2 Crazies setting Buckeye eggs today--anyone want to join?

[Germaine_11.20]

I candle between days 5-10 depending on how antsy I am. I just like to see. I am very careful, very clean when I do it. Warm hands and candle quickly.

Then I candle the questionable ones a few days later. The quitters go out. I don't want to chance explosions or bad bacteria in the incubator.

Then I candle again at lockdown.

 

[sekinkead]

We are officially on lockdown. I put them in lockdown at 8pm and 12 of 14 made it and are moving around. I am so excited!!!!

I hold my light over the eggs and don't touch them when I candle. This batch I candled on day 7, 12, and at lockdown. I just removed the 2 that didn't make it. 1 was clear and the other was an early quitter. I am still new so I don't want to remove them too soon. I think I have seen enough now that I should be able to remove them with confidence from now on.

 

[Germaine_11.20]

I am excited for you too! 12 wow! Are you hatching on the floor or in cartons? I will be watching for peeps and pips and cheering you on!

 

[kathyinmo]

I have a question ....
What are you all gonna feed your new chicks? I am interested in a non-soy product, and I really like the animal by products in the feed. Is there such a thing, as I am interested in? I would also like to (someday) get away from the corn, as well.

Oh geeezzzz, now I need 2 classes .... A class on poultry genetics, and poultry nutrition! Where do I sign up?

 

[Buck Creek Chickens]

I use a feed mix from the co-op, its a recipe they make for me

 

[sekinkead]

I am hatching in cartons, that is the way I have done all of my hatches so far. If I get any broodies this year they can hatch them normal. I think the cartons help because they aren't rolling around and banging into each other.

Kathy, as for feeding. I am going to try what Chris on the Buckeye breed thread suggested. I am going to get the Purina Game Bird Startena for this group of Buckeyes. I have my other 4 Buckeyes that I hatched on New Years on a 24% turkey starter. They seem to be growing well. In fact they have just about caught up to the group I hatched on Christmas.

I was interested in a non-soy feed as well but when I went to talk to my mill about it, the fish meal is twice as much using soy bean meal to get the protien levels up. I am trying to keep my costs down right now but maybe I will try a soy less feed in the future. I can get 500lbs of 16% layer from my mill and it is $77.00 + tax. That is way cheaper than I can get it from TSC and will make it much more cost effective. But I also want healthy chickens because we are going to end up eating the ones that don't make the breeding program. I am still expirimenting with food. I have some Buff Orpingtons and some Ameracaunas that I hatched over Christmas that will be on the mill feed soon, so I will monitor them and see how they do. I think I will be using the gamebird feed for the Buckeyes since we also want to show them and I want them to grow to their full potential.

 

[joletabey]

Kathy and RWoman - are you just ignoring the Delaware stink eye you are getting re: Buckeye fever? The vibes are even hitting my kids here in NC! They want to know what's up!!!

Seriously, I think Buckeyes are beautiful birds, and I am excited for you! Can't wait to see pics!

 

[kathyinmo]

Quote:

 

[sekinkead]

Thankfully I live in an agriculture area so there are 4 mills within 10 miles of me. I am going to go around this weekend to some of the others to price out feed.

 

[pdavin]

I am planning on setting my first batch on Jan 31. I can't wait till the little chickyangels arrive. I have a tip for controling humidity. I use an inexpensive digital thrm/RH unit in my incubator. I also use a saline intrveinous drip assembly to control the amount of water in the tray. it works great and no opening and closing the unit.