Have you actually tried using it on dirty eggs? I did after reading the conventional wisdom not to try to hatch dirty eggs. I'm also wiping off the gunk, not exactly scrubbing. I'm on my 7th hatch albeit small clutches and have had phenomenal success, much better than cleaning without HP...
Ideally, of course just use clean eggs. I'm trying to recover 20 years of project breeding destroyed by a pitbull so I'm taking chances with eggs most people would reject. Even after wiping down some of the eggs there were stains left. I just wanted to share because there is a lot of...
I had to ask for eggs from someone I gave chickens to earlier after my flock got wiped out trying to keep my project bloodline alive. I'm now hatching chicks from those eggs, so perhaps a little neurotically I wanted to hatch every single eggs laid. It's been wet and mucky outside so I got a...
I have a theory, mind you just theory about unusually large eggs. Could it be they linger too long in the egg development tract? I had two Ameraucana pullets that became mature during the darkest days of Autumn and their coop is in the woods and it's extra dark because of dog proofing...
I think your advice is spot on, and observant, especially the shell color/thickness. Against normal advice I open a small peep hole with late hatchers and orient them upwards to prevent suffocating in fluid as the early hatchers spin the late eggs and allow for more 02. This way you can remove...
Most predators have the instinct to kill and will kill more than they eat. However, some try to store extra meat under ground/leaves. Raccoons are smart and not 100 percent predictable. One time something got caught in my havaheart trap that chewed through the supposedly unchewable metal...
I think the OE is the one on the right. It looks like she has a longer comb and looser feathers all over. You should get nice eggs out of both, with the OE outlaying the Ameraucana depending on what the hatchery used in the cross. I've got some home grown OE and there is quite a bit of...
The one time I had an egg bound hen, soaking in warm water in a tall bucket gave her immediate relief. The hen didn't struggle and seemed to like being in the warm water.
Winter is tough. By posting your tragedy you may have saved many others from going through the same thing. I put a large pool liner over my coop trying to add protection against freezing rain sleet and miserable cold temps. When I checked after the storm the roof was sagging from the the...
I'm really starting over. The roo in the first picture got killed by a pitbull who pulled corrugated metal panels open to kill my flock. The dark headed pullet is from the original project chickens line I think. The blue wheaton roo is unrelated but will be used in the next generation. Her...
Why have someone collect them? Every plant around you will benefit for having bees around. My neighbor raises bees to sell honey and has a bunch of hive. They sometimes collect in numbers around my water tanks to drink if conditions are dry outside. Annoying but I'm trying to practice...
Very often we project our fears on our animals and unaware we are doing so because they are reacting to our fears. If you really focus on your reactions you'll notice prey type livestock will pick up on perceived dangers with very minor things, like a repeated glance at something. If you are...
I'm aware, that it's possible for an egg to be fertile, I just wanted to know if anyone successfully hatched a first laid egg. It just doesn't seem likely the first egg could hatch, though I'm giving it a shot.
On December 29th I found a dark green egg in the coop laid from either a Splash Ameracauna pullet, (not likely) or a half Ameracauna pullet almost certainly the layer. I'm not expecting it to be fertile as the rooster is also a first timer. He has grown out nicely but doesn't seem to be crowing...
I'm sad too! I used to live in Fairfax VA which every inch is developed. I then moved to Huntsville AL 20 years ago and see the same thing happening. However, the quail had already been extirpated in Huntsville, there are still box turtles which are going the same route as the Fairfax ones...
I remember whip oh wills on the roof, box turtles, lady slippers and wild quail in an area that is now completely developed. Milk was delivered on the front porch and my mom had diaper service. The meter reader would just open the unlocked basement door to read the electric bill that was low...
Thanks for posting pictures. It's always a thrill to live vicariously enjoying other's birds. I'm waiting for an ugly coop contest, I think I can out do everyone in that contest. We have a pit bull that keeps showing up every few weeks to kill chickens. My coop has 3 kinds of wire fencing...