17th Annual BYC Easter Hatch-Along

[Debbie292d]

Love the feathered feet!

I see that you use pellets instead of chips. Do you think those are better?

We've used them in the coops for a decade. It wasn't until about four years ago that I saw pictures of someone who had them in their brooder, and that minute we switched. Will they eat the pellets? No, they are too big, but even if they could, or eat some of the dustless sawdust they make when they get wet, it's just like the chips or anything else...they'll try it once, then bleh.

They keep the brooders dry and clean, except underneath the nipple waterer. There I have to change them out daily. When I don't, they "dust bathe" in them. So I cover that area with paper towels to stop that lol.

 

[gullinkambe]

Did an early day 6-candling since the sneak-peek I did a few days ago seemed a little shady.

9 out of 20 viable. No quitters, the rest look unfertilized. The young rooster has only been here a little over a month, but there might be another reason. I've been reading about comb-genetics on threads here on BYC and apparently homozygote rosecomb could give lower rooster fertility. I might have to rethink my plan for an all-rosecombed flock.

 

[TheChickenGirl16]

We've used them in the coops for a decade. It wasn't until about four years ago that I saw pictures of someone who had them in their brooder, and that minute we switched. Will they eat the pellets? No, they are too big, but even if they could, or eat some of the dustless sawdust they make when they get wet, it's just like the chips or anything else...they'll try it once, then bleh.

They keep the brooders dry and clean, except underneath the nipple waterer. There I have to change them out daily. When I don't, they "dust bathe" in them. So I cover that area with paper towels to stop that lol.

Oooo good to know!
Maybe I’ll give them a try this year!

 

[_Alicia_]

I am making the switch to pellets this year. I brood in my heated garage and the amount of dust shavings created is amazing. It has always bothered me since the babies are breathing it in if my car is covered in it. I am hopeful pellets will help cut some of that down. I also noticed that the farm store had both pellets and shavings in their brooders this year. It's possible I just never noticed before.

 

[MROO]

Did an early day 6-candling since the sneak-peek I did a few days ago seemed a little shady.

9 out of 20 viable. No quitters, the rest look unfertilized. The young rooster has only been here a little over a month, but there might be another reason. I've been reading about comb-genetics on threads here on BYC and apparently homozygote rosecomb could give lower rooster fertility. I might have to rethink my plan for an all-rosecombed flock.

I have rose-combed Nankin bantams, which are notorious for low fertilization rates. I introduced a single-comb rooster to the flock a few years back and hatch rates increased dramatically. It took a few generations to get the combs back where I wanted them, but hatch results are much better. We're back in business ... for now!

 

[TheChickenGirl16]

Eggs have bun in lockdown a day or two now!
Polish are hatching tomorrow or Wednesday, and BYMs are hatching Wednesday!

I started with 29 eggs, and had 1 quitter on day 14. But the other 28 made it safe into lockdown!
….until today. My 18m old brother got into the incubator while I was busy, and therefore wasn’t watching. He broke 2 eggs.
Everyone else seems ok. I don’t think the lid was off for too long, bc the humidity didn’t tank, and there aren’t any internal pips, and definitely no external ones.

So anyway, that’s 26 eggs I’m waiting on! Lyk what hatches!

 

[Debbie292d]

Did an early day 6-candling since the sneak-peek I did a few days ago seemed a little shady.

9 out of 20 viable. No quitters, the rest look unfertilized. The young rooster has only been here a little over a month, but there might be another reason. I've been reading about comb-genetics on threads here on BYC and apparently homozygote rosecomb could give lower rooster fertility. I might have to rethink my plan for an all-rosecombed flock.

Have you posted anywhere about this? @NatJ and @Amer are a couple of the folks here that maybe could help you.

 

[Debbie292d]

I am making the switch to pellets this year. I brood in my heated garage and the amount of dust shavings created is amazing. It has always bothered me since the babies are breathing it in if my car is covered in it. I am hopeful pellets will help cut some of that down. I also noticed that the farm store had both pellets and shavings in their brooders this year. It's possible I just never noticed before.

We use them in all coops, brooders, and hutches. No odors, chicks stay dry so coccidiosis doesn't stand a chance, and cleanup so easy. Any sawdust made like where their nipple bottle is, is clean and dust free. I still remove it because the little buggers like to sand bathe in it lol.

 

[AinaWGSD]

We tossed 4 eggs at day 14. Two clear, one early quitter with a blood ring, and one that looked like it quit around day 7-9. Air cells were looking a little small, so we dropped the humidity to 30%. We'll probably candle one more time at lockdown on Thursday, but it looks like we're going into lockdown with 52 eggs!