner reader (one can only do so much of that), even just watching a movie. But yes I don't miss the effort of shoveling.

On a different note I just heard what I thought was a herd of mice in the corner of my house. Looked out the window and the back yard was covered in tiny black birds most likely starlings. I did not realize they could be so loud. I scared them all away of course but for a minute there I was about ready to fire the barn cats.

 

[TeaChick]

I need to catch up on NCK.
But as for your question I use a still air incubator as my hatcher. Here are the ways it helps me.
1. I can use my 1588 fancy digital incubator for multiple settings of small batches of eggs of varying sizes.
2. I can have eggs set every 6 days and not need to change the settings on the 1588.
3. I have found it easier to maintain a higher level of humidity without the use of a fan. There is no way to turn the fan off in my fancy incubator. Thus the still air has an advantage for the last 3 days. Still monitoring the temps in the still air can be annoying.
4. I only need two incubators as long as I'm setting smaller batches. If I was to leave the eggs in the incubator they started in, I would need 4 incubators to set eggs every 6 days.

That makes sense. I see how that works for your set up. =)
I just have a small styrofoam (if anyone knows how to spell that, I'd like to eliminate the red zig-zaggy line under it) incubator (still air, dimmer switch) and I'm setting eggs once a month for the rather small chicken operation I have going on here. So, with my set up, it works better to just hatch in the incubator.
Thank you so much for sharing with me; I'm glad to have the information as I might one day have a fancy digital incubator too.

 

[Scott H]

Teachick, when the red line rears its ugly head, go up top and hit the ABC button.

 

[SallyinIndiana]

That makes sense. I see how that works for your set up. =)
I just have a small styrofoam (if anyone knows how to spell that, I'd like to eliminate the red zig-zaggy line under it) incubator (still air, dimmer switch) and I'm setting eggs once a month for the rather small chicken operation I have going on here. So, with my set up, it works better to just hatch in the incubator.
Thank you so much for sharing with me; I'm glad to have the information as I might one day have a fancy digital incubator too.

The spell checker wants name brands to start with a cap.
I only got my fancy 1588 after hatching enough chicks to sell on CL over a summer to pay for it. I used my still air incubator with a turner to hatch before the 1588. I set in bigger batches too since I was not setting as often. I would recommend using the paper towels or shelf liner over the metal rack to help with cleanup. Also if you can hatch the eggs in a cardboard egg carton it helps minimize some issues. I lost two chicks today because I was out of cartons and laid the eggs flat. One egg a chick sat on the air hole and before I noticed the barely pipped egg had suffocated. The other egg was still attached by what would be similar to the umbilical cord to the chick. Well an up and moving chick sat on what I'm calling the cord and somehow pulled a hole in the belly of the just hatching chick. The chick died from the yolk previously absorbed, draining back out. Quite disgusting and I'll have a big mess later tonight to clean once the last 4 chicks are brooder worthy.

 

[TeaChick]

Maybe if something is taken away before it got used, just maybe it would not be missed.
The baby should come sometime in March or early April. I've been promised to have my little one before Easter.

Congrats!!!

Yes, I had forgotten too.

I wish you all the best, Hon!!! =)