The Omega Rocks: The Last & Ultimate Barred Plymouth Rock Flock

[speckledhen]

FINALLY! After 10 days around the world, the dividers I ordered from Etsy have arrived back into Atlanta. Hopefully, they'll be here tomorrow...unless they sit in Atlanta for a few days, which occasionally happens. In any case, unless they're lost again, they will be here by lockdown time.
Meanwhile, I think I need a new waterer base. The old one, or the only one I can find, is very old and the plastic looks brittle so I'll be buying a new base. I have several chick feeders, including those really long ones, not sure which I will use. The round feeder base is not flat on the surface where the holes are like my old aluminum ones are and are too conducive to chicks dumping feed out onto the floor, but the long rectangular ones take up more room in the brooder. And I need to go get chick starter now that it seems I will have some new chicksters in a week and a half, providing all goes well.
The power did not go out last night, by the way, though we had horrid winds and rain.

 

[21hens-incharge]

FINALLY! After 10 days around the world, the dividers I ordered from Etsy have arrived back into Atlanta. Hopefully, they'll be here tomorrow...unless they sit in Atlanta for a few days, which occasionally happens. In any case, unless they're lost again, they will be here by lockdown time.
Meanwhile, I think I need a new waterer base. The old one, or the only one I can find, is very old and the plastic looks brittle so I'll be buying a new base. I have several chick feeders, including those really long ones, not sure which I will use. The round feeder base is not flat on the surface where the holes are like my old aluminum ones are and are too conducive to chicks dumping feed out onto the floor, but the long rectangular ones take up more room in the brooder. And I need to go get chick starter now that it seems I will have some new chicksters in a week and a half, providing all goes well.
The power did not go out last night, by the way, though we had horrid winds and rain.

Hoping the stop in Atlanta is brief and not the start of round 2 around the world.

Looking forward to seeing all your fluff butts hatch well!

 

[speckledhen]

Thank you! I'll let you know if this is the end of the drama or the continuation of USPS craziness. I can't believe they'd send this package off again for a whirlwind vacation!

 

[21hens-incharge]

Thank you! I'll let you know if this is the end of the drama or the continuation of USPS craziness. I can't believe they'd send this package off again for a whirlwind vacation!

I was watching for an Amazon package once. It said I was the next stop so I watched the little truck on the map go down my street...and into another neighborhood! About 3 hours later my package arrived. It's nuts how the packages wander the globe.

 

[speckledhen]

I was watching for an Amazon package once. It said I was the next stop so I watched the little truck on the map go down my street...and into another neighborhood! About 3 hours later my package arrived. It's nuts how the packages wander the globe.

I have that issue with local Walmart delivery. They get lost, don't show up, leave my pkg on a neighbor's porch, etc. They rarely get it right. At least my hatching eggs didn't get lost...this time. Once they put my hatching eggs I ordered on the wrong truck and actually marked through my address, wrote the wrong zipcode on it to make it look like it was the seller who got it wrong, rerouted it to cover their mistake. My postmaster found out where it was and he literally drove an hour to get for me because it was time-sensitive. Boy, was he ticked off at those employees!

 

[LhickenChicken]

FINALLY! After 10 days around the world, the dividers I ordered from Etsy have arrived back into Atlanta. Hopefully, they'll be here tomorrow...unless they sit in Atlanta for a few days, which occasionally happens. In any case, unless they're lost again, they will be here by lockdown time.
Meanwhile, I think I need a new waterer base. The old one, or the only one I can find, is very old and the plastic looks brittle so I'll be buying a new base. I have several chick feeders, including those really long ones, not sure which I will use. The round feeder base is not flat on the surface where the holes are like my old aluminum ones are and are too conducive to chicks dumping feed out onto the floor, but the long rectangular ones take up more room in the brooder. And I need to go get chick starter now that it seems I will have some new chicksters in a week and a half, providing all goes well.
The power did not go out last night, by the way, though we had horrid winds and rain.

Just my two cents (if you want it). I had major problems getting my chicks not to waste food, and I found a solution. If you make the chick crumble into mash, it's heavier and more difficult to dump. If you have a trough it makes it doubly hard for the chicks to waste. Additionally, it's softer for them to digest and it doesn't matter how much they scratch in it, it won't get out of the dish. The only problem is that it sometimes gets compacted if they walk around on it too much. What I do when that happens, is I take a spoon and stir it up and add a bit of water. It does go bad faster, so I make it in small batches so that the chicks eat it before it goes bad.

Just putting it out there.

 

[speckledhen]

The long feeders are trough style with holes on both of the sides and yes, they waste less with those than the round feeder bases.
This one is what I mean. I have two of them.

Though I do appreciate the suggestion, I'll likely just use the long feeder or maybe see if the co-op has a completely different feeder from the ones I currently have. I am likely due for a new feeder and waterer anyway. Been using these for umpteen years already.

 

[sourland]

Been using these for umpteen years already.

I'm a firm believer in 'If it ain't broke, don't fix it.'

 

[speckledhen]

I agree, my friend. The waterer base is beginning to get that brittle look and should be replaced (with the same type). I'd hate for it to crack and flood the brooder. I think I'll use one of the long feeders I have already, too. The brooder is one of those wire rabbit cages with a plastic base and the door that opens moat-style on the side, so should have plenty of room in there for up to the 11 chicks whose eggs are still developing nicely and the larger feeder.

 

[NanaK]

I use the trough style feeders with chicks. They do seem to waste less feed. The only problem I've had with them is the chicks like to perch on top. This leads to poop in the trough. It gets cleaned often. I wish I could find a solution to this.

As for the USPS, I always have issues with getting packages delivered. We are in the country with a long path leading to our home. They act like they can't find us. Funny how the bills have no problem finding our mail box.

Hope those dividers make it in time for your hatch!