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| on the way home |
Well I finally found me some buff orpington chicks. I couldn't believe it. I walked into my feed store and I saw a light on back where the chick pens are and a few people standing back there. I didn't hear them chirping but I asked if they had chicks and they said yes. "What kind?" I asked. "Banty's and buff orpington..." "that's what I want." I cut her off before she could finish. I finally got around to asking the price which surprisingly turned out to be cheaper than the hatcheries online and the other feed stores that had chicks. Good thing none of them had buffs or I would have wasted money I could have saved buying at my local feed store. I just hope one of these babies turns out to be a rooster. They are straight run, so who knows. I may have all pullets or I may have all roosters. I just hope I have at least one rooster, but it would be nice to have a couple of them be pullets. We'll find out in about ten weeks. 
Also, I would like you to notice the holes I drilled into the sides of my brooder. This is new. Last year I cut a big square hole out of the top of the lid and put a metal grate over it. I didn't really like that too much, so I changed it up this year, partly because I have a big puppy, that still has some learning to do and I don't want her thinking the little babies are snacks for her. I had an extra lid laying around for the tub, from an old one that I had before. I didn't want there to be any holes in the lid in case of rain blowing in on the porch and things of that nature. My first plastic brooder like this was clear and I had a hawk fly down and land on it trying to get to them. Luckily it didn't succeed but I changed to the blue brooder the next year. What I did was drill three rows of holes on each side of the plastic tub, then I cut out a hole for my heat lamp on one side. I had it a little too high and the lamp touched the lid. So I put the cord through the hole and used my lamp clamp by sticking the clamp end on the outside and the smaller end that holds the lamp, I put through the hole. Then I had to attach the clamp to something to hold it in place. It worked perfectly and better than my original idea. I lined the bottom with news paper but am planning on getting some shavings for it this weekend or next week. I didn't want to use my big waterer and I gave my small waterer's away, last year. What I really want to do though is fix up a waterer and feeder that isn't sitting on the floor of the tub. I am thinking about a rabbit feeder and maybe even a rabbit waterer. One of the things I hate more than anything with raising chick's is how nasty their water and feed bowls get. If I could get them up off the floor so they can't jump on them and poop on them, then I am on top of things. I do have some rabbit feeders but they all have the wire mesh in the bottom and the chick starter falls right through. I'll have to get a new one without the mesh. As for the waterer, I have an extra rabbit waterer but I'm not sure if they can drink out of it. I'll have to research this a little, maybe even experiment with it to see.
Also, I would like you to notice the holes I drilled into the sides of my brooder. This is new. Last year I cut a big square hole out of the top of the lid and put a metal grate over it. I didn't really like that too much, so I changed it up this year, partly because I have a big puppy, that still has some learning to do and I don't want her thinking the little babies are snacks for her. I had an extra lid laying around for the tub, from an old one that I had before. I didn't want there to be any holes in the lid in case of rain blowing in on the porch and things of that nature. My first plastic brooder like this was clear and I had a hawk fly down and land on it trying to get to them. Luckily it didn't succeed but I changed to the blue brooder the next year. What I did was drill three rows of holes on each side of the plastic tub, then I cut out a hole for my heat lamp on one side. I had it a little too high and the lamp touched the lid. So I put the cord through the hole and used my lamp clamp by sticking the clamp end on the outside and the smaller end that holds the lamp, I put through the hole. Then I had to attach the clamp to something to hold it in place. It worked perfectly and better than my original idea. I lined the bottom with news paper but am planning on getting some shavings for it this weekend or next week. I didn't want to use my big waterer and I gave my small waterer's away, last year. What I really want to do though is fix up a waterer and feeder that isn't sitting on the floor of the tub. I am thinking about a rabbit feeder and maybe even a rabbit waterer. One of the things I hate more than anything with raising chick's is how nasty their water and feed bowls get. If I could get them up off the floor so they can't jump on them and poop on them, then I am on top of things. I do have some rabbit feeders but they all have the wire mesh in the bottom and the chick starter falls right through. I'll have to get a new one without the mesh. As for the waterer, I have an extra rabbit waterer but I'm not sure if they can drink out of it. I'll have to research this a little, maybe even experiment with it to see. 
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