It's almost chick time

[Hinotori]

I know it's almost chick time for everyone. Is anyone doing anything different this year with their birds?

I'll be building more coops and pens and moving birds.

We've already had our first chicks hatch here. They are a 10 days old, so them and Mama had to spend a week in a heated, sealed doghouse with the 11 degree temps. They stayed between 30 and 38 in there. Had to keep them acclimated to the cold. I just was able to carry them back over to the silkie pen today. Everyone over there was like "where have you been?". Smooth reintroduction like they weren't missing a week.

 

[Denim Deb]

I'm not doing anything until it gets warmer and I get them moved. Right now, I'm not even getting any eggs!

 

[baymule]

I did something different this year. I ordered 17 Pekins and 3 fawn and white Runner ducks. I don't have the room for all those, so I'm only keeping the 3 runners for eggs and entertainment. The Pekins are slaughter ready at 7-12 weeks and will be sent to that lovely duck resort called freezer camp.

 

[Marianne]

I ordered chicks last July, I think. RIR's and one oddball, rare rooster.......who's days are numbered. I'm getting eggs from them, but not many since it's so sticking COLD here!!! We're snowbound, too. They aren't doing the cooped up thing well. We did a temp coop in the back of an old garage, but there is no covered run. So far, I still don't have the heart to cull all my old girls so the new ones get the coop and nice run. We're going to have to do something, but it's not at the top of the list. Yet.

 

[baymule]

It's hard to butcher the old hens. I had the 2 SLW hens we started with that were five years old. All they did was eat their heads off and poop. I didn't tell DH I butchered them until after we ate them. They did make some lovely chicken soup...... Hint: don't try to pick the feathers, just skin them, it's easier.

 

[Beekissed]

I'll be incubating for the first time ever, starting this week. Doing a DIY method that I've not seen anyone try as of yet, so it will be interesting to see how it turns out. Will be brooding with the same DIY method as well. Can't wait to see if this works.

This will be a test hatch to see if the method works before I get a delivery in March of some heritage line White Rock eggs for hatching.

I'll be revamping my coop and expanding it. This winter has shown me areas that could use improvement~space and light are the two biggest ones, as well as functionality. Will also be doing a grow frame in the corner of the expansion so that the girls will have fresh graze of winter greens if they cannot get out due to snow depth. I'm also going to do a low tunnel on the fall garden and plant some of the same greens and legumes so that, when they can get out, they will have some forage to eat even if the snow is covering the ground.

 

[Hinotori]

Well I confirmed today that we'll go buy two partridge silkie pairs this Saturday. So I'll be making more silkie pens so I can breed partridge chicks. Maybe I'll have a bird or two I can take to show this fall.

 

[Marianne]

I'll be incubating for the first time ever, starting this week. Doing a DIY method that I've not seen anyone try as of yet, so it will be interesting to see how it turns out. Will be brooding with the same DIY method as well. Can't wait to see if this works.

This will be a test hatch to see if the method works before I get a delivery in March of some heritage line White Rock eggs for hatching.

I'll be revamping my coop and expanding it. This winter has shown me areas that could use improvement~space and light are the two biggest ones, as well as functionality. Will also be doing a grow frame in the corner of the expansion so that the girls will have fresh graze of winter greens if they cannot get out due to snow depth. I'm also going to do a low tunnel on the fall garden and plant some of the same greens and legumes so that, when they can get out, they will have some forage to eat even if the snow is covering the ground.

Awww, come on, share! My aunt and uncle used to incubate in an old electric skillet. LOL
I wanted to do a winter tunnel for the new girls, just a row of straw bales with an arch of fencing and plastic over that. I'd close up the trap door at night, but it would hopefully give them a little better solar gain during the sunny days and a snow free area. We procured the bales, but life happened and we didn't get it done before the snow hit...again and again. The grow frame sounds interesting.

 

[Beekissed]

Awww, come on, share! My aunt and uncle used to incubate in an old electric skillet. LOL
I wanted to do a winter tunnel for the new girls, just a row of straw bales with an arch of fencing and plastic over that. I'd close up the trap door at night, but it would hopefully give them a little better solar gain during the sunny days and a snow free area. We procured the bales, but life happened and we didn't get it done before the snow hit...again and again. The grow frame sounds interesting.

I'll be starting it today, so will take pics of the setup and such after I get temps regulated and will be doing a thread on BYC as to the progress....which will be as dull as watching paint peel because it's a very low maintenance/intervention type of setup. Sort of going to let nature happen as much as possible, with a tiny bit of assistance. It could turn out to be a big bust and I'll have egg on my face...possibly literally.

 

[Beekissed]

Here's a link to the BYC thread about my incubator experiment: http://www.backyardchickens.com/t/8...ation-experiment-1-so-it-begins#post_12805807