The 5th Annual BYC Easter Hatch-a-long!

[Happy Chooks]

Happy Chooks! Love that avatar! We lost 4 hives last season and was just looking them over today thinking about how to recover.

Got my second planting of lettuce, carrots, spinach and radishes in today just before the rain. Oh yeah, I'm happy!

Thanks! I started with bees in 2012. Last winter, I lost my hive. (didn't treat for mites and they died) This time, I got them through winter just fine, and they are busy with the pollen. Almost time to put the super on and attempt to get my first honey. I'm super excited. Now when I walk up to the hive, I smell honey.

I've got to start working in my garden and getting it ready!

my temps are all over the place. I ordered the Brinsea Spot check and I really am doubting if it's correct...I've got eggs that need to lock down tomorrow and I just don't trust any of my thermometers. What to do, what to do...

Take your temperature with it!

Question about broodies. One of my hens sat all day yesterday, growling at anyone that got too close. She stayed there when it was time to go to bed. But this morning, she was hanging out at the door with the others, ready to be let out to eat. She stayed off the nest for a good hour after she was let out (I don't know how long she'd been waiting by the door), but then returned and is again sitting all day growling at everyone. Does that seem like a really long time to be off the nest? Per advice here, I was going to give her my eggs if she stayed on the nest two nights in a row, but now I'm not sure.

Sounds like she may not be completely committed yet. See if she is on the nest tonight.

Quote: Starvation, mites (yes, bees get mites), pesticides, swarm (they fly away with the queen), and there are some diseases too that they can get.

So I set eggs on Sat and then left on Mon was gone for a week so returned very excited to candle my eggs. I candled last night on day 8. I had 2 clears of the 10 LF eggs under Norma and every one of the 8 bantam eggs under Petunia were developing so both girls now have 8.

I won't look in them again until a week from Tuesday

that all 16 keep on growing!

 

[winteree]

It is amazing how the eggs just end up in there, isn't it? I think the hens must be sneaking in at night and laying them directly in the 'bator.....

THe spirals scare me with little babies. I'm always afraid I am going to break thier little legs.....

I did just PM DMRippy about the elastic bands. They sound perfect for little ones!


I have been using the Zip ties too and they have worked well for me. But I am hatching for a very busy lady and worry about her forgetting to replace them as the chicks grow, The elastic ones sound more forgiving.
It looks like the Cinco de Mayo one this links to is designed around Turkey hatch dates. Chicken eggs would not be set for another week. I just set 20 chicken eggs and am wondering if there is another HAL these could be for....

I open mine completely when candling and never have a problem. The broody hen gets up off the eggs at least once a day for 30 or more minutes so they should be fine.

He will be missed!

Well they have a chart for the proper start dates for each type of bird the one for chickens is the 14th

 

[winteree]

Also, the Cinco de Mayo Hatchathon starts today. You should join both!

yeah i just joined i think the cino de mayo HAL

 

[Audio51]

Quote:
I know....mine had to be set by today due to the age of the eggs. They will hatch too early for the Cinco de Mayo hatch date.

 

[tommysgirl]

no one really cares if you hang out. That thread is like this one. Quite a hoot...though we don't hatch owl eggs...yet.

 

[Sally Sunshine]

Quote:
Will be adding some of these to my prize donations for the Funny posting day and mini fun contests night!

 

[Sally Sunshine]

Quote:

Ok, so it's wrong....at least I HOPE it is. Last reading was 104.6

AND the story with my bees is that they all suddenly died after I fed them Fondant that I made....DS is blaming my cooking!
She like I did, needs a doctor!!!

 

[winteree]

bummer but you will be able to do the Easter HAL right?

 

[misschickenlittle]

Thanks!  I started with bees in 2012.  Last winter, I lost my hive. (didn't treat for mites and they died)  This time, I got them through winter just fine, and they are busy with the pollen.  Almost time to put the super on and attempt to get my first honey.  I'm super excited.  Now when I walk up to the hive, I smell honey.

I've got to start working in my garden and getting it ready!

Take your temperature with it!

Sounds like she may not be completely committed yet.  See if she is on the nest tonight.

Starvation, mites (yes, bees get mites), pesticides, swarm (they fly away with the queen), and there are some diseases too that they can get.

My sister keeps bees. She buys Wintergreen, Lemongrass and Spearmint Essential Oils, (Young Living brand as try are safe for consumption) from me for them. She said it helps with mites and other things. It's pretty cool that the oils are so versatile. She hasn't lost a bee to anything like that. They are up to 5 hives now, I think.

 

[winteree]

lol's