Washingtonians Come Together! Washington Peeps

[junebuggena]

Another great hatch for me. 17 eggs made it to lockdown. 10 healthy chicks hatched, four eggs pipped. Now I just hope that some of them are pullets worth keeping for the breeding project.

 

[pennyJo1960]

great hatch there I need to pick up a new heating pad without the darn auto shut off
cannot quite justify the spendy brinsea one have to stick my bator on the shelf awhile
after this hatch

 

[junebuggena]

great hatch there I need to pick up a new heating pad without the darn auto shut off
cannot quite justify the spendy brinsea one have to stick my bator on the shelf awhile
after this hatch

Found mine at Dennis Company.

 

[pennyJo1960]

Quote: Wow have not heard that name in a long time
closest is Montesano or Elma use to like the stores
I actually start dropping temp pretty quick as
it encourages them to feather in faster mho

 

[chickenmomma16]

Yours don't take eight weeks to get all their feathers? I've always waited eight weeks till they are outside completely if the weather is cold.

I use the heating pad cave method. And the ambient temp of the brooder is usually between 40 to 50 degrees. The chicks get to choose just how much warmth, or how little warmth they want. They feather in very quickly. Keeping them too warm actually makes them take longer to feather in.

I use the pad method too and I am sold! I will never buy a heat lamp again. The first chicks I raised I used a heat lamp and they took forever to feather in and when they did go out to the coop I found out they were afraid of the dark... Sad but funny!
I raised 20 Ameraucanas with 2 heat pads sandwiched between a type of smaller square cattle panel. I attached the cords and a chain and raised it every week until they weaned themselves off and roosted with the adults at 6weeks. It's was a dream!

Here's my setup in the coop: (note that the light was a special bulb with no heat and break resistant)

You can see in the back its tent shaped:

And 6 weeks roosting not assisted :

 

[pennyJo1960]

It has never taken long for mine to feather as the room they are in is my sewing room
I cannot get in to sew anything if they are there although may do some re arranging to
get at least one machine my old White.. the sewing room has no heat in it and have to use a
space heater to keep the machines safe have switched heaters so has been tough to get
it to medium of maybe 68 not 88

also where the brooder is

 

[Chickielady]

I can imagine our outside cats last summer when it was still early
evening the bats came our here the cat's tails where twitching you
could just hear them Mom I want one

 

[Chickielady]

Hooray !
Mine have quit for winter & not started back up yet.

Any Bucklings to be sold for meat ?
Or is it too early or too late ?

Your a few weeks too early

I will put another bug in the owners ear if we have any available this year. Are you interested in bottle babies or do you need them weaned first?[/QUOTE]
Hmmmmmm, weaners for sure.getting ready for a few weaner pigs too....

 

[Chickielady]

My does are older and the litter size is starting to reflect that. We sent 10 to the freezer in November. I only have one left. We have it about once a week, and I use it just like I would chicken. I cut 6 of them into pieces, and left 4 whole for roasting. I am raising them on pasture, so it takes longer for them to reach processing size, but it's worth it to see those little ones frolicing and mowing the yards for me.
Our favorite recipe is in the crock pot with a jar of chile verde salsa, then serve over rice. Leftovers can be used later in the week as tacos or sloppy joes. It's a denser protein than chicken, so it's more filling.

YUMM, chili verde YUMM!!

 

[Chickielady]

I've been mostly lucky. The ameraucana and ameraucana cross are the only ones laying. Even though most of them are 6 years old now.

My Bielefelders are laying HUGE eggs, all winter at about 80% rate.and the cuckoo marsn medium eggs at about 50%...and the leghorns are 100% (of course) and I am getting 1 egg a week from 10 sulmtalers (traditionally a meat breed) and NO Am eggs since November...wierd !
Usually my OEs lay HUGE olives year round & Ams laying big blues at least at 50%...not this year.

They are all getting vitamins (broiler booster) at 50% strength soon, as it is breeding season soon....
and we Eprinexed just 2 weeks ago...