North Carolina

[NewHomesteader2010]

Good Morning Everyone. Those of you heading to WCA, have a great time!!

Mary - wonderful pictures, glad everyone had a good time!!

We had an enjoyable evening listening to a kitten howl all night long!! LOL...she is "cooped" up in our bathroom until we can get an apt for her to be checked out by a vet. I think she has the usual kitten URI, possible fleas & mites, so just wanted to keep her in "quarantine" until all is well. We have had LOTS of suggestions on names, but have not settled on anything yet. Waiting for DD to wake up and see her new little friend!! I can hear her now sitting on the bathroom floor saying, "HI KITTY" over and over again...

I have tried not to get too attached (it's hard...like baby chicks, they're so darn cute how can you NOT love them?!?) but she has already taken a shine to DH. He put her on his shoulder and she curled up on his back, went to sleep just a purring.

She (like me) is SUCH a talker...this ought to be fun. Sadly our old tom cat is none too happy that there is a kitten in HIS house...he has been hiding under the chair - pouting or plotting...not sure which!! HAHA. Funny thing is, he doesn't mind the "stray" cat outside that "talks" to him all night long.

Maybe he's just intimidated by her youthfulness!! LOL

Have a wonderful Sunday everyone!! Best of luck at WCA, with your hatches and containing the overflowing CUTENESS known as chicks with or without their mommas!!

 

[Coop Scoop Boogie]

I went and joined the Backyard Herds forum. Not as much traffic there, I don't think. We shall see if anyone is interested.....

I hardly slept last night, so don't know how long I'll be staying at WCA today. I've got to be able to think at work on Monday.

But we'll be there, with only one turkey, since one has gone to live with either ramirezframing or Coop Scoop, I'm not sure which! I'll not be bringing any chicks. This is my first hatch with other than buffs, and I find I can't tell the blues and blacks apart for sure. They'll have to wait until they feather a bit before the surplus goes. And only two are buffs, so I don't want to take them by themselves.

I should have pulled the non-fertile eggs much sooner.

This will be the worst hatch I've ever had. Probably a third not fertile (what Are those boys doing out there!?) and another third began to develop but stopped. I've not had so many do that before. Still a few left that should hatch, including that lone turkey egg, but several full eggs show no signs of pipping.

I want better luck with my BCM eggs!!!

You know it's just about near impossible to candle a BCM egg.

I'm sure you'll have as many BCMs as you want and if not I'll get you more eggs

Good Morning folks

hope everyone has a dry and good day

I do think we have enough rain for the next 3-4 days

not sure what I'm gonna do if it rains out the plans for today

but I'm sure something will be thought up

 

[Hollowoakfarm]

Yeah, I know. Oh, well. I will do the best I can, and that's all I can do! And yep, I know where to get more eggs!

OH! I forgot to collect my eggs yesterday after you left. (I did bring in the BCM eggs) I've left the few eggs from the Royal Palm turkey until I had the BCMs, and was going to incubate them together. And of course, something found the nest and ate them.

However, I knew the Bourbon Red hen had been sneaking off, and I suspected she had a nest elsewhere so when we spotted her this morning, we back-tracked her. And found her lovely nest. 19 eggs!

I was going to leave her half, even knowing the fire ants would take them, but since the dogs followed us, we took them all and popped them straight into the incubator. She was already setting. In the front yard bushes. My adult dogs wouldn't dream of touching an egg properly laid in a nest box, but woe be unto any egg that was improperly laid. It was obviously a gift to the first dog that finds it. And the puppy has no manners at all when it comes to eggs yet.

So that nest was not going to be safe. But perhaps they will finish well in the incubator.

Plus, since there were two Bourbon Red toms and only one Royal Palm tom, she stands a higher chance of having purebred offspring. Hopefully, we'll find out.

Speaking of purebred offspring, these chicks I'm hatching are some of the most interesting colors. I've decided I'm just going to tag them and grow them all out to see what they turn out to be. Some look more brown than black or blue. Only one lavender, and not a single splash. Considering that one-third of the hens are blue or splash, I'm surprised I don't have more. Ah well....it won't be that long before I can split the colors up and know what I should be getting. At least they're all Orpingtons. Maybe. I do have one Speckled Sussex and one Comet out there, but they are both antique birds that I would be surprised to have laying. The Sussex always left a noticeble mark on her offspring, but the Comet could sneak in and do something, I suppose. Hmmmm......... I'll have to separate those two out when I'm collecting hatching eggs from now on.

Yes, I'm babbling. have a nice day, everyone. I'll see some of you at WCA!

 

[ramirezframing]

Spice is happy along with Sugar. Sorry you lost the rps eggs but

to finding 19 others. Good luck hatching

 

[Coop Scoop Boogie]

Yeah, I know. Oh, well. I will do the best I can, and that's all I can do! And yep, I know where to get more eggs!

OH! I forgot to collect my eggs yesterday after you left. (I did bring in the BCM eggs) I've left the few eggs from the Royal Palm turkey until I had the BCMs, and was going to incubate them together. And of course, something found the nest and ate them.

However, I knew the Bourbon Red hen had been sneaking off, and I suspected she had a nest elsewhere so when we spotted her this morning, we back-tracked her. And found her lovely nest. 19 eggs!

I was going to leave her half, even knowing the fire ants would take them, but since the dogs followed us, we took them all and popped them straight into the incubator. She was already setting. In the front yard bushes. My adult dogs wouldn't dream of touching an egg properly laid in a nest box, but woe be unto any egg that was improperly laid. It was obviously a gift to the first dog that finds it. And the puppy has no manners at all when it comes to eggs yet.

So that nest was not going to be safe. But perhaps they will finish well in the incubator.

Plus, since there were two Bourbon Red toms and only one Royal Palm tom, she stands a higher chance of having purebred offspring. Hopefully, we'll find out.

Speaking of purebred offspring, these chicks I'm hatching are some of the most interesting colors. I've decided I'm just going to tag them and grow them all out to see what they turn out to be. Some look more brown than black or blue. Only one lavender, and not a single splash. Considering that one-third of the hens are blue or splash, I'm surprised I don't have more. Ah well....it won't be that long before I can split the colors up and know what I should be getting. At least they're all Orpingtons. Maybe. I do have one Speckled Sussex and one Comet out there, but they are both antique birds that I would be surprised to have laying. The Sussex always left a noticeble mark on her offspring, but the Comet could sneak in and do something, I suppose. Hmmmm......... I'll have to separate those two out when I'm collecting hatching eggs from now on.

Yes, I'm babbling. have a nice day, everyone. I'll see some of you at WCA!

Congrats on all the turkey eggs!!!!!

That pup can come stay here if he gets in the "doghouse" at your place

They are wonderful dogs and Beth's are too

(can ya tell I enjoy a good petme fest)

 

[Hollowoakfarm]

That pup can come stay here if he gets in the "doghouse" at your place

They are wonderful dogs and Beth's are too

(can ya tell I enjoy a good petme fest)

Don't hold your breath waitin' on him!

Oh, here's pics of what's hatching here...






And...

 

[Miss Lydia]

real cuties... Congrats!!

Don't hold your breath waitin' on him!

Oh, here's pics of what's hatching here...






And...

 

[Coop Scoop Boogie]

real cuties... Congrats!!

Ditto

 

[3ChickensinNC]

Well I checked out the Hovabator, especially since those that lead me in the direction of a good incubator all recommended this one. So here are a few more questions:

First thanks G&A for leading me there. I searched the site with all the different options, which I was not sure. I like the full window and circulated air.

BHEP- I was wondering what is the difference between the 1588 that you got and the 1583. I was looking at the 1583 (price wise) but the 1588 is not to much more, but it is back ordered, but I dont need till the end of may. I would just get a turner for chick eggs. I doubt we would hatch anything else. What would I do with quail? There are like 5 in a part of our back property that hang out. Okay maybe we could hatch some duck. Anyway I am a little confused on the difference could you point me in the right direction.

Let me second (third?) the hovabator. And I'll go one step further and advise you against getting its look-alike little brother, the Little Giant. They may seem comparable at first and the Little Giant is more common in feed stores at least around here, but having had two LG and two (soon to be three) hovabators, I have just gotten rid of one LG and am only keeping the other cause I would feel bad selling it to someone--it's that bad. Of course, I also have a Brinsea and those are fantastic, but the hovabator Genesis with a built in hydrometer will treat you well and give you excellent hatches if you give it good eggs.

And congrats on raising a very wise soon to be six-year old! I like the way he thinks!

I was runnning off some suggestions and that was one of them plus a coop for his polish so he could breed them, thought it would be fun down the road. I also mentioned the usual legos, and any toy he is interested in. He said an incubator and a coop. I keep asking him is that what he really wants and if there is not something else. He keeps saying incubator and coop. Oh and to go to Chuckie Cheese.

 

[BHep]

Rain ...Hail... Wind.... YUK!
Coops are back in place...birds back in and fresh pine needle put down...so they have some dry land.

Cute pics Hollow. Incubator tip....clean and disinfect the incubator between each hatch... it could be the reason for lots quitting. Of course there are MANY reason.

3chickens... I got the 1588 on MANY recommendations. I am honestly not even sure of the difference.

NH... cute kitty. DD will love her to smithereens.

Heading out to pack up birds....heading to WCA.