Utah!

[sillycmoy]

With mine... I keep them in until they're 8 weeks old and have lowered the heat lamp temp (I have them on an adjustable dial) each week until they can handle the outside temps. Then they go into an enclosed, wind shielded coop with an adjoining door into another vented coop. They stay there until almost 16 weeks old which is when, I personally, merge them, at night, in with the grown flocks, which some still have free range and others are in their own breed perspective coops, with runs..

With my 8 week olds that are outside, I started putting outside in the large coop during the day, with the door open at 6 weeks old. They stayed in there for at least a week, no one dared go outside. I just really want them out of the house during the day. I'm sick of the dust everywhere, and now since they are bigger they are kicking it up everywhere. Those Silkies sure like to scratch around all day long. They only have a 60 watt light now at night, I kick it off during the day, but they are in my loft, and its super hot up there during the day. Its always around 75 plus up there, even with the AC on, it has huge windows that get sun from about 9am to about 4 pm, so its always hot up there.

So you think I should still leave them in the house? I just want to do whats best for them, and they will not be outside over night, I would probably bring them back in around 6-7ish when the temp starts to get cooler. I know they said its going to be around 90 on Sat, they are for sure going outside when its that hot during the day, LOL They will have the coop, and a 8 ft by 4 ft grow out pen run with the coop.

 

[Lilwanis]

I've walked away before, with coaching from DH that it's not my problem.... then have felt horrible that it was a matter of life or death for those babies.  NEVER AGAIN!  It's kinda like the starfish on the beach story.... it matters to each of those babies!!!


Yep, there's a lot of flakes in this world!!  He probably wouldn't have given those babies a good home either.


YAY!!!  Hoping you have a great hatch!!

Me too!! I pulled three clears from the batch and was able to see good veining on most the rest. The bbs am eggs, I can't tell. One of the fav eggs has an air cell that is a perfect oval down the side. I was tempted to pull it, but it was developing. I guess we'll see what happens. I sure hope I get more than one lav am this time.

 

[Cynthia12]

Desert Springs--
I respect your persistence & courage in making sure the chicks got what they needed, and am amazed at your resourcefulness in figuring how to get results! You're really showing some caring where it's critical, it sounds like.
Wishing you the best in your rehabilitation of your new little flock of cheepers!

X's 2!!

 

[Sphinx]

Desert, it was great to see you. I am so angry over the way those poor chicks were neglected at IFA. Good for you for advocating for the poor babies.

Lisa, that's annoying that the guy flaked on you. I hate it when that happens.

Lilwanis, you definitely deserve an awesome hatch.

Sundance, I must've missed why your cat is down in Orem.

 

[Cynthia12]

Oh my, I can not keep up with you folks! I'm worried about two of my girls. One of them has a patch on her back, right in front of her tail, where the feathers are gone. It was bloody the day they were all missing, then it got to almost completely healed and suddenl. OIt was bloody again. That's been happening all week. I just assumed it was pecking order stuff, but now I've noticed another of my girls is starting to get a similar thing going on. Hers isn't an where near as bloody, but there is just a little blood and a patch of missing feathers. I've checked them out and don't see any signs of mites, but honestly I have no idea what I'd be looking for so I could have missed it. My other two girls look and act completely normal, no missing feathers thay I've noticed at all. Should I be worried? And if so, what should I look for or do?

LISA, did you see this post? Didn't you have problems a while back with pecking? Does this sound like it is what it could be?

Sorry araivis, I haven't dealt with that..knock on wood. Anyone else? It really does sound like what I've read about it though. You may just have to really keep an eye out and watch who the little stink is that's doing this. Mites can leave a hen featherless, but blood? I guess..if the hen is covered, but you said you checked. And it's just in a spot, not a whole big are, or areas...hmmmm? Maybe someone else has had this happen with picking?

 

[La Casa de Pollo]

Yes I would agree it sounds like picking...broken feathers on top of the tail and lower back, bald spots, with blood...keep an eye out to see who the stinker is and separate them if you can. There is some Rooster Booster No-Pick lotion available at CAL ranch, it is purple and disguises the red (chickens naturally are drawn to pick at red so the problem just gets worse once blood is drawn) and it tastes bad so it helps deter the picking but sometimes not enough. This is how my Houdan died, it started with a little pecking but they would not stop once the sore was there so be careful Also Bitter Spray available at Petsmart to deter dog chewing seems to help, the chickens do not like the taste of that.

Also i have tried sitting out there and squirting the assailant with water every time they peck on the victim...if you have that kind of time, it really helps too!

 

[aravis227]

I'll definitely keep a good eye on those girls and I'll pick up that lotion! Hopefully it will put a stop to it. Thank you so much for the suggestions! I like sitting out there with water...my son would love it, too. Lots of time in the backyard? He'd be in! I have my suspicions that it will be my australorp...she's always been the biggest and most definitely "in charge", plus she has no signs of broken feathers.

 

[Opticell]

Hi, I am in North Ogden. Have 18 chickens at the moment on 1.5 acres presently grazing free range on 1 acre. Have 13 1yr BPR hens, 1 rooster, 2 silkie 8 week chicks and 2 RIR chicks these four are living in a homemade chicken tractor. Just made a Crusinart incubator from a broken wine fridge, Carousel from microwave, thermostat from water bed-disassembled and modified to max 105F, small heatpad, several wireless thermometers. I decided an Exergen Temperal thermometer would be a fair reference for accuracy. Also make automatic chicken doors, and ask Subway for bread and vegetable scraps. Cheers

PS -- Save those old microwaves. Each has about 3 micro switches, several relays, a good reversable carousel motor, 2 earth ring magnets, and ~1Lb of copper. The motor needed AC source, so I tapped a 12VDC adapter just after the Transformer, before the diode, and perfect have an adapter that was, in my case, 12VDC & 12VAC. Might even try as low as 6-9VAC to see if the carousel will turn slower. It is great because it reverses anytime the payload snags something.

 

[Lilwanis]

Hi, I am in North Ogden.  Have 18 chickens at the moment on 1.5 acres presently grazing free range on 1 acre.  Have 13  1yr BPR hens, 1 rooster, 2 silkie 8 week chicks and 2 RIR chicks these four are living in a homemade chicken tractor.  Just made a Crusinart incubator from a broken wine fridge, Carousel from microwave, thermostat from water bed-disassembled and modified to max 105F, small heatpad, several wireless thermometers.  I decided an Exergen Temperal thermometer would be a fair reference for accuracy.  Also make automatic chicken doors, and ask Subway for bread and vegetable scraps.  Cheers

PS -- Save those old microwaves.  Each has about 3 micro switches, several relays, a good reversable carousel motor,  2 earth ring magnets, and ~1Lb of copper.  The motor needed AC source, so I tapped a 12VDC adapter just after the Transformer, before the diode, and perfect have an adapter that was, in my case, 12VDC & 12VAC.  Might even try as low as 6-9VAC to see if the carousel will turn slower.  It is great because it reverses anytime the payload snags something.

Welcome! You would get along with my husband, he speaks that same electronic speak that you do He likes to repair stuff for pawn shops as a hobby, I don't understand any of it, but that is like chickens are to me.

 

[sillycmoy]

I pulled the plunge, and I put Oxine in the 2 gallon nipple waterer. I put in 1.2 mL, so hopefully that is the correct measurement. I'm terrified of them getting sick from it. But I put in 0.6 mL twice for the 2 gallons. If the wind ever stops blowing, I'm going to clean out the coop, and spray, but its so windy I don't want to spray until the wind stops, so we might have to wait till tomorrow.