This is my first hatch in two years. I have only hatched three times before, but always had good success, even with shipped eggs. I used my neighbors reeeeeeeeeally old incubator, but it worked great!
Fast forward to now, and I bought an Hovabator with the turner, etc. The temperature gauge...
I experienced a seven day embryo....but it was totally my fault. :( I have a new incubator and I haven't set eggs for two years. I've been candling and I really thought my incubator was broken and they weren't developing. I cracked a few open that looked I fertilized and one had a live chick...
Candled again today....my boys love it.
I have six eggs from my fBCM hens that I hatched two years ago. I can tell their eggs apart because one lays very dark and the other is a bit more splotchy dark. Well it appears that only the one hens eggs were fertilized! I guess Lola isn't getting the...
In the beginning, I scooped the poop under the roost every day and added it to compost. Eventually I developed a more relaxed routine. My coop floor is dirt over wire mesh and is located on the highest part of our yard with very good drainage. As long as I keep plenty of pine shavings and hay on...
Woo hoo! Day 3 and 9 of my 12 WLH have "spiders". So do all five of my EE eggs. The light and dark brown eggs, I can't tell yet.
:lol: bring me some chicks!!!
I haven't been on BYC forever, but I finally have the courage to try baby chicks again. I have had terrible luck apparent Marek's, losing most of my chickens and all of the chicks from the feed store last spring. :( I almost gave up on chickens all together, but decided to try hatching my own...
1) What type of bird , age and weight. 9 Hatchery birds, 1 BCM rooster in first year
2) What is the behavior, exactly. dropping dead. no signs of anything unusual. no predators, no apparent diseases, worms, etc.
3) How long has the bird been exhibiting symptoms? no symptoms
4) Are other...
I was dying waiting for my first egg. LOL I caved and got 3 laying hens from a farmer. LOL I didn't get an egg from my "babies" until cloe to 19 weeks, and at 25 weeks, a few still aren't laying.
I don't think it is due to lack of food and water. Either that or you have REALLY dumb chickens. Can't be dumber than mine, and they go into the coop during the day to eat, if they feel like it. LOL
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I have 13 pullets from Ideal hatchery...all just reaching laying age. Super healthy and good looking birds, right from the start!
The dark, speckled egg is such a mystery. I bought 3 Black Sexlinks from a local farmer, and Buttercup (who laid that egg) looks nothing like a sexlink, but...
Princess was 24 weeks, 2 days when she laid that beauty.
Here she is:
She is the farthest to the left, with the partridge coloring. Her "sister" looks the same (next to her), but less golden/red.
I can't 100% tell, but all my ladies had tiny, pinkish -yellow pea combs until well after 20 weeks. I would think if they are already getting bumpy and red at 10 weeks, they are roos.
I actually saw Princess lay today for the 1st time. She is my first EE to lay and I've been anxiously awaiting the egg color, being from a hatchery and all. Just wanted to brag on her a little. This is her egg, among some of the others:
Taken inside, next to a window for natural light and on a...
I was just thinking today how the chicken chores have decreased dramatically finally. No more babies, no more hatching, no more coop building and planning and working/reworking my setup to perfection. It just works now and I love it!
It will happen!
I don't think you need to. LOL They aren't laying age, so they are still just growing. In my limited experience, they are doing what most do at that age...eat crumbles and pretend to pick at a few things. Wait 5-6 more weeks and they will suddenly catch on the th idea of "treats" and will maul...
My younger girls still stay in the coop all day, despite have access to the run. They are still afraid of the bigger girls and won't venture outside too much when they are out there. Ironically, they all hang out in the coop together just fine. Not outside, though. Some parts of the day, I will...
One good idea is to give baby-related game prizes, like baby shampoo, etc. The idea is that the winner will donate that baby item to the mommy-to-be. If $5 per gift isn't too much, Starbucks giftcards in that amount are always popular.
2-4 is a great time frame. Nice and light. You can make...