Request for a post
by Bill at 11/14/2004 08:19:00 PM
Amy and I want chicken info, no not recipes. We want to know how the chicks are doing.
Goose the Blog 2.0
"Oh, ha! Sarcasm: The last refuge of sons of bitches!"
No bad news. They all seem to be fine and healthy. No eggs yet (although I didn't check this morning).
We started using the heat lamp to keep the coop warm at night because it is starting to drop below freezing. If I close the coop door, the lamp warms it up inside to about 10 (or more) degrees warmer than outside, even with the vents near the roof line open. I know this because I put a wireless digital thermometer inside with the chickens. I hope to build a thermostat that will turn the heat lamp on and off, but I don't know how to do it yet.
Also, I put a timer inside the coop that turns on a lightbulb at 5 am every morning, and turns it off at 8 am. This is supposed to wake the chickens up and give them extra light even when it is dark outside, because Wendy read that chickens that don't get enough light will not lay eggs.
I did check in on them this morning and there were no eggs. The chickens turn 20 weeks old this Wednesday. Commercial layers start producing at about 18-20 weeks, but dual-purpose (meat and egg) purebreds like ours probably won't start laying until 22-25 weeks. I keep checking, though, on the off chance we might have one precocious hen.
My bet is on Junior to lay the first egg.
I suggest you take pictures of the contestants and start a pool on which will lay first & when!
Coming right up!
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