Allotment Gardening Advice Help Chat
Poultry and Pets => The Hen House => Topic started by: symonep on August 01, 2012, 08:19
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We have 6 eggs in the incubator and today is day 5 and I can see activity going on in all 6. Thankfully I have another few weeks to get organised but I have a few questions that you maybe able to answer before I go off and do some research.
I know that once they hatch they can stay in the incubator for 24 hours, we have a large container and a brooder where they can stay but when can I start to move them outside? I know how big the get and just wonder how long I can contain them indoors!
We will get a rabbit hutch and run of some sort until they can go in the big coop .
We have chick crum, feeder and drinker ( but may just use jam jar lids to start with).
Are there any good web sites that will give me more info ( apart from here :D). We have had chicks hatch before but it was all done by the hen!
And we have a friend who rescues unwanted hens and cockerels so the boys will go to him and possibly a friend, am expecting to get only one, two if lucky, hens out of 6 I guess :(
At least they will go to a lovely home
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It sounds as if you've got it all sorted!
A few points that spring to mind:
Don't candle too much however tempting as you could damage the eggs.
Don't forget to stop the rocker of your incubator at day 18 (unless you are turning by hand) and increase the humidity.
Have you got the heat source organised? Either an electric hen or a heat lamp. Make sure you check it out before the chicks hatch so it's at the correct height for the right temperature.
A good book to keep for reference is Katie Thear's A guide to Incubating and Hatching
I only have chicks in the house for max 10 days before I can no longer stand the amount of dust they produce, so they then get moved into a large brooder in our garage for a few weeks because they still need a heat source. How will you provide heat when they are in the rabbit hutch and run?
Change over gradualy to growers pellets at 6-8 weeks.
You could always eat the cockerels? I've just hatched 13 chicks and think there are 10 cockerels in there but at least the freezer will be well stocked! ;)
A good thread for anything I've forgotten is here.
http://chat.allotment-garden.org/index.php?topic=52422.0
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Hi Kegs, thanks for the reply.
I have a Brinsea Ecoglow20 brooder which like you say will move to the garden as soon as possible! (they will go in a rabbit hutch and we will be able to put the brooder on outside as i have my car in the garage, do you think this would be ok heat wise? if not i can keep them in a spare rrom but it will depend on the level of mess) how long do they normally need heat for? Is it until they get all their real feathers?
I am turning them by hand so will stop on day 18 and will also increase the amount of water in there.
If i knew how to cull them i would probably do that but have never done it before, we have warren x maran in the incubator, are they good eating birds?
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They need heat until they're fully feathered and then I switch the heat lamp off first during the day and then at night. When they're used to being off heat I then put them outside. Mine are 7 weeks, are now fully feathered and due to go out but are still in the garage because 2 of them kept shivering when I put them out during the day. The awful weather isn't helping obviously.
Maran are a dual purpose bird but not sure about warren x maran. Will leave that to someone else to answer. ;)
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excellent thanks for that, fingers crossed that hatch now and i resist the urge to candle them :blink:
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Try and find a 'dispatch and dress' course in your area if you can. They will teach you all you need to know about getting them oven ready. If you decide not to use the birds for meat you will at least know how to dispatch a bird if it is poorly.
I've only used a brooder once so no expert. I moved those chicks outside during the day from 5 weeks and full time at 7 weeks. :)
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Thanks JaK will look out for that.
Well it is day 14 now and so far it looks like only 1 egg has developed. the little chicke was wriggling like mad when i candeled it the other day. My problem now will be how on earth do i introduce 1 chick to the group when it is old enough (and what is the betting it will be a boy!!)
i may have to buy another when it is aboput 10 weeks old just so there is two of them........thats if it hatches sucessfully
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If you do end up with just one chick ring your local breeders to get another day old chick for company. A day old chick will cost between £2 and £3 depending on the breed you choose.
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Thanks i will do, i may email them now actually and find out if they have some
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Symone, I know it is exciting to have eggs in an inclubator... but please leave them alone!
Every time you open the incubator you are disturbing the temperature and humidity and possibly introducing infection to the eggs.
The developing embryoes are very fragile, and taking them out of the incubator to candle can kill them.
I recommend candleing only twice during incubation. On day 10, to remove any infertile eggs, and on day 18 to remove any dead embryoes.
So, for now sit on your hands and leave them alone til hatching day ;)
Good luck :)
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Well I have to lift the lid every day, twice, to turn the eggs lol. Never had an issue before but I take your point
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:( gutted, just got in to find the incubator has broke, it just isn't working. I have tried different power pack and it appears to be the actual unit. On day 16 as well. I will return the unit and but a better one but the one I have is pretty good.
Not much I can do as the temp by the time I got in was already down to 20 deg.
Update.....just noticed it has blown the main fuse so have switched it back on and it is working again, I know the chances are going to be slim but it has according to the timer been off for about 30 minutes. Is there any chance it could still hatch?
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Switch it on and keep going, only a few day's to go. You may be lucky as it wasn't off for too long. Fingers crossed.
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Will keep my fingers tightly crossed. It is playing up still as the temp keeps dropping, the bloke is sending me a replacement.
Will let you know what happens!
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You might still get the egg to hatch. Have a read of this recent post. :D
http://chat.allotment-garden.org/index.php?topic=97523.0
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Yes I saw that one and it gave me hope! Day 16 today so hoping by the end of the week it will hatch, I also have another chick I can collect if it does hatch to keep it company
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Aghhhh, the incubator gave up the ghost completely. No where round here at 7pm at night sells incubators so at a last ditch attempt I have put the egg under the brooder, the egg feels warm still, have nothing to loose I guess. What do I do about humidity? At the moment the egg is in a tray with the brooder over the top. No idea what the temperature is as I don't have a thermometer.
I candled the egg earlier, if there was no movement I wouldn't have gone to all the effort but it was fluttering around so I can't give up on it. Any suggestions?
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Just caught up with this thread. Any news Symonep? Too late for input I know but I wouldn't worry about the humidity just yet as you've got a couple of days to go. Can you buy a thermometer from somewhere today and a replacement incubator?
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Hi kegs, there is no where round here that sells incubators, I have tried most places and a replacement is being sent and will any luck will be here within a day or two. I have the egg under a brooder but it is hard to get the temperature right I have a thermometer so it will make it a little easier now hopefully. It's not an ideal set up but all I have to work with. We brought a heat lamp last night and I know the distance it has to be for the temperature so may give that ago. Things we have to do eh!
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I hope you get a result after all your efforts. Good luck. :)
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You know it will hatch and be a he!
Temperature is holding steady at just under 38 deg but the heater is just above the egg so not sure if this is a good thing
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My little broody Dotty is like a furnace on top of her eggs so fingers crossed.
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(http://i1202.photobucket.com/albums/bb364/symonepearce/Dogs%20and%20chickens%20and%20any%20other%20random%20animals/august2012014.jpg)
This is the current set up! Will put some comfybed bedding in the bottom tomorrow and get rid of the plastic pot it is sitting in ready for hatching.
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Ok experts. Get your thinking caps on. How is Symonep going to increase the humidity now that it's day 18?
Obviously you can stop turning the egg today and can you get hold of an hygrometer so you can read the humidity? Then rather than put in bedding I'd put in some sponges that you've soaked in warm water. Maybe drill a hole high up in the side of the box making the hole just big enough to take a water spray. Spray in warm water whenever you need to raise the humidity but find something to bung up and seal the hole once you've done this. Also put the lid on and try to make it air tight in order to keep the temperature and humidity stable.
What do others think? Any other ideas or suggestions?
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That sounds good kegs. Instead of sponge you could use flannels or hand towel.
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Blu tack to seal the hole
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Thanks for the ideas, i have put some flannels in there and have made it air tight, lets hope it starts to mist up soon!
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its like a sauna in there at the moment, hoping this is good as you can feel the moisture in the air. temp is holding steady at just under 38 deg so fingers crossed it is all good still
3 days to go! as soon as it hatched (fingers crossed) i will have to see if i can get in touch with a local seller to see if his eggs have hatched so it has some company!
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Try and get the hygrometer if you can (www.ascott.biz do them) as you don't want it too high either. Is the egg still raised on the plastic pot as obviously if the chick hatches it will fall off the pot before it's had a chance to fluff out?
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i will try and get a monitor, we have a local reptile place that should sell them.
I have put a thick ish layer of aubiose and the egg is cradled in a well of that.
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Just off to get a hydrometer, what should the humidity be? I am sure I heard the egg cheep earlier!
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Don't know but found this
"Humidity—The moisture level in the incubator should be about 50 to 55 percent relative humidity, with an increase to about 65 percent for the last 3 days of incubation. Moisture is provided by a pan of water under the egg tray. The water surface should be at least half as large as the surface of the egg tray. Add warm water to the pan as necessary. If more humidity is needed, increase the size of the pan or add a wet sponge. Humidity adjustment can also be made by increasing or decreasing ventilation."
on here
www.extension.umn.edu/distribution/livestocksystems/di0631.html
Good luck, shame you don't have a stethoscope! :)
And this one
www.brinsea.com/customerservice/humidity.html
after scanning through that I know why I use a broody now. :wacko: :wacko: :wacko:
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65% should do it. Pop the hygrometer in as quickly as possible so you don't let out the humidity and once you've sealed it up don't open it again. If you are spraying through the hole don't spray directly on the egg. The humidity is to help soften the shell and membrane so the chick can get out. Also it will seem to take forever for them to get out of the shell with lots of resting in between activity so don't panic.
Glad you heard it cheap. :) I hope it's out soon as I'm going on holiday tomorrow and I can't stand the suspense. What breed of chick is it by the way?
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Humidity is around 80% but I sprayed just as I put the hygrometer in so will leave the lid off so it can adjust to around 65%.
The egg is a Warren x maran.
It's quite exciting as all the other chicks that have hatched have been under the mum so we didn't see any of it u til a chick popped out from under her mummy's wing!
I did have to laugh but you saying about the stethoscope my hubby asked the same thing last night :D.
Will keep you updated!
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I will be looking out for a second hand one as I could have used it on the turkey eggs that were dud. It would save the broody sitting for longer than she needs to. She did leave them the day after the other 4 hatched though so her hearing must be better than mine. ::) :lol:
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Oh this egg better hatch after all the trouble you have gone to.
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Tell me about it!! I need an exray machine to see what is going on inside tha egg!
Humidity is holding at around 62% so that is good.
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Aaahhh. Tell it to hurry up please. I'm leaving in a few hours for our holiday and don't want to leave it a week before I know what happens. Any signs of pipping yet?
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There is nothing on the surface but I can hear loud chirping and tapping so it shouldn't be long I hope :lol: it's worse than waiting for labour to start lol
Will post as soon as it pips I will post :D
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Oh, this is so exciting, better be a girl in there! Good luck.
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You will have to get one of those fancy phone thingies so you won't miss anything kegs! :lol:
Hope you have a great holiday.
This little chick must be a fighter after all it has been through. Still keeping my fingers crossed for a safe hatch. ;)
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It's pipped!
(http://i1202.photobucket.com/albums/bb364/symonepearce/Dogs%20and%20chickens%20and%20any%20other%20random%20animals/august2012006.jpg)
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:DGreat news!! Come on chickie you can do it!
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Yeahh, nearly there Symonep (could be hours yet though so keep an eye on that humidity). Thank goodness it's pipped. Off to Exmoor now (ANHBUC: no phone coverage!!).
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Have a lovely time kegs.
Chick is making good progress :)
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We have a chick, after all it has been through it has just popped out the shell! It has settled down now to dry out and fluff up.
It looks knackered! It still makes me wonder how somethng so big can come out of a shell so small! Will post some pics later
Quick question, do I need the bedding on the bottom or does the chick just need a stable floor surface?
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Well deserved "Congratulations". :D
You can put kitchen roll in which will be easy to change when the little poop machine starts. Bedding can be used but the chick might eat it with not having a broody to show it what it what. Looking forward to seeing the little fluffy bundle. What are you going to name it, Lucky, Miracle or Precious?
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phew That was a roller-coaster! Welcome little chick :)
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A rollercoaster indeed! Have put a towel and some kitchen roll down (bedding was not a good idea when chicks are hatching, it was stick to it all over, it looked like a bundle of wood chippings!). It is very wobbly still but it has only been out 3 hours, not sure how long it normally takes for it to get the strength to stand, it is still drying off so hopefully by the time we gat back (we are off for a charity bike ride round Brands Hatch) it will have fluffed out.
Here are some photos
(http://i1202.photobucket.com/albums/bb364/symonepearce/Dogs%20and%20chickens%20and%20any%20other%20random%20animals/august2012009.jpg)
(http://i1202.photobucket.com/albums/bb364/symonepearce/Dogs%20and%20chickens%20and%20any%20other%20random%20animals/august2012011.jpg)
(http://i1202.photobucket.com/albums/bb364/symonepearce/Dogs%20and%20chickens%20and%20any%20other%20random%20animals/august2012012.jpg)
(http://i1202.photobucket.com/albums/bb364/symonepearce/Dogs%20and%20chickens%20and%20any%20other%20random%20animals/august2012013.jpg)
(http://i1202.photobucket.com/albums/bb364/symonepearce/Dogs%20and%20chickens%20and%20any%20other%20random%20animals/august2012014-1.jpg)
(http://i1202.photobucket.com/albums/bb364/symonepearce/Dogs%20and%20chickens%20and%20any%20other%20random%20animals/august2012017.jpg)
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Great pictures, thanks for sharing them with us. :D
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So happy for you! Lovely pics too. Can't wait to see what it look's like all fluffy. :D
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I'm a bit worried it still isn't that fluffy but it maybe because it is under the brooder and not in the incubator, it also isn't walking that well yet, should I be a little concerned just yet or not?
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Found this quote online
"Hatching Chickens
Pipping is when the hatching chickens begin to peck through their shell. It can take up to six hours for the chick to fully emerge, and a further six hours for it to dry, fluff up and begin to move about."
www.small-farm-permaculture-and-sustainable-living.com/hatching_chickens.html
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Ah thanks, that makes me feel better, this morning it is up and about but it does this strange laying around thing whack cracks me up, pooping has begun also! I just need to get hold of the bloke to get it another chick.
Will put some food and water in tomorrow, does that sound about right?
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Mine were eating and drinking at day old so yes. You may have to dip its beak in the water to encourage it to drink.
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It's doing well, put some food and drink in there tonight and it gobbled the food up that was sprinkled on the floor. Running around like a loony as well. We pick up a friend for it that hatched today in the morning. Will try and get some pics up tomorrow when I have more time :D
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'Lucky' as it will be known from now on is doing very well. Running around and eating and drinking, hasnt quite got the hang of scratching its head yet as it just falls over :wacko:
we picked up a bantam chick this morning and instantly 'Lucky' took a dislike to it ::) but i am sure they will become buddies soon.
(http://i1202.photobucket.com/albums/bb364/symonepearce/Dogs%20and%20chickens%20and%20any%20other%20random%20animals/august2012027.jpg)
all fluffy now and if feather sexing is reliable (which i am guessing it isnt) then this is a she! Time will tell though i guess
Luckys new roomie is knackered!
(http://i1202.photobucket.com/albums/bb364/symonepearce/Dogs%20and%20chickens%20and%20any%20other%20random%20animals/august2012025.jpg)
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Lovely chicks.
The wing feather sexing was only in certain breeds that they developed so they could cull the boys. Don't think you can do it on just any old breed. ;)
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Lucky you too
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Lovely chicks.
The wing feather sexing was only in certain breeds that they developed so they could cull the boys. Don't think you can do it on just any old breed. ;)
:nowink: i had strong words with her and told her how dissapointed i would be if she were a he, she agreed ........ :lol:
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Can chickens have a sex change operation I wonder! :wacko: :ohmy: :lol:
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Can chickens have a sex change operation I wonder! :wacko: :ohmy: :lol:
:ohmy: :lol:
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Just gorgeous, your hard work paid off. :)
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Thank jaK. It never ceases to amaze me how inate their behaviour is, today they are scratching at the floor (wooden floor) eating.
I do hope that the bantam isnt already showing signs of male behaviour! This morning it has spent time jumping on the other chicks back :ohmy:
They do seem firm friends now which is good.
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I shouldn't worry about that, chicks seem to want to jump on anything including other chicks. Mine always jump on their mum's back and have a free ride around the garden. :lol:
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Ha! They certainly are manic little birds today, it is also like living with a squeaky wheel the noise they are making. I put a kitchen roll tube in there and they are currently jumping over that :lol:
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Is there anything else I need to be doing for the chicks other than providing chick crumb, water and heat (and cuddles!) At what age can they go onto growers and introduce other foods?
They are so sweet and not even a week old yet!
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Usually 6 to 8 weeks for growers, you can mix the chick crumb with growers to help the transition.
Not sure what and when you can feed anything else as mine are guided by a broody. Turkey poults were in the garden with Mum at 7 days old. She gave them small bugs and worms but they turned their beaks up at froglets! :lol: It was a really hot and sunny day so ideal for their first outing. Sunny today but really windy so they are with Mum in a 4' x 6' shed.
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They had a few minutes on the lawn today, was very funny to watch them, soon they started scratching and nibbling grass
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it's lovely to see how they instinctively know just what to do isn't it :)
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it really is Joyful, so amazing how this behaviour is imprinted in them. they are also becoming more weary of us picking them up which again must be inate as they have been handled from day 1.
I need to make something more adequate than a cardboard box to contain them in the garden, they are fast little * and if they escape there may be no catching them!
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I sometimes use one of those rabbit run extensions either attached to the hutch or freestanding with the open side blanked off. Mine is wood with mesh but I have had my eye on this one which would be easy to store. It would be no good for tiny chicks as they would get out but when they start to grow it would be ideal.
www.ebay.co.uk/itm/280859010141?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1438.l2649
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Thats is good, a friend is going to lend me her rabbit run so they can go outdoors a little and i can try and build up their exposure to the big wide and chilly world!
If i had more land i would hatch a lot more!
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Yeah. Late I know but I'm soooo pleased this thread had a happy and successful ending. :lol:
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Hope you had a good holiday kegs :D
It's raining today so we put a small tray of turf in their coop which they loved!
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How * typical is this? The hen who went broody origionally who i brought the eggs for who then decided she wasnt broody at all (hence the having to buy an incubator) has now just decided that she actually is broody........ :wacko:
Wouldnt it be nice if i could just slip the new chicks under her LOL
Now do i just leave her or do i get some eggs for her? Hmmmm think we may have to try making a broody coop to snap her out of it, cant have too many chicks!
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You'll probably still be in luck. I had a friend who had the bulb blow on his incubator whilst he was at work. He changed it when he got home and still had a couple hatch a few days later. Best of luck to you
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You'll probably still be in luck. I had a friend who had the bulb blow on his incubator whilst he was at work. He changed it when he got home and still had a couple hatch a few days later. Best of luck to you
Hi, i managed to keep it going, if you have a look on the previous pages you will see the little egg is now a 2 week old chick :D
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Need some update photos of your chicks progress. :D
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Very busy few days but took some pictures today and will try and get round to putting them on tomorrow. They are growing like weeds at the moment, it is also like living with squeaky wheels!
The bantam I suspect is a boy as he is showing some really dominant behaviour, have never really taken much notice of chicks behaviour but this one is doing a lot of chest thrusting lol, it has also got its wing feathers where as the other one hasn't ( I know they are different breeds etc) and has discovered how to fly :blink: it also hates being handled even though they have both been handled from day 1, the other one is ok at being picked up.
They spend sometime in the garden each day and if I put the heater out there they never bother with it. Do I need to start switching it off during the day at certain times? They will be 3 weeks old on Friday.
We will put them in the shed I think in a few more weeks as they are going to out grow the rabbit hutch and they will have a heat lamp, do I remember correctly that they will need this until about 10 weeks or have I just made that up? :wacko:
Anyway they are thriving, funny and cute........noisey, messy and squeaky!
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If the weather is warm they will be fine without the heatlamp during the day if the hutch is in a sunny position. I have read that it is best to ween them off the heat gradually. You can go by their feathering for when to take them off heat but I think it is around 6 weeks. Again depending on the weather as we had frost last week! :ohmy:
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Thans, i will start weaning them off suring the day in a few weeks i think.
Its been 20 odd deg here all week and the chicks have been sunbathing which was very cute!
Here is our chich that hatched, i still think it is a she (wishfull thinking!)
(http://i1202.photobucket.com/albums/bb364/symonepearce/Dogs%20and%20chickens%20and%20any%20other%20random%20animals/september2012010.jpg)
Here is the bantam although it isnt a very good picture it was only taken last night and today it has far more feathers :wacko:
(http://i1202.photobucket.com/albums/bb364/symonepearce/Dogs%20and%20chickens%20and%20any%20other%20random%20animals/september2012013.jpg)
any thoughts or guesses on the gender?
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Too early to tell I think. I have 2 turkey poults that are just over 3 weeks old and one has loads more feathers than the other. I think it is a male as it does a little display dance every now and again. They are different breeds so that might just be the reason. :unsure:
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Its the dance thing that has me wondering more then the feathers as the bantam had feathers the day after it hatched. Only time will tell I guess :D
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Its not the chest thrusting mine does. It straightens one or both wings downwards and does a little dance. My bantam cockerels did the same dancing round the ladies. ::) :lol:
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Its not the chest thrusting mine does. It straightens one or both wings downwards and does a little dance. My bantam cockerels did the same dancing round the ladies. ::) :lol:
:lol:
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Well they were 4 weeks old on Friday and they are doing well, growing like weeds! The chick we hatch is lovely, very calm and likes to be handled, feathers are growing well. The baby bantam is a nutter, hates to be handled, can fly and is nick named road runner due to its speed! It also has nearly all it's feathers (is it too young to have its wings clipped to stop it escaping?).
They spend a good few hours outdise nearly every day if it isn't raining but the fact that the chick we hatched sits under the heat lamp a lot tells me they are no way ready for the outside world just yet.
Will post some more pics soon :D
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Looking forward to the pictures. :D
Not sure about the wing clipping at that age. One of our turkey chicks is a good flyer so I was thinking the same. It is fine while they are with the broody as they stay close but when she looses interest in a few weeks the fun will start!! ::) :lol:
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can I just say that I really enjoyed this thread. I read every comment and got a wee bit emotional when I seen the pic of the pipping! aww well done for all your perseverance! My children were fascinated by the hatching pictures aswell, great stuff! I really hop it is a hen. Ive got 3 fertile eggs under a broody just now, should be ok in 2 weeks! its so exciting! x
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Aww thanks. It truly was amazing to watch, far mor exciting than I ever thought it would be. Your children will be so excited when your eggs start pipping.
Be warned, they grow like weeds! :D
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look here (http://i1202.photobucket.com/albums/bb364/symonepearce/Dogs%20and%20chickens%20and%20any%20other%20random%20animals/chickssept002.jpg)
6 weeks old on Friday and my how they have grown!
(http://i1202.photobucket.com/albums/bb364/symonepearce/Dogs%20and%20chickens%20and%20any%20other%20random%20animals/chickssept001.jpg)
i still think the bantam (brown one) is male and the one we hatched is female, but i guess it is still too early to tell
(http://i1202.photobucket.com/albums/bb364/symonepearce/Dogs%20and%20chickens%20and%20any%20other%20random%20animals/chickssept003.jpg)
they are now living in the concervatory, the heater is off during the day now and this week i will move them onto growers pellets as they can eat a whole container of their chick crumb in a few days!
(http://i1202.photobucket.com/albums/bb364/symonepearce/Dogs%20and%20chickens%20and%20any%20other%20random%20animals/chickssept004.jpg)
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I agree the brown one certainly does look like a male - his comb is well developed and his neck feathers are starting to look decidedly pointed.
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They do as you say "grow like weeds". I hope the weather improves so they can go outside. Great pictures.
Mix the chick crumb and layers pellets until they get used to the new food. :D
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I put the new food in today and they gobbled it up, greedy little things :D
We are away for a few days in a couple of weeks time and by the time we get back they will be around 10 weeks so hoping they can go outside by then
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Aww the chicke are 7 or 8 weeks old and they are spending their first night out in the great outdoors, they could have stayed indoors longer but they would run up and down their run in the conservatory looking out to the garden desperate to get out!
We have put their brooder heater out there and have just checked on them and they are no where near it, they are huddled up in the corner warm as toast.
Hopefully it won't be long before they won't need the hear at all.
How many weeks do they have to be before we switch them over to layers from the growers they are currently on?
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Best to keep them on growers until they start to lay. They don't need the calcium until then and I believe it can harm them.
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Ah cool, thanks for that, I wouldn't have switched them for another 10 weeks or so but wanted to check. Now all I need to do is find it in a large bag as all I seem to Be able to find is the small bags.
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Have you tried this place near you?
www.top-butcher.co.uk/tack10.htm They do poultry supplies according to their website. ;)
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Oh yeah I forgot about glovers. Thanks will pop down and get some tomorrow.
Thanks :D
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Well the chicks are 10 weeks old now and doing very well, the white one is very friendly and the brown one was just trying to rip my arm off :nowink:
I am still thinking the white one is a girl (how lucky would we be with only 1 hatching and it being a girl!) and the brown one is a boy, we have just moved them to their new coop .I am just uploading some new photos so i would welcome your opinions, if he is a boy we are hoping he will be a quiet one so we can keep him! :lol:
Here is the white one at 10 weeks old
(http://i1202.photobucket.com/albums/bb364/symonepearce/Dogs%20and%20chickens%20and%20any%20other%20random%20animals/chickensoct2012021.jpg)
(http://i1202.photobucket.com/albums/bb364/symonepearce/Dogs%20and%20chickens%20and%20any%20other%20random%20animals/chickensoct2012018.jpg)
I am not sure if the colour of the legs means anything but the white one has really yellow legs!
(http://i1202.photobucket.com/albums/bb364/symonepearce/Dogs%20and%20chickens%20and%20any%20other%20random%20animals/chickensoct2012020.jpg)
(http://i1202.photobucket.com/albums/bb364/symonepearce/Dogs%20and%20chickens%20and%20any%20other%20random%20animals/chickensoct2012006.jpg)
Here is their new temporary home within the big girls coop, as soon as we put them in the old ladies started complaining and squarking....it sounds like it will be a long process of them getting used to each other!
(http://i1202.photobucket.com/albums/bb364/symonepearce/Dogs%20and%20chickens%20and%20any%20other%20random%20animals/chickensoct2012012.jpg)
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The yellow legs are usually to do with the breed. Think you are right about white hen and brown cockerel but only time will tell. I let my young birds mix with the older ones when freeranging as they can find loads of places to hide if needed. ;)
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we havent been able to let any of them out for a few weeks now due to the weather, the garden is like a bog and as much as they would love it i cant afford to returf the garden again (last year in the bad weather they ate ever single blade of grass we had!) so they have had turf's put in their run to make up for it.
hopefully we can let them staft mixing soon!
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well at 8.30 this morning the old girls spotted the youn chicks within their run and were not happy :blink: much squarking took place!
I thought i would let them all out together as they havent been out to freerange for about a month and the little ones have never been out at all, the little ones loved it and were really happy to approach the older girls.......then all hell broke lose and one was chasing the cockerel (he did try to stand his ground but as he only came up to their bellys he didnt stand a chance) then anohter jumped on the white ones back and ripped about 20 feathers out! Poor little things didnt know what happened.
i put the older hens in their run and left the little ones out for a while so they could enjoy the big wide world, again it looks like it will be a long time before they can live happily ever after together!
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:ohmy: Mine have never done anything like that but they have a broody to protect them a little. I say a little because my broodies are bantams and half the size of my other hens so even they have to give them a wide birth sometimes.
One of our 2 turkeys has taken a shine to one of this years Welsummer bantam hens and has decided to display and show off around her. She isn't phased and just does a runner if he gets too close. :lol:
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:D I have evil hens I think lol
Once they accept new hens they are fine, it just takes them a while!!
I have a nice collection of white feathers thoug, any more and I could make a boa :wacko:
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They are 14 weeks old now, time has flown by.
I have no idea what breed the white one is but she sounds like a duck!!
Last night when i got home she was making a strange noise like she was sobbing. when i investigated the bantam was still sitting on a pole in the dark, the white one was telling him to come to bed, he looked a bit sorry for himself, his tail feathers were down and he just didnt look right, i noticed that in the wind some insulation had blown lext to the coop and he must have eaten masses of it :blink:, i was expecting him to be dead this morning but thankfully he was ok, must just have had horrible tummy ache!!
(http://i1202.photobucket.com/albums/bb364/symonepearce/october12027.jpg)
it has to be a he, his tail feathers remind me of a dolphins tail!
(http://i1202.photobucket.com/albums/bb364/symonepearce/october12028.jpg)
not very good photos but i wonder if you agree that the white one is a she. she has really long legs and looks like she is wearing bloomers!
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If you go by the comb the white one does look like a girl. Fingers crossed. ;)
Lovely birds what ever they are, the white one looks a little like a leghorn or perhaps a foghorn if she is making duck noises!!! ::) :lol: :lol:
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In the big girls coop there is a large foghorn leghorn model :D it was my hubbies!
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Is it a boy thing that they prefer to sleep outside instead of in the coop? The chick and the cockerel have taken to sleeping outside but i think it is the cockerel who likes it and the chick (i call her a chick but she must be 15 weeks now!) has to be near him so will sleep outside as well.
None of my other hens have any interest in being outside so just wondered if it was a boy thing?
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I only have hens now and several of those like to sleep outside :)
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My young bantams loved sleeping outside until I invested in a second hand Eglu classic. Now they all pile in together and it is really hard to tell how many are in. I had to separate them tonight just to do a head count! ::)
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They are funny little things, as they were mixing with the big girls and haven't used their own coop for a few weeks we took it down today. They have slept once in the big girls coop and since then slept outside but tonight they have joined them in their coop! I can imagine tomorrow night they will be sleeping outside again!
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Well both have gone to a very good home, the little cockerel had just started to crow so couldn't stay with us, he was attached at the hip to the white hen so it was unfair for them to be separated. I also wasn't sure of the white one was a girl or a boy as she actually sounded more like a duck!
My hens spent the morning the next day looking for them which was strange as they did nothing but chase them both!
While it was amazing to hatch eggs I won't be doing it again any time soon! It is expensive, time consuming and worrying :unsure: but I am so glad I did it.
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Thanks for sharing your experience. :blink: