Chicks chicks chicks

[LoriMNnice]

I have been hatching chicks like crazy thanks to my new oldie but goodie wood incubator from the 60's I bought, hatch rate has been up since I started using it, even hatched some duckslings out of 7 duck eggs only 2 didn't hatch and those were the eggs that were questionable to begin with.

And I have a "hatchery surprise" order of poultry coming on May 16th I don't know what kind of poultry or how many I will be getting hence the name hatchery surprise

Finally got some bantam chicks I have never had them before I don't know what kind they are yet but a couple look like cochins and I know I have a frizzle rooster.

guineas are laying eggs now too.

Almost all the feral cats are spayed and neutered now only missed trapping a couple of them, I'll get them next round


New feral cat arrived today(I take ferals from animal control and rescues, they must be sterilized before they are allowed) he is a bit of a celebrity he was found up a tall tree had been up there for 4 days forsure possibly longer and a person paid a tree service co to get him down it was on the news, he ended up not being adoptable so he came here.

[AllenF]

We had a wild cat for a while that lived in the hay barn.  I raised a dozen eastern wild turkey that year and lost 10 of them to that cat.   He would reach in through the pen and wring a wing off each turkey through the fence.  Had to trap that cat and haul that little mean sucker off.   

[ChrisS]

I love chickens! Wish I had more land so I could get a bunch more. Not a big fan of cats but that is awesome you care for them.

[asprince]

All this chicken and duck talk reminds me of Cindi and Brian.

[LoriMNnice]

I don't mind the feral cats, they haven't gotten any chickens yet the chickens seem to chase the cats, they did however get some of my guineas when they were younger but those were fair game I released them to early, learned my lesson on that one.

I sold all my chicks today that I hatched a couple of weeks ago so now there is plenty of room for more, good thing cuz I have some hatching right now and out of 21 it looks like I will get 15 or more.

Has anyone raised quail?

[AllenF]

Really hard.  Lost half the first week.   

[stella]

I love chickens!  If I had a barn Id have a chicken of every color. I just have my little homemade coop. Right now I have 17 girls... GLW, SLW, auracanas, feather footed cochins, black australorps, RIR, and barred rocks. I am giving bowls of eggs away to my friends. Had guineas for 6 years. Last year raised some turkeys for meat. They were so personable and fun!

We ordered a hatchery surprise a few years ago.  2 of the 5 were roos. One we named Spaz as a chick cause he was ,well, spastic. He was the most beautiful Tophat chicken Ive ever seen. Some sort of cross polish variety. Eventually the neighbors complained about the crowing and we gave him to a nearby farm. He was too pretty to butcher. Too loud and mean to keep.

Have fun with the new chicks and the hatchery surprise. Ive never raised quail.

BTW, I never even knew that this farm forum was here. Duh. What a nice surprise!

[LoriMNnice]

20 chicks hatched out of 21 eggs I will leave #21 in the bator for one more day just in case