Washingtonians

[KMHunter]

Quote: I just got some from QC farming supply(online). I think you can get an in tank heater from the petstore?

 

[ByN8ureHomstead]

Quote:

I should note that 5 gallons will last a week with 10 LF.

Great video! Where did you get the nipples? And what size hole did you drill? Though I guess it would depend on the nipple?

yes! What section are the nipples in at the hardware store? How much do they - and the immersion heater- run?

I have never seen them in a hardware store.
The best place I found to buy them is at QC Supply. The Stainless Steel Nipple is a 3 piece unit, the Push-In Style Nipple is a one piece unit. Do make sure you get the 360 Degree style this will allow the the bird to get water from any direction. I feel the Push-In Style Nipples leak less than the Stainless Steel Nipples. I don't remember what size the hole is but on QC Supply's website it says to use 9.3 mm or 11/32" or up to 3/8". I just kept making the hole bigger until it fit.

http://www.qcsupply.com/farm-livestock/waterers/nipple-waterers.html?animal=1231

Here is a video of my winter setup in action.

I bought the stock tank heater from TSC. It is a 250 watt heater that is ok to use on plastic.
This is the one I use.
http://www.tractorsupply.com/farm-innovators-multi-use-utility-deicer-250-watt-2170738

 

[Ogress]

Great video! Where did you get the nipples? And what size hole did you drill? Though I guess it would depend on the nipple?

I hung several 5 gallon buckets with 4 nipples in each. My chickens prefer drinking out of a bowl, and pretty much just use the nipple waterers if the bowls are dry. I find their eggs are smaller and their are fewer of them when they have only the nipple waterers available to them. I started off with the nipple waterers and got the bowls last August after having my chickens for over a year, and was surprised how much bigger their eggs grew.

 

[StarryEyzz]

Thanks FRF - We're sure enjoying them. Although every day also reminds me just how messy chicks in the house are and what a relief it can be to finally get them outside!!! My biggest challenge in the next week or so will be finding someone to build my coop and run. I'm thinking I may need a grow out coop and then just for leave silkies I'm keeping in it. Unfortunately my actor buddy told me it's a little beyond his skill level. I have the plans for a coop that I think would be perfect for them since it's lower to the ground and has a short ramp. Then the Seramas could summer in it too. I'm envisioning a taller covered run around it. I thought it was pretty cute though!

I love this coop too!

 

[ChristineR]

Well from what I've read, some say 2 or 3 weeks, some say 8 weeks. So I'm going to guess by 4 weeks I may have a clue or two. I think you can start seeing comb differences by then.
And thank you, I'm thinking they're pretty darn cute too!
Yes, they just hatched 4 days ago! The photos are somewhat deceiving, because these babies are TINY. I am surprised how much feathering they have on their little wings already.
I have heard that Seramas can be very difficult to hatch. I was prepared going in that I could be disappointed and frankly I don't think my hatch rate was all that great, but from what I'm hearing I was lucky to get any to hatch at all. I started with 14 eggs. After one week I tossed several that were clear. During the second week I found a couple that were early quitters. By lock down I could see that I had another quitter - just a tiny dark blob much smaller than the others that was free floating inside the egg.

So out of the 14, only 6 eggs went into lock down. Of those 6, only 4 hatched. The other two never pipped.

I feel very fortunate to have these 4. They are pretty special.

Yeah, they have a lot of feathering! I'm used to ducklings, who have no feathers at that age.

I've found Seramas very difficult to hatch. So far I've hatched a big ZERO. I'm trying right now, though. I have 5 eggs in the bator that I REALLY hope at least one or two hatch. They are from my favorite roo who died a couple weeks ago. I'm not holding out much hope that I'll actually get any chicks, but I have to try.

 

[Stumpfarmer]

Dropping by with more illustrations.

First, the baby Hamburgs, AKA Six Slick Chicks. It's still possible to figure out which are the two youngest, who hatched about 32 hours after the first two; they're much smaller and their wing feathers are not out as far. The one to the right in the top pair is an example.



This is a group of the Blue Ameraucana's offspring- these obviously from mixed eggs, as the dark one in front has a single comb (and by her behavior is a daughter of the grouchy bossy BSL; the Columbian with the red tail feather is a real barnyard mix; her mother was the daughter of one of the two gorgeous Delawares that the coyote got, and the RSL rooster I called Mongo, also coyote food. The others are pea-combed, bearded, and muffed.



The orchard still doesn't have an intact fence at the road, and a few dozen chickens and one sheep do not make much of a dent in the grass!

 

[FirewifeJess]

Question: how do y'all care for and maintain a sanitary place in the run? Mine are still "babies" at only 7 weeks old and there's no way I'd let them free-range my whole backyard yet to disperse poop a bit better. Right now it's grass in the run, I know they'll eat all that in no time but for now, how do I deal with all the chicken poop in the run? Flies are getting bad (hubby is bringing home a fly trap today), as is poo stink. I hosed it out twice but that doesn't seem to help...any tips? DE? Sweet PDZ? Straw?

 

[SadieSue]

Here's the page to the bucket/water nipple I saw. There are DIY instructions, videos, etc. Should be easy to make for a clever handy person.

http://www.thegardencoop.com/nipple-waterer-for-chickens.html

 

[SadieSue]

Quote:
Good luck with your Serama hatch this time! I was very hopeful and am grateful for my 4. If I get 1 roo and enough girls that may satisfy me for awhile since these chicks will be wintering indoors but who knows where it could lead? I know we have plenty of local sources with beautiful Seramas who would be willing to share eggs or started birds!

 

[Stumpfarmer]

Question: how do y'all care for and maintain a sanitary place in the run? Mine are still "babies" at only 7 weeks old and there's no way I'd let them free-range my whole backyard yet to disperse poop a bit better. Right now it's grass in the run, I know they'll eat all that in no time but for now, how do I deal with all the chicken poop in the run? Flies are getting bad (hubby is bringing home a fly trap today), as is poo stink. I hosed it out twice but that doesn't seem to help...any tips? DE? Sweet PDZ? Straw?

Alfalfa pellets help a lot.