INCUBATING w/FRIENDS! w/Sally Sunshine Shipped Eggs No problem!

[BantyChooks]

Yup... I'm a proud papa... Four little webs...

WEBZ

 

[LittleLakePhil]

WEBZ

YUP......webs.....

 

[LittleLakePhil]

Now that the weather is nicer I can spend time outside with my ducks it's nice....

 

[h2oratt]

Here are some random pictures of my chickens. They are really enjoying the nice weather.

 

[lazy gardener]

Congrats, Phil on your ducklings.

I have a question regarding my hatch. First time for shipped eggs. The first group arrived scrambled. 6 chick eggs made it to lock down. One hatched on her own. Other was a visible pip when we got home at 4:30. She made slow progress, and made no further progress after zipping 1/3 of the way. I finally helped her out of the shell at 9:30. Yep, Sally, I know... you say to help much sooner, but when I've done that it's ended in disaster. So, she's isolated in a cup lined with paper towels now, clearly hypothermic. She was glued, and had some membrane stuck in her mouth! Has had betadine applied to umbilicus. She's tremoring in one foot. So, here's the ? Do shipped eggs take a bit longer to complete development, given that all other factors are the same? These chicks were 24 hours late in hatching. And it looks like the 12 shipped eggs that are set with them (due to hatch today) will also be late. In retrospect, if I ever hatch shipped eggs again, I think I'll set some of my own along side. Kind of like the canary in the mine. (in reverse)

 

[harrellkd]

Ok all you genetics freaks. I'm dreaming about future breeding and wondered what happened if you crossed a Salmon Faverolle with a blue copper marans? I don't know how the blue gene works exactly.

 

[LittleLakePhil]

e  ... and ...      !!!!!!!!

Yes, it's always best to allow the Mrs to be a part of the process. Lots less grief by doing that!!!   

Lots less.....

 

[Fire Ant Farm]

After digging several holes and setting posts, rolling out 150' of 6' chicken wire, and stapling it up, I almost completed the containment pen. I still have to build a gate, run some guy wire along the top and bottom to stiffen the edges, and stake the bottom down so there won't be any chickens slipping out underneath. Sounds like another full day of activities with this pen. It sure is taking a lot of time away from building on the new 12'x16' coop. And guess what? I get to put up another 150' of 6' chicken wire around it as well! YAY!!! These pens won't be designed to keep critters out, but only to keep chickens in. With a killer dog next door, I can't risk losing anymore. The new coop and runs will be predator proof... as are the current two. The containment pen will allow the chickens to (semi) free-range, but as always, they'll be locked in at night.

After I stopped working on the new pen, I decided to relax and watch the chickens for a little while. The BR's that I hatched in December kept hanging around the fence in front of me, so I shot a little video. I've culled all the cockerels except for one, which I decided to keep since he's so protective of the girls... all 11 of them. He's kind of handsome as well, so I'm glad he doesn't have to go.

@Ur-ur-ur-urrr , I have three "family" groups, each with its own rooster. I have 6ft deer netting up on movable posts to give each group a paddock and keep the groups separate (mostly to keep roosters from fighting, but also for controlling breeding). But honestly, even if I just had one group, I would do it, because I am alternating paddocks back and forth in order to allow the ground to recover and vegetation regrow. I hate to say this after you've already gone through all this trouble, but you may wish to have two paddocks and alternate. I worry the existing containment pen would eventually turn into a dust bowl, and then the whole ranging thing is moot.

My 8 Naked Necks have been in their current paddock (bounded by 164 ft of deer fencing, so similar size as yours) for about 2.5 months, and it's down to bare dirt in most places. (I'm actually overdue in putting up the fencing for the second paddock, planned to switch at 2 months, but am hoping to do it tomorrow). I will be moving them to the same paddock area they were in before - that one was ALSO down to near bare dirt. Now nicely recovered, full of yummy grass (and you can actually see the outline of the former paddock, as that area is more green), and they will love moving back while this area recovers. If you have 11 chickens in there, I do worry that eventually that ground will not be as great for them...

I'll try to get you pictures tomorrow.

Quote: Glad you can get sleep there at least. Hope it's a comfy chair.

Yup... I'm a proud papa... Four little webs...

SO cute!!!!!!!!!

Congrats, Phil on your ducklings.

I have a question regarding my hatch. First time for shipped eggs. The first group arrived scrambled. 6 chick eggs made it to lock down. One hatched on her own. Other was a visible pip when we got home at 4:30. She made slow progress, and made no further progress after zipping 1/3 of the way. I finally helped her out of the shell at 9:30. Yep, Sally, I know... you say to help much sooner, but when I've done that it's ended in disaster. So, she's isolated in a cup lined with paper towels now, clearly hypothermic. She was glued, and had some membrane stuck in her mouth! Has had betadine applied to umbilicus. She's tremoring in one foot. So, here's the ? Do shipped eggs take a bit longer to complete development, given that all other factors are the same? These chicks were 24 hours late in hatching. And it looks like the 12 shipped eggs that are set with them (due to hatch today) will also be late. In retrospect, if I ever hatch shipped eggs again, I think I'll set some of my own along side. Kind of like the canary in the mine. (in reverse)

My shipped eggs had a rough ride and rotten air cells, but I got 8 to hatch out of 12 that made it to lock down (though one died later). None hatched before day 22, and the last hatched morning of day 24. I thought it was that my temp was a bit lower than it should have been (though not drastically so), but you raise an interesting question, re: shipped eggs.

- Ant Farm

 

[kwhites634]

@Ur-ur-ur-urrr , I have three "family" groups, each with its own rooster. I have 6ft deer netting up on movable posts to give each group a paddock and keep the groups separate (mostly to keep roosters from fighting, but also for controlling breeding). But honestly, even if I just had one group, I would do it, because I am alternating paddocks back and forth in order to allow the ground to recover and vegetation regrow. I hate to say this after you've already gone through all this trouble, but you may wish to have two paddocks and alternate. I worry the existing containment pen would eventually turn into a dust bowl, and then the whole ranging thing is moot.

My 8 Naked Necks have been in their current paddock (bounded by 164 ft of deer fencing, so similar size as yours) for about 2.5 months, and it's down to bare dirt in most places. (I'm actually overdue in putting up the fencing for the second paddock, planned to switch at 2 months, but am hoping to do it tomorrow). I will be moving them to the same paddock area they were in before - that one was ALSO down to near bare dirt. Now nicely recovered, full of yummy grass (and you can actually see the outline of the former paddock, as that area is more green), and they will love moving back while this area recovers. If you have 11 chickens in there, I do worry that eventually that ground will not be as great for them...

I'll try to get you pictures tomorrow.

Glad you can get sleep there at least. Hope it's a comfy chair.

SO cute!!!!!!!!!

My shipped eggs had a rough ride and rotten air cells, but I got 8 to hatch out of 12 that made it to lock down (though one died later). None hatched before day 22, and the last hatched morning of day 24. I thought it was that my temp was a bit lower than it should have been (though not drastically so), but you raise an interesting question, re: shipped eggs.

- Ant Farm

What you're describing is a form of rotational grazing; very popular in New Zealand for sheep long before it caught on here.

 

[4hBrahmas]

Just candles the 15 duck eggs in the incubator and all but one appear to be developing. It's only day six but I won't be able to candle tomorrow so I figured I'd do it tonight. Out of the random duck egg I grabbed from under my hen they also appear to be developing. Only 6 days left until my d'uccle hatches her two mixed breed eggs.