Category: Raising Chickens

Predator Problems – Possums

The Opossums have been the problem predator with the younger chicks, one having found its way into the brooder last fall and killed several of the 2 month old chicks. With new chicks arriving this week, the plan was in place to head off the possums. Beginning last week the trap has been set out […]

Update on New Chicks

The end of October came the predator. A nasty looking Opossum, on the hunt for fresh meat. I thought perhaps the brooder was secure enough against pretty much all the predators in our area, except for perhaps a racoon. But it was the possum that created the problem. Just as my daughter was arriving home, […]

Estes Hatchery Guidelines for New Chicks

So we got our second batch of chicks this week.  Picked up from the local farm supply when the chicks were a week old.  The farm supply gets their chicks from Estes Hatchery in Springfield, Missouri. For this round, we purchased a dozen chicks, purported to be all pullets. A third of our first batch […]