Recent content by dreamofwinter

  1. dreamofwinter

    48 hours post-assisted hatch - is this normal? Anything more I can do?

    Yeah, looking back I would have let this one pass instead of assisting. She's still alive, smaller than the rest and definitely not quite normal. It's possible that the egg came from one of my younger pullets; and I have definitely struggled with both my incubators this year. On the other hand...
  2. dreamofwinter

    48 hours post-assisted hatch - is this normal? Anything more I can do?

    Thank you for the reassurance. Good advice to not hatch any of this chick's eggs, should it live that long! This morning it looks a little better and a little stronger, still chatting up a storm. I guess some chicks just have a lot to say.
  3. dreamofwinter

    48 hours post-assisted hatch - is this normal? Anything more I can do?

    Hi all, I have a chick that was an assisted hatch. It zipped about 1/4 of the way and then stopped long enough that the membranes turned dark brown. I assisted by finishing its zip and letting it kick open when ready, but in hindsight I probably should have unzipped it over a few hours rather...
  4. dreamofwinter

    Newly hatched duckling with leg problem - neurological or just physical?

    Well, never mind, all it took was a day in hobbles and a couple of physical therapy sessions, and she's tearing around the brooder just like the others.
  5. dreamofwinter

    Newly hatched duckling with leg problem - neurological or just physical?

    This is my first time hatching ducklings. I normally receive them in the mail as (a few) day-olds. I hatched 7, and tucked them under a brooder plate atop puppy pads like I normally do. Well, the plate was too low, the pads too slippery, or both, because on checking several hours later I find...
  6. dreamofwinter

    Maine

    There are several people around the state who do rooster dropoffs. I believe most of these roosters end up at auction. If you're on any of the larger Maine chicken FB groups (Maine Backyard Chickens, etc) there are often rooster dropoffs advertised. There are also a number of local breeders who...
  7. dreamofwinter

    Hentronix door with wi-fi app

    Yeah, while the replacement door I was sent did work as intended for the most part, I found that anytime we had a brief power outage it would open when the power came back on, leaving my flock exposed in the middle of the night. I've disconnected it and now I close my $300 chicken door with a...
  8. dreamofwinter

    Duck wing injury

    I'm sorry I don't know the answer for your Welshie. My duck's issue ended up being due to a tumor involving the wing joint where it met the body. The vet was willing to try to remove it but the prognosis was poor, so we humanely euthanized her instead.
  9. dreamofwinter

    Maine

    Darling Poultry has mostly Brahmas. Feel-N-Froggy has Bantam Cochins in several colors, and a whole bunch of other breeds that escape my mind right now. If you're near Washington County and just want hardy layers, I have backyard mix pullets ready soon or straight run ready now. They're...
  10. dreamofwinter

    Maine

    I've gotten some great birds from Darling Poultry (West Gardiner) and from Feel-N-Froggy Farms (Plymouth). There's a lady in Lubec, Noelle Barbaro, who sometimes has really nice Chocolate Orpingtons available, but I don't think she's very active as a breeder these days. The Maine Chicken...
  11. dreamofwinter

    Broody egg problem - questions

    Pretty sure you're right! Thanks for the input. One of the things I love most about keeping chickens is that I learn new things from them and about them every single day :)
  12. dreamofwinter

    Broody egg problem - questions

    The eggs were from a few different groups - one roo is just under 2 and the other is a year old. The hens and pullets are similar ages. In particular, the eggs from the year old roo and his flock have had almost 100% fertility/hatch success this spring, so it was startling that they were quitters.
  13. dreamofwinter

    Broody egg problem - questions

    I'm still learning about broody hens and this one's been hard to describe in a way that brings up any search results. I have a hen - a pullet, really, about 10 months old, but I thought I'd indulge her in brooding. I put four eggs from mature hens known to have high fertility and healthy hatches...
  14. dreamofwinter

    Roosters

    I love roosters and would keep them all if I could. Mine are handled from day 1, but I don't put up with bad behavior. If they show any aggression toward me or other humans, I pick them up and football carry them for a while. This doesn't always work, and I'm not hesitant to cull for human...
  15. dreamofwinter

    Pied coloration on a mixed Orpington

    I wanted to share this unique looking chick I hatched a couple of months ago. She (we hope - all signs are good so far) is the offspring of my blue Orpington rooster and his daughter, who is black and from a Buff Orpington hen. Where on earth did this pied/mottled coloration come from? I don't...
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