Hey all. If anyone has not yet incubated eggs or raised chicks using a broody hen I recently created a video with a step by step guide. It also goes into how you can purchase chicks at the feed store and give them to a broody hen thereby avoiding the whole brooder/heat lamp hassle. Just an FYI...

So we hatched our first chickens at our new homestead! Christmas eve and Christmas day we hatched these 5 beauties. Sadly there are still 8 more eggs that look like they won't hatch...this is down from the original 26 which 13 didn't mature, we really thought we would hatch the remaining 13 but...

My wife and I got our first new chicks of 2014, 6 Buff Orpingtons and 6 Australorps. Circle 3 Feed here in Jasper Texas got an early shipment of chicks. Usually the chicks do not start shipping until late February and early March, which is when Kristy (my wife) and I got our first set of chicks...

I knew today would be close to hatching, however they are a little early by 2 days. Chickens take 21 days to hatch once the incubation process is started and these are at 19. The ones hatching are Dominiques and CuKoo Marans, The Black Australorps are peeping but none are pecking out yet. HAd to...

The chicks are going on 5 weeks old, they passed the one month mark almost a week ago. My wife and I got the chicks on February 25th. The rhode island reds are about 7 days younger then the rest of the chicks. When my wife and I bought the chicks we were told they were only about 2 days old...

Finally took the plunge into chickens. Bought 2 Black Minoracs and 2 Buff Brahmas on Saturday. They are 3 weeks old and will be residing on my bar countertop for a few more weeks :eek: since I have very nosey Jack Russells. Fingers crossed they are all female, but if not, we will be having...

2012 A Chicken Odyssey-Pic Heavy This is my first foray into chickenology. I am an admitted newbie at chickencraft, but luckily I have a father in law who is an old hand. The first group of eggs hatched three days ago supposedly they are Rhode Island Reds....but my father in law wasn't so...

I was wondering. When it comes to selecting a breed of chicken to grace your property.... What are you looking for in a chicken? For instance for me I look for ones that are Hardy, good layers, quiet, easy to handle, less or average broodiness, and dual purpose. Naturally this did not lead me...

I have chicks that should be here probably about Friday or Saturday or so. What do I need to do other than have a typical chick tub waiting? How fast do I need to put them in there? Do they have to be separated from the hens ASAP or not? I've got 3 broody hens sitting on them, not an...

We plan on getting some chicks this spring to raise for meat as well as eggs. I already have a couple of good dual purpose breeds picked out. While a bunch will go on to "meet the Colonel" this fall we would like to keep some over winter. Our typical Wisconsin winter will often see a temp of...

Some friends of mine and I are planning on raising egg-laying hens in our back yard. Does anybody have any hints or help on what I would need and how much it would cost? Also, I live in Florida in Lee County, does anyone know where in my area I can get some live hens and how much it would...