Chicken/egg question

[Amish Heart]

My nephew does his in the garage with a heat lamp in Oklahoma, but he waits till spring/summer. I just loaded up the incubator today, so I'll see what we get in 21 days. I start them in the house, and yes, they are dusty. Then move them to the milkhouse that varmints don't get in to, with a heat lamp. I have 25 French guineas in a 6 ft squared cage in there right now, nearly ready to go outside. Turned their heat lamps off. They were born in November, and they were the dustiest things to have in the house when they were small, couldn't wait to get them out. Chickens seems less so to me. I always look at the nighttime lows temps. Ours is still in about 30 low, and that's just too hard to heat for new chicks.

 

[user 7704]

Thank ypu

 

[GeorgiaPeachie]

I always start my baby chix in the laundry room and it is always so dusty and stinky (I am told).

Went to the pharmacy and we were talking and she told me she raises hers (100s) on the back porch with only a heat lamp. I have an EcoGlow warmer and she said it will be fine to put them in my unheated garage.

What are your opinions? Questions, comments or snide remarks are welcome.

I have put mine in the greenhouse, and that works well. Also have put them on the enclosed porch in big plastic containers with heat lamps. No problems with that either. Be sure to keep them draft and wind free. Lots of pine shavings to retain the heat. Natural heat from sun is an inexpensive way to help keep them warm.

 

[user 7704]

Bought 6 baby chicks. Cinnamon Queen. I had never tried this breed, but the sign said they are very productive layers and start laying earlier than most.

Also, the price of baby chicks has gone from $2.50 last year to $3.99 this year.

 

[user 7704]

 

[Mountain trapper]

Finally got our chicken and game bird order in today. Many breeds that we wanted were already sold out. Had to split my game bird order between 2 different hatcheries. Besides the layer and meat bird chicks and ducklings I ordered 200 quail and 100 chuckers.

 

[user 7704]

Good job Arctic. Fill those freezers. Do you can chickens? We really like them for tacos, casseroles, soups, buffalo dip, etc. Not as salty as the store canned type.

 

[Mountain trapper]

Good job Arctic. Fill those freezers. Do you can chickens? We really like them for tacos, casseroles, soups, buffalo dip, etc. Not as salty as the store canned type.

The wife canned a lot of beef this fall. She plans to can chicken too but we're almost out of our chicken. I think she ordered 70 meat birds for spring delivery, May or June.
And happy birthday too.

 

[Acdoctor]

Happy birthday Robin, maybe those cinnamon queens will provided you with more eggs than you can use. We haven’t raised those but I have looked at them several times. Be sure to let us know how well they lay and their temperament, some breezes just want to fight too much for me to want to keep them.

 

[user 7704]

Since this is my first time having chicks in my garage, I have been worried about them staying warm. So at 3:45 a.m. I had an epiphany and decided to put them in a heating pad. They must not be very cold because they arent under to EcoGlow, but just hanging by the food bowl.

It is going to get a lot colder this weekend though.

 

[GeorgiaPeachie]

Bought 6 baby chicks. Cinnamon Queen. I had never tried this breed, but the sign said they are very productive layers and start laying earlier than most.

Where did you get them? I have Golden Comets and I think they are about the same breed, just different names….as they both are sex links from Rhode Island Reds. These birds are crazy egg layers! Nice quiet birds that don’t fight with the ones they were raised with. Their food to egg ratio Is great too.

Finally got our chicken and game bird order in today. Many breeds that we wanted were already sold out. Had to split my game bird order between 2 different hatcheries. Besides the layer and meat bird chicks and ducklings I ordered 200 quail and 100 chuckers.

That’s pretty wild that the birds are sold out already!! It says people are paying attention to the supply chain issues we are experiencing…and more than likely to get worse. Nicely done Arctic!

 

[Mountain trapper]

Where did you get them? I have Golden Comets and I think they are about the same breed, just different names….as they both are sex links from Rhode Island Reds. These birds are crazy egg layers! Nice quiet birds that don’t fight with the ones they were raised with. Their food to egg ratio Is great too.



That’s pretty wild that the birds are sold out already!! It says people are paying attention to the supply chain issues we are experiencing…and more than likely to get worse. Nicely done Arctic!

We had to get our birds spread out over 6 delivery dates. Some will come in earlier than we want and some will come in later than we'd like. And a few breeds aren't available at all this year. The wife is already working on her order for next year.
I also ordered 200 quail and 100 chuckers. I passed on the turkeys because they wanted an extra $10 each for shipping. That would put them at over $25 each.

 

[GeorgiaPeachie]

We had to get our birds spread out over 6 delivery dates. Some will come in earlier than we want and some will come in later than we'd like. And a few breeds aren't available at all this year. The wife is already working on her order for next year.
I also ordered 200 quail and 100 chuckers. I passed on the turkeys because they wanted an extra $10 each for shipping. That would put them at over $25 each.

You’ve got a nice variety coming even without the turkeys! That has to feel good. Don’t blame you on passing on the turkeys. Not worth it at that price.

 

[Mountain trapper]

You’ve got a nice variety coming even without the turkeys! That has to feel good. Don’t blame you on passing on the turkeys. Not worth it at that price.

Yeah thats what I thought too. Besides, we have a lot of wild turkey around here already.
As soon as the snow is gone and the ground thaws out I'll start on the new poultry barn and the game bird pen.

 

[GeorgiaPeachie]

Yeah thats what I thought too. Besides, we have a lot of wild turkey around here already.
As soon as the snow is gone and the ground thaws out I'll start on the new poultry barn and the game bird pen.

How exciting! I’m one of those that always get excited about a new build on the property. Especially one that holds food! LOL. We can’t start our new build that will contain rabbits, as well as some other things fast enough for me!

 

[user 7704]

The mommy in me took over. It got down to 19 last night so even with a warmer, heating pad and heat lamp, you could tell the babies were uncomfortable. I brought the small cage in and set it up for the next 3 nights. After that, the temps are getting warmer and I can move them back out to the garage.

 

[user 7704]

Baby chick escaped and came running through kitchen. Leon was immediately on the hunt. I finally caught the baby, but Leon wanted to play tag. Thank good goodness she wasnt a snack.

 

[GeorgiaPeachie]

Never a dull moment for you! What a scene it must have been!! Glad you managed to save the little peep.

 

[Amish Heart]

Some dogs and babies don't mix! I set free 25 baby French guineas a few days ago, and of course, the neighbor dog came right over and killed one, injured another. I told the neighbor boy that she was at it again, and to keep her home, but they don't care. Our last release, she took down a few. We are on high alert, she is in a cage under the tree of shame that I usually chain her to, until her owners come get her. They won't keep her on their property. She is a friendly corgi/daschaund mix, but is a bird killer. This time her collar was off, so she is stuck in a cage. I hope she's there all night long, I am fuming.

 

[user 7704]

I bet you are. My very first flock, mom's dog killed all 9. I cried like a baby.

The next day, I put up a much better fence

 

[user 7704]

Went into the coop and the feeder (one of those white and red TSC type) was covered with blood. I have been chasing chickens, but can't find the injured one. No idea what happened.

 

[Amish Heart]

Well it's a good sign if no chickens are missing, obviously dead, or still bleeding! Maybe one of them knocked a blood feather out and it's ok now.
Set up two large brooders inside yesterday. One for chicks (due to hatch in a couple days) and the other for grey Toulose french goslings coming in Friday. Eight of them. Ordered brewers yeast to add to the chick starter because that's what I'm seeing to do online. First time for geese for me. These are supposed to be mellow. If not, we'll eat them.

 

[user 7704]

I really can't count until they go to roost. I had a man come by to help me fix my weedeater and while we were outside, we didn't see any blood.

I always heard that geese were mean. I hope I was told wrong. Do you raise them for eggs or eating or something else?

 

[Amish Heart]

I've never raised them before, we'll see how it goes. Starting with 8, and these french gray ones are supposed to be even tempered. The chinese white ones can be mean and chase you down!.
But just like turkeys, most are nice. Every once in awhile I get a mean attack turkey, and then they get butchered. Our first year turkeys just started laying, so I'm hoping to incubate some and raise for food. I'll do the same with the geese.

 

[user 7704]

All of my chickens came to roost. I used a flashlight and didn't see any injury. I have no idea where the blood came from.

 

[user 7704]

Moved the young ladies the the apartment in the run. Now the acclimation begins.

 

[user 7704]

Fenced off an area around apartment so the ladies are enjoying their first taste of sunshine. The elders are ignoring them.

 

[user 7704]

I believe one of my elder Reds is dying. I noticed last night she didn't get on the roost and tonight she was under the coop and wouldn't come out. I crawled under and got her and put her in the infirmary, but when I turned around she was gone. I think she is in the coop, but the others were moving and I couldn't count to 20.

I'll find out tomorrow. I'm tired and irritable and will watch the game and fall asleep.

 

[EastenerWesterner]

I think this falls into this catogory.
I have been battling poison Hemlock.
When I first moved in, I did not notice this infestation I had a few chickens then. It’s in the chicken yard.

Chickens gone, problems insued.

Do chickens help keep Poison Hemlock down?

I hate going scorched earth on a hillside, but it seems my only answer after my dog ran in and ended up with neurological problems.

 

[user 7704]

My old Red hen died. She was at the chick apartment door and couldn't make it any further. Don't remember which thread I had used to post about her.