Comments on: 500 Chukar Chicks http://www.pointinggundogs.com/2007/05/500-chukar-chicks/ A journal of my experiences in raising and training pointing dogs for hunting upland game and family companionship. Thu, 12 Aug 2010 12:37:27 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0 By: Jon Lee http://www.pointinggundogs.com/2007/05/500-chukar-chicks/comment-page-1/#comment-94 Jon Lee Tue, 03 Jul 2007 19:40:56 +0000 http://www.pointinggundogs.com/?p=94#comment-94 I think the systems from Nature's Way are great! The main problem I ran into was getting the pressure reduced down to the recommended 5lbs. I ran my system off of a hose bib. If your going with gravity feed/tank you won't have that problem. The float valves keep the pipe filled and the nipples running smoothly. My systems have a clear tube (mounted vertically) on the opposite end of the pipe from the floats - to help with leveling. They leaked a little, but not enough to worry about. My main concern is getting the birds through the first 6-8 weeks without drowning any. I have since transitioned my birds to the standard fount waterers. But, many people use the nipples year round. Winter temperatures are too cold here so I can't use the nipples year round. Hope that helps. I think the systems from Nature’s Way are great! The main problem I ran into was getting the pressure reduced down to the recommended 5lbs. I ran my system off of a hose bib. If your going with gravity feed/tank you won’t have that problem. The float valves keep the pipe filled and the nipples running smoothly. My systems have a clear tube (mounted vertically) on the opposite end of the pipe from the floats – to help with leveling. They leaked a little, but not enough to worry about. My main concern is getting the birds through the first 6-8 weeks without drowning any. I have since transitioned my birds to the standard fount waterers. But, many people use the nipples year round. Winter temperatures are too cold here so I can’t use the nipples year round. Hope that helps.

]]> By: Jim Deitner http://www.pointinggundogs.com/2007/05/500-chukar-chicks/comment-page-1/#comment-95 Jim Deitner Tue, 03 Jul 2007 18:24:23 +0000 http://www.pointinggundogs.com/?p=94#comment-95 I'm intrested in how you set up you water nipple system. I'm raising chuckar's also, except that I'm putting them in a remote johnny house in the feild. I have ordered just the nipples from a company and have to intall them on the pvc pipe. Could you send me more picture of the system , and any helpful hints on installing it. Thanks Jim I’m intrested in how you set up you water nipple system.
I’m raising chuckar’s also, except that I’m putting them in a remote johnny house in the feild.
I have ordered just the nipples from a company and have to intall them on the pvc pipe. Could you send me more picture of the system , and any helpful hints on installing it.
Thanks
Jim

]]> By: Jon Lee http://www.pointinggundogs.com/2007/05/500-chukar-chicks/comment-page-1/#comment-96 Jon Lee Tue, 29 May 2007 19:55:39 +0000 http://www.pointinggundogs.com/?p=94#comment-96 Sean, Thanks for the tips. I am working on making a quarantine area to try and save some of the slow developers. The green food coloring idea is interesting, never heard of that one. I almost have enough sky miles for a trip to Virginia. ;) Sean, Thanks for the tips. I am working on making a quarantine area to try and save some of the slow developers. The green food coloring idea is interesting, never heard of that one. I almost have enough sky miles for a trip to Virginia. ;)

]]> By: Sean Pecor http://www.pointinggundogs.com/2007/05/500-chukar-chicks/comment-page-1/#comment-97 Sean Pecor Tue, 29 May 2007 19:13:21 +0000 http://www.pointinggundogs.com/?p=94#comment-97 Nice work! I suspect if raising them is similar to raising turkeys, you'll have some losses at first. One method I've heard works very well for turkeys is dying the feed green with non-toxic food coloring. With turkey poults, they notice the feed faster and fewer of the weak ones die off. I know my in-laws (who raise 24,000 turkeys each year) try to separate the weak ones into a smaller holding area where there is less competition for food and the reduced stress allows for more of them to survive the first critical weeks. They also have overhead propane heaters in their barns that are height adjustable so they can raise the heat source and reduce ground temperatures as the turkeys grow. Sean Nice work! I suspect if raising them is similar to raising turkeys, you’ll have some losses at first. One method I’ve heard works very well for turkeys is dying the feed green with non-toxic food coloring. With turkey poults, they notice the feed faster and fewer of the weak ones die off.

I know my in-laws (who raise 24,000 turkeys each year) try to separate the weak ones into a smaller holding area where there is less competition for food and the reduced stress allows for more of them to survive the first critical weeks. They also have overhead propane heaters in their barns that are height adjustable so they can raise the heat source and reduce ground temperatures as the turkeys grow.

Sean

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