March 2017! Hatch with us!

[lilwildrabbit]

Good luck with the hatching

Thanks hope yours does great also

 

[angieangie]

Wow, he was big!  The one we caught was the baby of the family in our trees.  The parents killed 2 the day before, so we locked up all the silkies while we were working on covering their run.  The baby crawled through a tiny gap in the roof to the pen, and killed another.   I don't think my brother would have messed with an adult the size of the one in your pen.  That's hilarious that it fell over and played dead.  For some reason I don't understand how that ever fools anyone - it just makes it easier for them to get eaten.  

A hawk, a tiny hack, killed one of my reds last summer. I went and bought that shinny reflective garden ribbon tied it up over their area. Looks like a big spider web kinda, and have not had a problem since. I hear them, and I see Eagles. I don't see the Hawks but I can hear them. Where I live I guess we have like 10 or so kinds. Maybe try what I did.

 

[angieangie]

Eggs are in lockdown. I hope out of the 25 I have in there at least a few will hatch. I left them all in because this is my first time and I don't really know what I am doing so I didn't want to throw away eggs that might have a chick. So I hope none explode grossness all over. But none smell so that good.

 

[ShrekDawg]

Thanks hope yours does great also

Thanks

I don't have anything to hatch yet but I'm hoping to find or buy/build an incubator and some eggs haha

 

[orrpeople]

Eggs are in lockdown. I hope out of the 25 I have in there at least a few will hatch. I left them all in because this is my first time and I don't really know what I am doing so I didn't want to throw away eggs that might have a chick. So I hope none explode grossness all over. But none smell so that good.

In theory, as long as they don't stink, they probably won't explode. I am hoping the best for you! Keep us updated!

 

[orrpeople]

A hawk, a tiny hack, killed one of my reds last summer. I went and bought that shinny reflective garden ribbon tied it up over their area. Looks like a big spider web kinda, and have not had a problem since. I hear them, and I see Eagles. I don't see the Hawks but I can hear them. Where I live I guess we have like 10 or so kinds. Maybe try what I did.

We strung fishing line across the primary grazing area and tied mylar ribbon to it. Jury's still out on its effectiveness because we got our first rooster at about the same time, and he has amazing "predator alert" skills (although he is getting a bit of a god-complex, so as soon as some of our other boys are bigger, I will probably replace him.)

 

[Jessimom]

Eggs are in lockdown. I hope out of the 25 I have in there at least a few will hatch. I left them all in because this is my first time and I don't really know what I am doing so I didn't want to throw away eggs that might have a chick. So I hope none explode grossness all over. But none smell so that good.

Good luck!! What kind of eggs are you hatching? I did the same the first few times I hatched. You get better at knowing what to look for. I still leave in questionable eggs at lockdown - I usually write "maybe" on the egg. That way I don't accidentally leave out a viable egg. I've had a few Maybe's hatch.

A hawk, a tiny hack, killed one of my reds last summer. I went and bought that shinny reflective garden ribbon tied it up over their area. Looks like a big spider web kinda, and have not had a problem since. I hear them, and I see Eagles. I don't see the Hawks but I can hear them. Where I live I guess we have like 10 or so kinds. Maybe try what I did.

For my silkies - they actually have a chainlink roof. Covered with a tarp. Those were the supplies we had on hand. For my teenager pen, I strung that yellow caution tape like you did. The shiny stuff would probably look better. My teens are full size breeds and they are bigger than the biggest silkie. I have a bantam pen - and small juveniles that also have a covered pen.

I have a dozen hens that fly out of their coops and wander the yard. There are several areas for them to duck under if they want, but they regularly go running across the yard, with their wings stretched out, making a lot of racket. It's hilarious to see - and I have never seen if they are running from a threat, or just having fun.

 

[Jim121898]

Thanks everyone for all the advice!

 

[angieangie]

We strung fishing line across the primary grazing area and tied mylar ribbon to it. Jury's still out on its effectiveness because we got our first rooster at about the same time, and he has amazing "predator alert" skills (although he is getting a bit of a god-complex, so as soon as some of our other boys are bigger, I will probably replace him.)

lol Probably thinks he is the rooster to end all roosters.

 

[angieangie]

Good luck!! What kind of eggs are you hatching? I did the same the first few times I hatched. You get better at knowing what to look for. I still leave in questionable eggs at lockdown - I usually write "maybe" on the egg. That way I don't accidentally leave out a viable egg. I've had a few Maybe's hatch.
For my silkies - they actually have a chainlink roof. Covered with a tarp. Those were the supplies we had on hand. For my teenager pen, I strung that yellow caution tape like you did. The shiny stuff would probably look better. My teens are full size breeds and they are bigger than the biggest silkie. I have a bantam pen - and small juveniles that also have a covered pen.

I have a dozen hens that fly out of their coops and wander the yard. There are several areas for them to duck under if they want, but they regularly go running across the yard, with their wings stretched out, making a lot of racket. It's hilarious to see - and I have never seen if they are running from a threat, or just having fun.

I have 2 roosters, a easter egger (ameraucana/araucana mix) he is main one who gets the girls. Then there is a blue andalusian rooster who sometimes might possibly get a girl. So mainly Hawkeye my ee is the dad, then the moms are 3 rhode island reds and one splash blue andalusian hen. The Blue rooster is not very nice to me, I am trying to get ride of him. So I am hoping that he isn't that dad to any of them since I don't want his mean offspring, but seeing as how he is not very good at catching the girls, I think I don't have to worry too much.