Uh-oh, bought another two...

Petite Poulet · **Joined:** Thu Jun 09, 2011 7:17 pm **Posts:** 5219

Blak1 wrote:

Hey PP,

No, I don't think she was crook, but she was a bit skinny as she'd been in with 20 other marans & araucana chicks. I was trying to get condition on her, giving her mealworms & catfood etc. I think her growth spurt combined with the rotten weather for 4 days wore her down. If she had've shown any signs of being weak the day prior, I may have been able to save her.

I have chook club tomorrow, will talk about poor Squeaker there.

Admittedly the weather is lousy but I don't thinks a growth spurt would cause a chookie's demise

Poor Squeaker

Poor Squeaker shouldn't have been so skinny even she were living with 20 other chookies, I would ask the breeder nicely if she would possibly replace poor Squeaker.

Blak1 · **Posted:** Wed May 22, 2013 6:08 pm

The breeder is a champ, she has a couple of 6 week-old girls ready for me... I just need to build an insulated box for them and wait for my electric hen to arrive from the UK.

Still sad about squeaker though. Poor little chookie :cry:

Petite Poulet · **Joined:** Thu Jun 09, 2011 7:17 pm **Posts:** 5219

Blak1 wrote:

The breeder is a champ, she has a couple of 6 week-old girls ready for me... I just need to build an insulated box for them and wait for my electric hen to arrive from the UK.

Still sad about squeaker though. Poor little chookie :cry:

Ever so happy that the breeder came through for you

Is an electric hen like an electric blanket? Will you name it Linda conf665

What does it look like? Where did you purchase it from?

with the new babies.

R.I.P Squeaker [smilie=a_angel.gif]

oozcorpse · **Joined:** Sun Nov 04, 2007 8:15 am **Posts:** 2715

Petite Poulet wrote:

Blak1 wrote:

I just need to build an insulated box for them and wait for my electric hen to arrive from the UK.

Is an electric hen like an electric blanket? Will you name it Linda conf665

What does it look like? Where did you purchase it from?

same questions as PP

Petite Poulet · **Joined:** Thu Jun 09, 2011 7:17 pm **Posts:** 5219

soozorps wrote:

Petite Poulet wrote:

Blak1 wrote:

I just need to build an insulated box for them and wait for my electric hen to arrive from the UK.

Is an electric hen like an electric blanket? Will you name it Linda conf665

What does it look like? Where did you purchase it from?

same questions as PP

Is this "Linda"???

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9m8tXfLzW_M&noredirect=1

Blak1 · **Posted:** Sat May 25, 2013 11:25 am

Yep, that's it PP - apparently it's cheaper than the ceramic bulb set-up. I bought it off eBay from the UK (but with Aus plug). I figure since winter is so horrid, I will build a brooder box that will sit on the back deck with the electric hen in it for the little Maranses (I have an outdoor power point on the deck).

If I build one the size of a small coffee table, the littlies should be OK spending most of the next 8 weeks or so in there, out of the wind & away from the full-grown girls. I will let them out under supervision to free range.

Pricing brooders, I was up for between $180 - $400 to buy a complete unit, and the ICU / Hospital boxes are beyond my reach at $800 - $1500.

Another benefit of the electric hen (or Linda as she's now been dubbed!) is there's no light, so bugs / cats etc shouldn't be as attracted to it. Will post pics (& price) when done....

Also thinking about insulating the box, have some left-over earth wool from a bathroom reno... Not sure yet.

Petite Poulet · **Joined:** Thu Jun 09, 2011 7:17 pm **Posts:** 5219

Can you put Linda and brooder in the laundry? Or the shed? Or the garage? It's very cold, below zero in some places, out on the deck may not be the best place unless your deck it fully enclosed from the elements.

Marans can be rather sensitive creatures.

Blak1 · **Posted:** Sun May 26, 2013 8:47 pm

Unfortunately my house is less than 10 squares...so no, there's no spare space anywhere! I might be able to sneak the box onto the dining table for a short while, otherwise the deck is the only spare space.
Garage is full also...it's a man cave with a car resto going on.

Petite Poulet · **Joined:** Thu Jun 09, 2011 7:17 pm **Posts:** 5219

Blak1 wrote:

Unfortunately my house is less than 10 squares...so no, there's no spare space anywhere! I might be able to sneak the box onto the dining table for a short while, otherwise the deck is the only spare space.
Garage is full also...it's a man cave with a car resto going on.

Can you use some of that cafe style clear plastic or a tarp to enclose your deck and keep out the elements?

Blak1 · **Posted:** Mon May 27, 2013 8:38 pm

Not without ruining the free feed for the King Parrots, tame cockies & eastern / crimson rosellas :-?

I'll see how the box turns out & go from there.

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