Wisconsin "Cheeseheads"

[Hens and Roos]

Evening all, Hope all is well,
Congrats on all the hatching.
I ordered my chicks this morning, I am going through Abendroths in Waterloo, WI going to get them in 2 weeks, so hopefully by the time they grow up a bit, I can put them in the coop without heat. Anyone ever purchase through them?
David

We get our turkeys and meat birds from them- have had very good luck for the last 3 years that we have raised them. Very nice people to work with!

 

[BlackBrookPoultry]

Dh was asking me a question and I don't know the answer....right now we have a little standing water that is slowly going away in part of the coop. He asked if we should rototill the coop floor of dirt and dig some out and fill with sand that would drain better and allow dust baths etc...what are your thoughts on that?

Is it just filling with water because the ground is still frozen and the water has nowhere else to go?

 

[chikenscratch]

Just add more dirt and sand on top. Tilling will cause more issues. Also in addition to that add drainage around the outside perimeter of the coop.

 

[irishrovr]

Funny- I read that one too, but it didn't really answer my questions

Sorry! I thought she was pretty thorough with the question of heat and she gave some good suggestions for the transition. But I'm still learning myself so I'll pipe down!

 

[otonoh]

thanks Hens and Roos

 

[Terri O]

Good eveining--just waiting on the potatoes now...bad news...I was cooking the sap on the new burner and lost track of time and the sap turned into a black thing and the pot may be ruined! OF course DH says, "you arent using MY pot..." Whatever! THat was 3 gals of sap; good thing it is still running like crazy!
Hay David--if you are heading to Abendroths we really should have a mini meet! That is only 20 minutes from my house! (probably the same from H&R's too)

Sorry! I thought she was pretty thorough with the question of heat and she gave some good suggestions for the transition. But I'm still learning myself so I'll pipe down!

I went to that link and it said that the article was no longer available! I have been there before though. She seems to have "all her ducks in a row!"

OK kids talking to me and potatoes to mash, Hollandaise to be made! Later--TerriO

 

[denisemhogan]

Wow....the dh left me his iPad...woohoo...get to catch up on the posts. My friend came over to pick up her duck, helped me voices sex mine and we moved them all outside today. I built them a temp. Pen...mostly to protect from my shih tzu...they love being out. Tomorrow start the relocation process of the Banty Cochins. I'm with judge...I was turning their lamps off during the day...I went in late this morning and they were huddling that lamp...have been all day...they hadn't been...so...might wait another day or so before moving them completely. My chicks are also 9 weeks old...have been fully feathered a long time...but I kept them on heat to long. My friend had hers outside without heat for a few weeks now. ...anyway...they're getting moved this week...I'm done with everyone's mess in my spa room. All that will be left are the pigeons and the runner ducklings and the 6 baby chicks that come thurs. ...but that's nothing compared to everything else I've had. Thank god I had plastic covering everything...but it's still going to take me a month to clean that room. Ugh! Not looking forward to that. The dust is incredible! Thank God for industrial shop vacs! A girl needs her big tools ya' know.

Hey...anyone going to the Faribault, MN swap meet in May? I'm thinking of going....it's not to far off the border...so just thought I would check.

Alright..hope I can keep up now....have a good night everyone....

Oh wait...funny story....my LF were free ranging today....the cat caught himself a bird....one of my buff orps grabbed it from him....they all kept stealing it from each other....the cat was mesmerized by the chickens acting all crazy...it was pretty funny.

 

[Celtic Chick]

Quote:

Hi everyone- I'm looking for some help with my chicks.First of all, but not so important, when do you stop calling them "chicks"? My birds are 9weeks old on Thursday.
When do they stop needing heat? It has been cold these last few nights so I have kept the heat on them
I am going to move them to the coop with the other chickens I have eventually.
When can I do that, and how do I make sure they understand how to find the feed, water, and how to roost? I feel like they wouldn't be able to jump up to roost at night, much less find the roosts at all?
Any help with this transition, no matter how small the detail, would really be appreciated. I have never done this before. I have only introduced adult bird before.
Thanks guys!

You can stop calling them chicks whenever you like.

Once they feather out, (about 6 weeks old) I call them "the teens".

Once they hit "the teens", they are big enough to go out in the coop, in an area fenced off from the rest of the flock so they can all see each other but not touch.

Depending on the temps, I have a heat lamp hanging above both a low roost and a higher one for Jack, my surrogate mom. Some times they will use the lower roost, but Jack usually coaxes them up to the higher one since I have ramps going up to both of them. (Jack is so old, he can't jump or fly as good as he used to). When it is cold out, the lights run all the time. Once the weather starts getting over about 45* during the day, the heat lamps go on dusk to dawn mode (my coop is usually about 10* warmer than outside). You could use a thermocube if you want.

If they are finding the food & water in your brooder, they should be able to find it in their coop, provided you didn't hide it on them.

Roosting, as well as eating & drinking, are instinctual. If you provide it, they should find it. Usually. There have been a few dumb clucks around.

If I don't have a heat lamp going, I always put a night light out in my coop just in case someone gets knocked off, so they can see to get back on the roost. I hope this helps you.

 

[Bigfamily4me]

Quote:
You can stop calling them chicks whenever you like.        Once they feather out, (about 6 weeks old) I call them "the teens".

Once they hit "the teens", they are big enough to go out in the coop, in an area fenced off from the rest of the flock so they can all see each other but not touch.

Depending on the temps, I have a heat lamp hanging above both a low roost and a higher one for Jack, my surrogate mom. Some times they will use the lower roost, but Jack usually coaxes them up to the higher one since I have ramps going up to both of them. (Jack is so old, he can't jump or fly as good as he used to). When it is cold out, the lights run all the time. Once the weather starts getting over about 45* during the day, the heat lamps go on dusk to dawn mode (my coop is usually about 10* warmer than outside). You could use a thermocube if you want.

If they are finding the food & water in your brooder, they should be able to find it in their coop, provided you didn't hide it on them.    Roosting, as well as eating & drinking, are instinctual. If you provide it, they should find it. Usually. There have been a few dumb clucks around.

If I don't have a heat lamp going, I always put a night light out in my coop just in case someone gets knocked off, so they can see to get back on the roost. I hope this helps you.

Robin... Night lights?! Heat lamps for under 45 degrees?! SPOILED! And you gave me crap for an air conditioner for temps over 100...

At least I know my Stella and Hershey aren't suffering unduly...

 

[delisha]

Good morning...gee, again. The days are just flying by it seems. The sap is boiling once again. Still letting off it's steam and is getting darker and is maybe almost syrup! Starting to taste like it too. I filtered it again this morning because there was a bit of sediment in the bottom after cooling all night. I guess today will be the day to bottle up the first batch...and NO it wont be coming to the bash for a white ellie!

I would, however, like to propose something at the bash. I think it would be fun to have a syrup tasting! Since many of us are making it, I think it would be very interesting to taste syrup made in different parts of the state or even just from different trees. I am wondering what the difference would be? Anybody up for it? Thinking we could pair it up with Jim's Sunday morning pancakes.

Oh gee...I started this post at 9 and I forgot to finish it! Cripes...it's gotta be CRS creeping in on me again! I must have been so excited to see all that fine sunshine out there...yeah, I'll go with that!
Have a good one! TerriO

Joe said he would love to have a taste test on pancakes and thinks its a good idea..

We need to have more of us enter and run in these local elections! Then maybe we could get somewhere on the chicken ordinances.

You need to run

Quote: Funny- I read that one too, but it didn't really answer my questions

Judge,

Take them off heat during the day and let them outside during the warmest part of the day with your other birds when you are out. Just observe them. I have a baby fence I fence off from the big birds and let then out. I do this till the *newness* wares off and they can stay out. I no longer have my baby fence up and I started doing it about a month ago. They are together all day long, but, sleep apart at night. These birds will not be sleeping with the big birds, but, if they were going to be sleeping with them, I would have them in there now.

Dh was asking me a question and I don't know the answer....right now we have a little standing water that is slowly going away in part of the coop. He asked if we should rototill the coop floor of dirt and dig some out and fill with sand that would drain better and allow dust baths etc...what are your thoughts on that?

I had the same problem in the double coop. Just one corner was getting water from all the snow melt. DH built around the outside of the coop and fixed that corner. He did nothing to the inside.
I have also heard of people digging down for the coop to get below frost level and than adding sand and gravel to help with drainage and deep litter. Having a corner for dust bathing would be wonderful for your birds.

Just add more dirt and sand on top. Tilling will cause more issues. Also in addition to that add drainage around the outside perimeter of the coop.

Good sugestions

I also think you need to run for office