YO GEORGIANS! :)

[Tabasco Jack]

the neighbor who just bought the 6 chicks from me, is going to slip them under a broody that's been sitting on fake eggs the last few weeks. I asked him to keep me posted on how that worked out, I mean she's been sitting on eggs that haven't had anything going on inside, and now he's going to give her live chicks? Not sure how that's gonna work out.


on another note, today I ran an experiment by letting my 10 week old welsummers out with the big kids. there was the expected little bit of 'i'm boss over you' stuff, but for the most part, the big kids just wanted to crowd around the feeder with the chick feed in it. So for those of you who might mix your younguns a little sooner, what do you do about the feed situation? I'd like to go ahead and clear my in coop brooder as I'm going to be growing some out. I have a few friends who want them past the 'needs heat' stage and I don't want to keep that many inside. I have the broody mama in one of my brooders sitting on eggs to keep her separate. I was considering letting her raise them, but I really need to get her back to laying again asap

You can try sectioning off part of the coop with fencing that has an opening that only the young can fit through. Put their feed in there. Plus it gives them a safe space to go to. Kinda like college these days.

 

[Tabasco Jack]

I tried hatching in egg cartons this last time and I don't like it. I don't like it a dang bit.

Several of the eggs pipped down low and had trouble getting out. It took so long they were drying out and I had to assist 6 or so. One of them never recovered.

It could be that the egg turner I use holds the eggs horizontal. Maybe forcing them vertical to hatch caused the chicks to settle too low in the egg. Could have been humidity related also. I think I had it too low during incubation.

But I got another batch going so we'll see how it turns out.

AND, I sold 3 FBCM chicks today.

 

[katsdar]

Does anybody else ever feel like punching their dog in the face? I just sowed/planted a 24 sq ft bed and a 8 squares of herbs. In the pool yard. so, hot sun boncing off the cement = i was dying. About 20 minutes ago, my dog decided she needed to trample theough all of it.

Know exactly how you feel, I put up a fence, the black mesh TSC sells 5'x100' for $29. Last year I had trouble keeping the dogs out of the garden than the chickens, we are not going there this year.

Maybe you accidentally planted poisonous plants and not actually herbs and your dog sensed this grievous error and protected you.

That's it your so right.

I tried hatching in egg cartons this last time and I don't like it. I don't like it a dang bit.

Several of the eggs pipped down low and had trouble getting out. It took so long they were drying out and I had to assist 6 or so. One of them never recovered.

It could be that the egg turner I use holds the eggs horizontal. Maybe forcing them vertical to hatch caused the chicks to settle too low in the egg. Could have been humidity related also. I think I had it too low during incubation.

But I got another batch going so we'll see how it turns out.

AND, I sold 3 FBCM chicks today.

what are FBCM's

My one nest I have no idea if any thing will hatch it has 3 different hens thinking they want to be mommas but none of them are serious so the eggs get warm then they get cold, so when the other 2 hatch out some I'm shutting the operation down.

 

[carcar80]

Boy, I screwed up royally this morning. I just couldn't resist opening the bator to peek at the crummy-looking Cochin eggs that are in "just humor me" lockdown. Two had died.. But that's not the thing.

I had pulled the hatch tray out a couple inches so I could fit my arm in to reach the eggs, when I heard the turner click on. I ALWAYS turn the turner off before moving the tray. Pre-coffee though, and you get the point.

Needless to say the turner only made it a couple inches before it was locked into place, clamped down on the rear edge of the hatch tray. These cabinets are so deep you can barely reach your arm to the back wall, much less do anything with any strength once your arm IS back there.

Long story short, hubby came to help and we ended up pulling the cabinet out, removing the back cover and CUTTING a notch out of my hatch tray in orde to free it from the turner arm. It's not a big notch but I'm so sad we had to do that. But thankful that was a fairly non-invasive fix.

Silver lining, I got to vacuum all of the chick dust from the inner workings while we were in there!

So, lesson learned.. no chickening before coffee.

 

[PapaChaz]

You can try sectioning off part of the coop with fencing that has an opening that only the young can fit through. Put their feed in there. Plus it gives them a safe space to go to. Kinda like college these days.

I already have part of that coop sectioned off, don't want to divide any more of them out. It wasn't so much about keeping the biguns from beating up the littleuns, didn't seem to be too bad, probably because they've been able to see each other for the last 5 or 6 weeks already. The issue was the feed. Went to buy some flock raiser today and just let them all together. The big girls have oyster shell. No flock raiser to be found, so they'll just stay separate a bit longer. the eggs under the broody hen should hatch next thursday anyway, so another week with chicks in the kitchen isn't that big a deal, then they can go into the stock tank brooder outside anyway. Thanks for the idea though, that would work if I had room


on another note, I have two pretty good sized chunks of meat about to go on the smoker for saturday....

 

[katiedarling]

Would it be terribly cruel to stick a ceraminc decoy egg under broody Sophia? She's a crotchety mess snd I don't have an efficient way to break her.

 

[carcar80]

Would it be terribly cruel to stick a ceraminc decoy egg under broody Sophia? She's a crotchety mess snd I don't have an efficient way to break her.

No, but to what end? Seeing as she'll sit til it hatches.. Or not..

 

[carlene lamolin]

I received a email today I am in the candling class May 24 th in Carollton

I am so stinken excited .

 

[katiedarling]

No, but to what end? Seeing as she'll sit til it hatches.. Or not..

To shut her up so she'll let the others in to lay. The Orpingtons seem to be high maintenance as to where they lay. Domino doesn't care. She'll lay an egg in the run or on the coop floor if she has to. So with Sophia gone broody & the other 2 refusing to lay, I'm getting one little marans egg a day.

edit to add: or would that just make her more irritated if they go in? There are 3 nest boxes, so if she'd shut the heck up, the others would use them.

 

[feathersaloft]

Hubby noticed a hole dug in his garage, so he set the live trap I got cheap cause it was bent.
Took 5 minutes to straighten, and the small one included with this one has caught dozens of rats in my pigeon building before.

So today he catches the biggest possum I've ever seen!
This is about 20 feet from my coop. I haven't been able to count the babies in my big grow out pen, but truly think there are less than there should be.
Darn things don't stand still long enough!

Pen is 2' of metal topped by 4' of welded wire. Top is poultry netting, but I guess it is possible for something to climb the wire and get in.

Possum was disposed of.
My yard dog is blind and now going deaf, or this wouldn't have been an issue.