Black australorps

Our latest hatch of black australorps hatched mostly yesterday. Dianne says they look like little penquins, pretty cute and chubby. We ended up with 23. They should be laying this spring!!

Homemade waterer heater

A few people have asked me how I made my heater. The first item is a utility pan 3.99 at tractor supply, then I used a scrap piece of metal or a board will do. Make sure it is a little larger than the pan. Then I used a 2 bulb lamp fixture, The one I used you can move the bulbs up and down to vary the heat so you can use it with a plastic or metal waterer, mount the fixture in the center on the bottom piece and then I used weather stripping under the edge of the pan, there is enough lip so you can use small screws to mount the top (pan) to the bottom. Chickens will peck at silicone that's why I didn't use it. The weather stripping will keep water from getting in if it is splashed or the waterer tips over.Total cost about 10.00.

Recouping!!!

Sorry I haven't posted in a while. With my wife Dianne having breast cancer and everything else going on it's been tuff!! I plan on posting more pics and stuff later. I've been recouping my coop and cages, lost a lot of birds over the summer to all kinds of predators. I'm doubling the wire and installing an electric fence and have a camera for the night time. I,m up all hours of the night anyway!! Down to 2 birds so fixing stuff is pretty easy. Got 34 black australorp eggs in the incubator now, I'll post pics when they hatch, they will hatch a little before CHRISTmas. In the process of getting other birds so I'll be up and doing good this spring for everyone who wants birds or hatching eggs!!!
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