Too Early for Feb Hatch-A-Long Thread??

[CluckNDoodle]

I have 3 chicks that are hatched! The 4th egg was a chick that was dead inside. Looks like it didn't internally pip correctly. 90% hatch rate!

Congrats on your hatch! So there were only 4 eggs total?

 

[CluckNDoodle]

I love this. Im going to look into this type of fence. My hubby is going to be so annoyed LOL, 1. Ill probably enlist him to help me and 2. every other day something is being delivered for my chicken obsession

It's REALLY easy to install. An extra hand helps but you really could do it by yourself!

 

[FortCluck]

Congrats on your hatch! So there were only 4 eggs total?

Yup... I did an experiment on all the things people talk about that you shouldn't do with eggs or what they've heard... Like you have to turn the eggs while you are collecting them before you put them in the incubator. That you have to put the eggs in three different positions in the incubator every day when you turn them. That you need to have a certain humidity for eggs to hatch. That you need to fill the bator or you get cold spots...

All of these I have proven to be wrong with this hatch. My humidity stayed at 18% the entire time. All of my eggs were inside of a hutch up to 10 days before I put them in the incubator. I just rolled the eggs inside of a basket every day twice a day. I stopped turning my eggs on day 14.

I'm going to do it with another hatch after the duck egg hatch to see if it get the same results. I figure I'll try it 5 times with 4 eggs each time.

 

[Merrymouse]

The only thing that has jumped my privacy fence was a deer once, but it was only once. We have all kinds of predators out here...like all of them. Raccoons, opossums, coyotes, foxes, dogs, bob cats, snakes, the list goes on, but none of them have climbed over the privacy fence or gone under it other than the occasional snake. I'm sure it's not impossible for them to do, I just haven't had an issue with it ever, but my coop and run would be nearly impenetrable at night when they would be on the prowl anyway.
(forgive the mess in the picture, I haven't taken any recent photos but this is the coop and covered run, covered in harward cloth and includes a 2' hardware cloth skirt.)

View attachment 2023984

Hawks, owls, and eagles are another story. I have had a couple losses and close calls alike but that's also part of why I was encouraging them to stay in the brush area, the hawks will perch on my pergola and watch them but they don't attack when they're under bushes so far. I had intended to put netting over the top too but I just can't figure out a system that wouldn't get completely ruined from leaves and things falling from the trees all the time overhead.

We have a very similar run. I have never had anything get into my coop and run. I built it like a fortress. hardware cloth everywhere and a skirt etc. I have two dogs that are outside alot but they are pussycats and wouldn't know what to do if something came in the yard. But we have seen some very brave coyote, bobcats, fishercats, racoons, mink etc. Im more worried about hawks. One day my husband and daughter were in the driveway watching the dogs nose around a mouse they had found. Like literally in a 6 foot circle just watching the dogs play with this mouse and a huge hawk swooped down right past my husbands shoulder surrounded by dogs and people and scooped up the mouse and flew away. That image never left me.
Its raining and very grey here today but Ill go take pictures to show you the lay of the land.

 

[Merrymouse]

It's REALLY easy to install. An extra hand helps but you really could do it by yourself!

Where did you get yours? Is it like a premiere one?

 

[CluckNDoodle]

Where did you get yours? Is it like a premiere one?

Yes, it's from premier one. I got the kit with the FiberTuff support posts to give it extra stability on the turns. It's this one:

https://www.premier1supplies.com/p/shock-or-not-poultry-fence?cat_id=139&species_id[0]=6
EDIT: I also needed it to be chick tight on the bottom because I have broody hens all the time.

 

[FortCluck]

Yes, it's from premier one. I got the kit with the FiberTuff support posts to give it extra stability on the turns. It's this one:

https://www.premier1supplies.com/p/shock-or-not-poultry-fence?cat_id=139&species_id[0]=6
EDIT: I also needed it to be chick tight on the bottom because I have broody hens all the time.

Want to get some of this when I move once I see how the predators are. Where I am right now we have no predators because the hunting dogs next door chase them off.

 

[Merrymouse]

Yes, it's from premier one. I got the kit with the FiberTuff support posts to give it extra stability on the turns. It's this one:

https://www.premier1supplies.com/p/shock-or-not-poultry-fence?cat_id=139&species_id[0]=6
EDIT: I also needed it to be chick tight on the bottom because I have broody hens all the time.

I was just now looking at that same exact fence. Im assuming you bought a few lengths of fence as your area looks pretty big. Hmmm...Going to take pictures now. But from the video I watched it shows it having tent spike to hold the fence down on uneven terrain like mine so maybe it will work.

 

[CluckNDoodle]

Want to get some of this when I move once I see how the predators are. Where I am right now we have no predators because the hunting dogs next door chase them off.

Yeah, that's very handy. My old Doberman passed away but I never had a single issue with hawks before she passed.

 

[FortCluck]

Yeah, that's very handy. My old Doberman passed away but I never had a single issue with hawks before she passed.

Dogs help a lot! I've never seen a raccoon or opossum in our yard because of the hunting dogs next door.