The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[delisha]

I wanted to find the University that posted that study about silkies and the higher temperatures. I can't find it. It has to do with the pressure and air exchange. Silkies are delicate and the first two days are critical for development. it requires higher temps in those first two days. Plugs in. Than it requires a temp of 99.5-101.5 and no higher for the next 16 days. They said that all chicks hatch best at 98.8 for the last two days with strong air flow and plugs removed and humidity at 65-70%.

 

[Arkansas81]

Delisha why is it that the silkies need the higher temps??  I have had varied luck hatching silkies .... but that is before I learned the no turning trick.  I also candle the eggs cuz well I can not help myself and it is SO COOL!!!  Totally makes sense that you shouldn't touch them ... they have been through enough!

On a silkie note I saw that Karen of Catdance is phasing out her shipping eggs as she is just too busy ! Glad I got some last year!  But for anybody here thinking about getting some you better do it soon!

Oh I hope she continues to sell her birds, I'm hoping to get some babies from her in may...they are beautiful!!!!

 

[bluebirdnanny]

I"m back and finally caught up! Lost 3 of the youngest SFH chicks (under the black Silkie) while we were gone - apparently it got really, really cold last night and perhaps they couldn't all fit under mama. There was a heat element in the grow-out pen with them too, but it was in the 20's and the window was open all the way because I wasn't around to close it.

It's going down to freezing again tonight but I plugged in the extra heater and closed the window a bit. Mama was sitting tight on the 7 babies she had left.

I love all the chick pics, and as usual the information passed around on this thread has been fantastic! Gotta get some sleep (I have a bad cold... because no vacation would be complete without being plagued by some nasty little virus) but I'll be on tomorrow after my chores are done.

Night, folks!

Welcome back home. Sorry you lost the SFH chicks. It is still in the 20s at night here and my coop has no door to the screened box front. So I have a plastic wrap on prevailing wind side to protect a heat lamp for at night. Three hens and getting three eggs a day!!! Surprised me to get one from all three everyday. Please check my "album" link if you will. Tell me if that is bare neck from picking on or something might be wrong. Still can't catch them. They move through that little open door from screened to enclosed and I can't fit in the coop!!! haha Got to get the lean to built so I can walk in.

 

[Leahs Mom]

I hated not being able to see inside the wood brooder cuz well there is nothing better then chcik TV, So.... I was thinking what else I could use as a brooder and came up with the PECK N PLAY!!!
I think it was my best idea EVER!!! I got it off Craigslist for $20 practically new! It was so nice, I felt kind of guilty putting the chicks in it

but they loved it!

Oh and the other great thing is when you are done brooding chicks it folds up!!!

I LOVE THAT!!!!!!!

 

[Eggcessive]

Bulldogma, so sorry about your 3 little SFH's. You have had a tough time lately. Glad you are back home. Get some rest.

 

[TurtlePowerTrav]

Quote: I have noticed they are finally putting some weight on them. Still have pretty sharp keels but they are filling out. And seem a little more active.

 

[amberr]

I LOVE THAT!!!!!!!

Why isn't the picture of the play pen showing up after I quoted it....? Any way I was thinking about using an old play pen for my brooder too, did you line it with anything before the shavings?

If it is totally secure, you can leave the coop door open for them but....
- .I can't tell from your picture what the fencing is. If it is chicken wire, that won't be strong enough. If it is fencing, how large are the openings of the fencing/mesh/whatever it is?
- not sure how the fencing is fastened to the posts - could a coon rip it off?
- Not sure if the "ceiling" of the run will support full grown coons, assuming you have those in your neck of the woods ( is there anywhere free of coons?)
- how about critters digging under?


You might scan the predators threads to see how predators have accessed other people's chickens. Everyone has local predators, whether they are fox, bear, coyote, coons, weasels, mink, dogs, dogs, dogs, hawks, owls,.....I'm sure I'm forgetting some! oh yeah, skunks. Those are the ones I have in my area. Anyway, figure out what yours are and then for each of them, see now they could or couldn't get into the run or coop.
X2 - I guess I would just ask how strong and can something dig? I don't have to really worry about either of those because I have two dogs that don't allow anything to live once it crosses into our fence. That said, our dogs would also kill the chickens and ducks if they were out running around, but they don't try to get through our run and they don't try to dig either. The most they do is bark at them when mating is going on because there's all this commotion in the coop - LOL. One of our dogs got 3 big skunks last summer and somehow did it without getting sprayed! If I didn't have them, I would re-think my run more as I would be worried about something digging. We do have raccoons in the area (about 20 miles away) but I've NEVER seen one here - we are out on the prairie and they stick to the more city area, away from us, where there is trees, rocks, and a creek. My biggest threat I think is hawks, skunks, and coyotes.Oh, and snakes - which is why I did hardware cloth on the bottom just in case a snake snuck past my dogs, which I doubt because half the time I am rescuing king snakes from them and letting them go across the street into the field. I love having the king snakes around because they kill the rattlers. I have the top secure from hawks - which you really have to make sure! I'm amazed about how many friends of mine had hawks get in and then couldn't find their way out. I did not dig down and place fencing underground to deter diggers but I might consider that too if I didn't have the dogs. I don't have opossums, weasels, or other strange creatures that can find little holes and get in so I'm glad about that! I feel sorry for people that have to deal with bears! Yikes!

It has buried chain link fencing under neath so no digging to worry about. I haven't stated my "remodel" of the coop yet that'll come when house is finished, so not sure how wire is attached I'm thinking staples, and its just chicken wire nothing fancy. Predators will likely be fox and hawks for certain, not sure about coons. Ill look into those threads about predators to see what should work. A coons weight may be too much might have to reinforce with extra 2x4's. thanks for the help.

 

[pigeonguy]

Well, I know that. But still, none of the eggs have been colored, streaked or whatever.

Glad to hear that. You said it twice once you even said you were looking for the other hole but did not want to hurt them. So what I am saying is I must have missed the humor. (in Eeyore's voice from Winnie the pooh) OH well not the first time I read something wrong probably won't be the last. (in sponge Bob's voice) LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL.

Seriously now can someone with experience in this help out as to why this did not work. Do you have to stick the bottle way up there. Do you cut feed so the don't poop it out. Whats up get graphic.

Also Moxie what steps did you take. Exactly. Did you stick it way up there. Drop it on the outside. Get graphic.
I want to know why this did not work and how to make it work. I have not done it but common sense says it should and I just can't figure out why it didn't.
The picture in my mind is turn them upside down stick the bottle in and squeeze. Don't do that unless someone with experience verifies it Like I said I never done it before

For those that don't know what I'm talking about it is about putting food color up their pooper / egg shoot to find who laid what egg.

 

[delisha]

Quote:

Quote:
Originally Posted by TurtlePowerTrav

Chelation therapy is done for the two Silkies. Hoping to get the pen done in the next week or two and get all the Silkies into it, including the chicks and get the meaties into the tractor. These 5 are eating almost as much as my 8 adult LF w/2 chicks. About 5 cups for the meaties and 6 for the LF.

Please let me know how every thing went and if you notice any difference.

I have noticed they are finally putting some weight on them. Still have pretty sharp keels but they are filling out. And seem a little more active.
I am glad you are noticing a difference. Please keep me informed how they are doing.

 

[PeepsCA]

Quote: LOL!!! pigeonguy you are crackin' me up. Get graphic

I was wondering where exactly she put that food coloring too tho...