Jim R
SMF Supporter
New life is always wonderful to see. I'm glad your new job has given you a better quality of life. Hope your plans for the farm work out. Keep us posted.
Lee Drennen’s Hobby Farm & Garden
- Thread starter Lee Drennen
- Start date
Thanks Tim for stopping by. Yes I have a few old Birds too and still have some young one in the mix with them. They slow up in the winter like you say but I’ve been starting to get more eggs every day now. I used oyster grit for years then I switched to egg shells that we use. People say you feed them egg shells they will eat there eggs that not true. I just mix it in with there Hen Scratch once a month and I’m set.Great to see the new Chuckle Lee. We only have five, but they are going on well for ex battery lasses. Probably about four years old now. One of them is just starting to get the hunched look they get as they start to decline, so probably doesn’t have long left
Always use commercial feed ourselves, supplemented with oyster grit, sunflower seeds, mealworms, cheap supermarket lettuce, and warm porridge on really cold days. Not getting many eggs at the moment, but that’s a combination of Winter and old age I think. We have them for fun, not commercial gain, so don’t really care.
Thanks Andrew I hope to get things going here soon I’ll keep you guys posted
Chris I put a “X” on them because I have to hand turn them twice a day and I sometimes get confused which ones I’ve turned lol.
Yes Jim my life feels so much better now since I quit my old job after 25 years. I’m hoping my plans goes into play soon on the plans I have. Thanks for stopping by.
Early this morning we had another successful Hatch. The other one is doing great I was a little worried if it was going to make it. I’m hatching these in our laundry room where it’s the warmest place in the house and I have a small cage next to my incubator so I can put the chicks in before I move them to the big brooder in the garage. More hatching to come I hope. 
This is so cool Lee. Hatching your own must be interesting and give you a good feeling when they pop out of the shell. Keep the pics coming my friend. All the best to you and the family too!!!
Prost
Allen
Prost
Allen
Valeron
SMF Supporter
Excellent pictures. So interesting to see.
Great photos Lee, the chick looked so much better in the warm under that light after hatching . Good luck with the rest .
The Committee think that is well worth
Congratulations on the new arrival .
The Committee think that is well worth
Congratulations on the new arrival .
Jim R
SMF Supporter
Cute. It must be so exciting. As Allen said keep the pictures coming.
Out of interest my daughter is a keeper in the bird section at Chester Zoo. She often has chicks hatch and on more than one occasion has had to hand rear.
Out of interest my daughter is a keeper in the bird section at Chester Zoo. She often has chicks hatch and on more than one occasion has had to hand rear.
Thanks Allen. The wife bought that incubator for me our first Christmas 26 years ago I’ve used it quit a bit since. The last 3 years I’ve had the most hatches out of it guess I’m getting wiser with age on using this thing. My Rooster is getting old so I’ll have to replace him with a young one soon this will probably be his last year. Thanks for stopping by and the family is doing great.
Thanks for the complement I’ll keep them coming along.
Thanks for the Dogs Award Race Towers. It was a little tricky but I think it’s going to be fine. I left the Chick in the incubator a extra day to make sure it stayed good and warm. The new one that just hatched I’ll take out tomorrow and put it in with the other one. Last night the chick in the cage was going nuts like it was telling the other one to hurry up and hatch I need a buddy lol.
Thanks Andrew I will. I had another one hatch this evening I’ll update you guys tomorrow.
Ok over night another one hatched that will make 2 chicks hatched in a 24 hour period. Now it will be a couple weeks maybe before the next ones hatch. I’ve “Candled” the closest ones to being hatched looks like there’s something in the shells now to wait. I moved the Dark Gray one which I’m pretty sure it’s going to be a Sapphire Gem breed to the Brooder cage this morning all seems well at this time. 
Congrats Dad!!! How many do you think you will end up with??? I don't think I've ever seen a gray one before. This is so cool, Lee...
Prost
Allen
Prost
Allen
Thanks and here’s a cigar. I really don’t know yet it’s up to Mother Nature. So far it’s been pretty good getting about 1/2 the hatches. I’m going to set Eggs till around March 18 then that’s it I don’t like having chicks in the brooder out in the garage the First weeks of May it’s planting season and garden time plus I have a few things I hope to happen then if all goes well. I’m just glad I can do this stuff again. Here’s some pics of one of my Sapphire Gems and the rest of the crew the wife bought them back in April of 2020 I still have them that’s where the eggs are coming from best chickens I’ve ever raised.
Beautiful birds Lee! I wish you all the best and thanks for the cigar too, my friend. Maybe I'll light her up on my Birthday! Sure is great to have a garden too. I don't have that luxury where I live now....
Prost
Allen
Prost
Allen
Jim R
SMF Supporter
Chickens are great to keep. For some reason watching them always makes me smile. I hope the hatching continues to go well