Recent content by NatJ

  1. NatJ

    First time broody hen & transporting fertilized eggs questions

    Sounds like you've got this figured out pretty well: sensible plans, and realistic expectations. That is encouraging news, that this hen comes from a local line that does well in the heat, and that local people find that their hens can successfully hatch & raise chicks in those temperatures...
  2. NatJ

    Progeny from heroic rooster

    Thanks! If neither rooster and none of the other hens have blue, then a chick with blue would definitely have to come from one of those Arctic Blue Eggers. Nice for identification!
  3. NatJ

    Hog feed for eggs?

    That sounds likely to me too. Another common one is to add cat food. But when I look at the prices, it is cheaper to just buy chick food, rather than buying layer food (lower protein) and cat food (higher protein and MUCH higher cost). If someone was already raising of hogs, and they were...
  4. NatJ

    Hog feed for eggs?

    Depending on which kind of hog feed, it might be a difference in protein. You can sometimes also get that by using chick starter or an all-flock feed. Or maybe he just happened to give them hog feed at the time of year they were going to lay best anyway. That kind of thing does happen...
  5. NatJ

    First time broody hen & transporting fertilized eggs questions

    I would make sure she has plain water too. Overdosing on electrolytes can cause problems. For example, diarrhea is never good, but it's an extra problem in a broody hen. I agree with the advice to move the feed & water out of the nestbox. Definite maximum: if you put them underneath and they...
  6. NatJ

    Hog feed for eggs?

    Where did you find this? Did it give any reasons? For anything to be "better," that means it is being compared with something. If someone is comparing hog feed with no feed, then of course it is better. This could have been the case at some points in the past when people often expected...
  7. NatJ

    Progeny from heroic rooster

    Checking abbreviations: DE = Delaware BR = Barred Rock BuffOrp = Buff Orpington If I've got them right, any chicks with no barring would have the DE/BuffOrp as their father (not-barring inherited from the Orpington side of that.) And any chicks that show gold in their coloring would also have...
  8. NatJ

    Things you wish you could say

    I know someone who always grumbles, "I should have shaved this before I came into the doctor's office." Of course it never does get remembered, so hair always gets pulled.
  9. NatJ

    Hens or Roos? Breeds?

    All of the ones that you label "Roo?" look to me like they probably are males. That is #1, 4, 6, 8, and 9. Maybe #7 as well. Where did you get the chicks? That can often help narrow down the list of possible breeds. My first guess would be backyard mixes, hatched from eggs from your own flock...
  10. NatJ

    Expert chicken enablers needed

    In that case, I would probably put a roost across each end of the current coop (so the "back" of each new coop), then nestboxes along part of the current front wall (the one with the door), and feeder/waterer just inside the entrance to each coop for easy reaching and tending. A poop board is...
  11. NatJ

    Expert chicken enablers needed

    I would probably put in one long roost across the back. Between 1 and 2 feet from the back wall (30 to 60 cm from the back wall). I would not bother with a poop board underneath, just let the droppings land on the floor underneath (cover them with fresh bedding as needed, and clean out when it...
  12. NatJ

    Brooder in Garage with Mama Heating Pad for Spring Chicks SE PA

    If you want to save effort, just make the brooder larger and leave the lamp at the "night" level. As long as the brooder has enough cool area, the chicks can move themselves away from the lamp in the daytime to avoid overheating. I find an oversized brooder to be much easier than trying to fine...
  13. NatJ

    What breed do we think?

    Either that, or an Easter Egger that happens to look a lot like an Ameraucana.
  14. NatJ

    At the end of my rope!! help with constant noisy chicken

    What kind of chickens are they? For example, Golden Laced Wyandotte or Golden Laced Polish or Golden Laced Sebright? Buff Orpington or Buff Cochin or Buff Polish or Buff Sebright or ??? (I'm not sure it makes much difference, but I am curious.) Since it got worse in the spring, it might be...
  15. NatJ

    Curious: Can a disabled hen live on her own?

    I just re-read this bit. Things may be different when she is fully healed. While she is still recovering, it may be better to just keep her separate. Brahmas come in two sizes, standard (big) and bantam. So the "Brahma" in the mix might be the bantam size rather than the large size.
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