3rd Annual New Year's Day Hatch!!

[superchemicalgirl]

Yeah do you have a picture of that? I have mine up on a cinderblock but still... yeah... shavings. Mess.

And also absolutely seriously, boyfriend is making me another brooder, this one for the ducks. They're made of wood. He asked if he should polyurethane the inside so it's waterproof... any thoughts? It'll look something like this, the chicken brooder. I had ducks in there over the summer and I thought the bottom was going to rot out of it. I was going to tape a cheap shower curtain to the bottom this time, but poly sounds intriguing:

 

[BHep]

I brooded ducks in my laundry room last winter

I used a shower curtain under everything. I bought a few and switched out. Took them outside hosed them off then stuck them right in the washer with some old towel I use for my dogs. The towels swish around and clean the shower curtains. Used the shower curtains for puppies too.

 

[rarely bored]

Quote:
Linda this makes me just want to cry! I feel so bad that you get this great new place and this is how the Welcoming Commitee treats you. It's just so unfair and my heart breaks for you and your birds.

x2

 

[craz e laid e]

Hi, I posted previously that I was in, but then I realized I was going to be out of town over New Year's (duh) so I decided not to be in, but then I thought my DH could handle a few of my own just for fun, and then I happended to see on ebay a mixed sale including 3+ Swedish Flower Hen eggs, and they were going really LOW, so of course I just had to bid (AND WON!!)

And they came today, and bless her heart she sent 4 Flower Hen eggs,

but one of them has a divit and several cracks,

but is not leaking, so I'm hoping I can fix it with a "wax job" (is that the right terminology?) and if so HOW do I do it???

HELP please!!!

Also, I feel like a real slacker at this, I'm only hatching 12 to 16 eggs, depending on how DH reacts.

Is everyone else setting like truck loads, or is that my imagination?

 

[RareBreedFancier]

Hmmm I just realized it's Friday (for me anyway) and either tonight or tomorrow I must candle and toss any clears so I have room to set the NYD eggies. Last candling most were looking good and I don't think I'll have nearly as much space as I thought. I'm currently wondering if I can load up the hatcher with NYD eggs and the turner I've never used that fits it?
AGH! Why am I considering loading up my hatcher? I must have relapsed, I'm turning into a hatchaholic again!

Edit: craz e laid e, setting truckloads of eggs is a NYD tradition.

I couldn't join last year and have been banned from hatching this spring by DH because of my appalling roo to hen chick ratio soooo I'm making up for it with one big hatch.

 

[anderson8505]

I'm a calculation moron.... when do I set quail eggs for this hatch? the 14th?

 

[CapricornFarm]

Quote:
Do what you are comfortable with. I am setting at least 48 , but I am crazy.:-D I just light a candle and let the wax drip down the crack. Good luck! Deb

 

[rarely bored]

Quote:
Add some Cayenne pepper to the food. It REALLY works. I get mine in the bulk foods section of our grocery store. I just sprinkle some on the feed before I pour it into the feeder. I doubled my production today. It takes about 48 hours to work so dig through the pantry quick!

Yes, I saw your mention on Cayenne, and I have some in my cupboard, which I grew last year and need to use. Will try to do this tomorrow morning. lol, Hope Gerrymander doesn't mind a little extra spice!

This morning, in my pre-coffee stumbling around, I grabbed the jar which I thought had Cayenne in it, and poured some over their food. Came back in, made my coffee, slowly woke up. Went to put the 'cayenne' away and realized I grabbed the Chili.

So for lunch I made them oatmeal with home grown cayenne. The gobbled it down. Hope the eggs don't taste too spicy!

 

[farmerChef]

What about a best christmas coop contest? I've read on here some people are putting lights on their coops……
I wouldn't be able to be the judge though, i have limited internet access……

 

[Mahonri]

WAHOO!!!

So my revolutionmama eggs hatched in Laree's bator. I'm going to owe her so much!

I got 2 Buff Sussex, 2 Red Sussex, 1 black sumatra and 1 white crested blue polish!

I put them under the broody and she immediately started to cluck to them! One of the little rambunctious reds came out from under her and she immediately tucked it right back under her!

COOL!!

Well, we need to add one more contest... Laree if you get a chance to put it in post #1 and add it to the spreadsheet.

Prize is a 6 mo GFM by me.

Ta da... (isn't it in every Mahonri hatchalong?"

How many of Mahonri's eggs will Laree, Meg & Mahonri Hatch.

I'm up to starting with 93 eggs. Laree has 36. Meg will get that many tomorrow and I'll attempt to hatch the remainder!

Guess the number that will hatch out of those eggs and the first three breeds out.

The Eggs

30 Icelandics from Boston Bryce (from Hens I originally hatched out on NYD and Easter last year)
6 FBCMs (This stock is mixed but 2 of the 4 hens came from Renee's eggs-Chooks chicks)
8 Olive eggers (6 from olive eggs, 2 from FBCM eggs)... my coop.
10 Polish from our wonderful Deb, (Hot2Pot)
7 Swedish Flower Hens (We'll all keep an eye on these wonderful GIFTS from KY paid for by The Sheriff!)
14 Bargain EEs w/ Lavendar Am roo! One egg was cracked and I'll be waxing that...
20 W/BW Ams from Mahonri's coop.

Be advised that the BW roo (Junior, Geoffrey's boy) that will soon be "decrowed" has only been with the girls for a month so the 20 or so that come from my coop will have limited fertility.... and is totally untested at this point... THIS IS the test hatch for him.

And, I don't know that Boston has hatched any of the Icelandic eggs yet so the fertility on those 30 are still questionable.
I've heard only praise for Bargain's Lavendar roo and those beautiful EE chicks.

And for clarification... yes I had to remove over half of my flock back in September. I am now allowed 20 non-crowing chickens by the City of Phoenix ordinance. I'll be calling the vet tomorrow as the two roos are starting to find their crows! I also noticed he was getting a few more different hens.. yesterday I saw him get successful with the RIR. The Olive egger is his favorite so if he's any good, I'm expecting good fertility with those eggs.

At present I'm waiting for a fellow who builds coops and pens to contact me about putting a couple up where the vert ramp used to be.

My bators are not getting up to temp so that is really bothering me. I'll keep tinkering.