Recent content by PotatoWaffles

That's fine! I stole it from someone else :gig

I like having a mixed flock. There are so many cool breeds that each have their own unique traits. Some are extra cold hardy, some lay blue eggs, some are more docile, some are bomb egg layers. I want a few of each to the get the best of all worlds :D plus I like being able to tell my birds...

I voted for raccoons. I have lost two chickens to raccoons and one to a hawk. Only ever lost eggs to skunks, luckily.

When you keep the old tires from your car laying around for over a year because you know you will eventually turn them into dust baths when you stop procrastinating and re-do the coop and run, which I finally did :D

If you're willing, you can crack open a few of the eggs to check for fertility.

Whatever you feed them, make sure it's not medicated feed. Ducks can't handle medicated feed like chickens can. When I had ducks, I fed them Dumor brand because it was the only non-medicated feed around I could find.

Vertical, and no idea what size, my SO made it. Whatever it is, it's small enough to fit in a 5gal bucket :)

I use a bucket with water nipples, but in the winter have to switch to a heated water bowl because the nipples freeze over even with a heater in the bucket.

I love buying in bulk (savings!) But hate lifting them. It can be quite a struggle to lift something that weighs half as much as you do, but I manage ok. I don't like asking for help at the feed stores. I may be small but it's good exercise :D

Glad you talked it over with the neighbor, it's a sensible first step. Hopefully now they will know to keep their dog on their property. I think it would be a good idea to keep the birds confined for a couple more weeks to make sure the dog doesn't keep coming. And if you think they will jump...

Ducks got me started too. Four years ago, my SO's aunt was getting rid of her two ducks, and I had always wanted a duck. So we took them and I named them Potato and Waffles. Then I discovered mail order ducklings, and since I got my ducklings, it was only fair he got the chickens he's always...

My SO and I keep them mostly for eggs, but sometimes for meat. We have a system. We raise chicks every year. The female birds that tame up and become friendly get named and kept for eggs and become lifers even after they stop laying. The birds that are males or don't tame up don't get names and...

Good luck! I hope at least a couple hatch for you.

That would be a good plan too, but we haven't had the best luck with our incubators. Twice we've put about two dozen duck eggs in them and each time only two eggs made it to hatch. The broody mallards had much better success and hatched all seven of their eggs. So I feel like the birds...

Thanks! I've never ordered birds from them before, but I've heard it's one of the better hatcheries. I planned on ordering chicks from them next year. I really hope she is broody. I was under the impression that brahama don't often go broody, but maybe I'm mistaken. She's a special bird to...