I understand. I've hatched for years and I didn't understand many things for much of that time.
For one, I constantly chased hygrometers before learning how elusive a reliable one can be and then the reality of humidity relating to incubation gradually became clear to me.
In nature, humidity...
I think you have a decent situation. But how old are the new birds?
Normally, introducing like numbers and like sizes is best.
For instance it can be a issue introducing young birds to adults. But when bringing in new birds, it is best if the new flock is more numerous than the home girls, as...
At the Cheryl's Herbs store I mentioned, I attended a class on how to make tinctures and extracts from herbs. I don't remember a lot of it because it was a long time ago. Perhaps I'll go back and take another class.
Here is the place.
https://cherylsherbs.com/
Unless the incubator is a Little Giant, it may not be junk.
Even the most expensive electronics can be inaccurate out of t he box. The temperature readings may just be off. All you have to do is verify them and adjust accordingly or reset it if it has a calibration feature.
Amphibians, especially newts and salamanders are a sign of environmental health. Seeing live ones in the wild is a good thing. They are among the most vulnerable wildlife affected by toxins and climate.
Being outside all day is no compensation for fresh air at night.
Some people overestimate the amount of ventilation in a coop.
All my buildings have huge windows open constantly. That is all but one. It only has a ridge vent and a smaller window so to compensate I have a box fan on the...
Chickens don't really catch cold.
There are a couple prevalent respiratory issues that affect chickens.
Among them are mycoplasma gallisepticum, Infectious Bronchitis, Infectious Laryngotracheitis among others.
I assume it is cold there now. What is your weather like?
Since warm weather, have...
A little giant only has a 40 watt heat element. That means it struggles to maintain temperature in even room temperature. Cooler, it struggles even more.
Add to that the older style thermostat is unstable since it comes to temperature slowly.
That is a recipe for temperature spikes and cool...
If you are getting rid of the rooster and chances of future attacks are imminent, the sooner the better. Chickens are always a bit out of sorts when a rooster is removed and may be the perfect time to introduce the new birds.
Human aggressive roosters can pass on similar genetics to offspring...
I think if you can't keep the bird somewhere indoors away from any possible contact with flies and you are going to be gone, euthanasia may be the best bet if you are good with that.
Having a bird in that condition outdoors is a magnet for fly egg laying.
I understand the issue with vets. Those that see chickens are as rare as hen's teeth.
Many years ago there were close to 15 vet schools with poultry programs, now I think that is down to 3. Those who graduate with expertise with chickens almost exclusively work for large poultry enterprises...
Looks like an Ancona to me. None of the others in your post. I've raised Anconas and are good birds, prolific layers of white eggs. As a Mediterranean breed, they tend to be aloof. Avoiding human contact but their wariness makes them resistant to predation.
I like that trait.
The black spot in the middle of the picture does appear to be bumblefoot.
It starts as a scratch or other injury to the foot pad, bacteria enters resulting in a staph infection. Old school remedy is to open it up and squeeze out the puss nodule but newer techniques involve no open wounds. Daily...