Wisconsin "Cheeseheads"

[cuties]

thanks...lol about your hubby.

He waters them for me sometimes lolol! My mother in law once told me never to give them fresh... but I've been doing it since I was a kid wout issues. As long as you start slow, no loose poops.
Mine are totally spoiled they get all of the garden leftovers too. Hubby built a big pen in the grass That we move around the yard. Last spring we put them in it with the girls, they loved it! I'm working on him to make one with sections so bunnies don't have to take turns!

 

[judge]

Can someone tell me what an Easter Egger is, and how you make one? I was wondering if my chicks are what you would call Easter eggers? Their daddy is part Ameraucana, but I don't know who their mamas are.

 

[Gallus Sapien]

While I realize I might not be posting this in the "proper" place....seeing as we're all from Wisconsin..and have pretty close to the same weather, I'm hoping I can get some of your most awesome "pro's" expertise here!

Being brand new to the chicken experience, I've read everything I can get my hands on for the 6mo before we bought our farm...and am still educating myself. Here I "THOUGHT" I knew what my plan was from brooding our chicks. Sent my darling husband to Menards/Lowes to get my "supplies" and he comes home and tells me " I met this guy who had four chickens and hatches 300 quail a year, told him your plan and he said it will never work". If that's not the most discouraging sentence ever heard. This was my plan:

We have a room in our basement, while not heated it's not freezing (maybe 60*?) We have several rooms with doors that do close in there. One room is about 8x10. Concrete floor 1 foundation wall 2 wood framed walls with a window and concrete floor. My plan was to styro-board insulate the walls, ceiling floor for insulation factor. Then have set up the brooder (s), still on the fence about what kind (opinions anyone?) either tubs with proper lighting or a swimming pool for when they're larger. Also, planning to supplement heat with an infra red heater.

But......Quail guy says it will never work, bins bleed heat....and it'll cost a "fortune" to run that heater.....and we'll never be able to regulate temps My husband is taking this "Quail guys" word for Gospel..... Please help!!!

IMO --- Don't waste the money on a heater or insulated walls. Use a light (watt/type your pick) for heat source, and adjust height to adjust temp. your chicks need/want. The chicks will let you know buy staying under the light or far away. Just make sure brooder is big enough for two zones....warm/temperate so they have a choice to use both (they will). If your basement is too cold for one light use two...use one and cover half of your brooder to hold in heat....use multiple sized brooders to fit size of chicks and heat needs as they grow...

 

[unkadan]

Can someone tell me what an Easter Egger is, and how you make one? I was wondering if my chicks are what you would call Easter eggers? There daddy is part Ameraucana, but I don't know who there mamas are.

whoz ur momma? now that's a twist!

 

[unkadan]

generally speaking EEs do have Am background, it really comes down to what color eggs they lay,,,report back in 5 months

sorry couldn't resist, there are discussions on the Ameraucana thread every few weeks, (recently a heated one) the EE thing is exclusive to the Ameraucana breed,,,,when other breeds are mixed in you could end up with Olive eggers, green egg layers, pink,,,,or brown,,,

if your rooster has a pea comb that will increase the odds of him carrying the blue egg gene

 

[Gallus Sapien]

Dust Dust Dust..... Can't believe how much dust chickens make. I'll never Brood in the basement again.... NEVER! It worked out well as far as the chicks staying healthy but ... my god, the dust! LOL

X2....... I get my chicks out of the house in the 1st week after hatch.

 

[Gallus Sapien]

 

[cuties]

He waters them for me sometimes lolol! My mother in law once told me never to give them fresh... but I've been doing it since I was a kid wout issues. As long as you start slow, no loose poops.
Mine are totally spoiled they get all of the garden leftovers too. Hubby built a big pen in the grass That we move around the yard. Last spring we put them in it with the girls, they loved it! I'm working on him to make one with sections so bunnies don't have to take turns!

Also, Google things that are poisonous to them if you plan to do treats I give pineapple rine to prevent hairball. He just had some this wknd

 

[Jelinek11]

Jelinek..if you want chicks now I have English Orpington crosses..the dad is the big boy I posted earlier.

Nice paint job on your brooder judge! very cute

Delisha - How old are they? Colors?

 

[jvls1942]

good morning,, soon will be heading outside to start ripping planks for rafters..

those of you who know me know that I am not a big fan of lights for heat.. regular incandescent are OK, for small brooders.. I use a 60W in my fish tank chick TV.. but the large "heat bulbs" are not .. IMHO.. they are not cheap to buy, and they do not last long , generally.. a small inexpensive electric heater is by far more energy efficient.. you can buy them for about the cost of 2 or 3 heat bulbs, but they will last for years.. IMHO

chicks do not need 95 F heat.. I start all of mine at about 80F and that is where it stays..
I do much brooding right outside in my brooder pens..I think I have posted pictures of these..
I built a brooder hood that I put into one end of the pen so the chicks can go under it or on top of it or ignore it altogether.. depending on how old they are..

still having focus trouble .. so I am outta here..

....jimwithhisrippinghaton............