4th Annual BYC NYD Hatch-a-long

[cochins1088]

Ok, So earlier I was telling you guys that my single combed roosters end up with frostbite every winter. Well I finally did something, it's not very good, and needs work but here is my little prototype comb protector. It need to be tighter, maybe using a more stretchy yet thick fabric? I can't justify any sort of chin strap. The rooster in the pictures in named Tom Jr. and he didn't mind wearing it, but it wouldn't stay on for very long. He would peck at the dirt and fly his head back and it would just fall off which is why I'm thinking a slightly tighter, more stretchy material would help.

What do you guys think?

 

[Countrypunk92]

OMG, That is amazing. You need to patent the idea, and fix the problems, it looks awesome!!

 

[SleepyOwl]

Ok, So earlier I was telling you guys that my single combed roosters end up with frostbite every winter. Well I finally did something, it's not very good, and needs work but here is my little prototype comb protector. It need to be tighter, maybe using a more stretchy yet thick fabric? I can't justify any sort of chin strap. The rooster in the pictures in named Tom Jr. and he didn't mind wearing it, but it wouldn't stay on for very long. He would peck at the dirt and fly his head back and it would just fall off which is why I'm thinking a slightly tighter, more stretchy material would help.

What do you guys think?

Could you add a really light elastic all around the bottom? (Think, shower cap.) Not so tight that it will cut off circulation, just tight enough to kind of hold it on there...

 

[SleepyOwl]

Otherwise, I like it! A stretchier fabric along with the elastic should help.

 

[cochins1088]

Otherwise, I like it! A stretchier fabric along with the elastic should help.

Definately! The real test is whether or not it really will prevent frost bite. Tom Jr. already has a black spot from this year and only has 2 spikes left, but I plan to make one for one of the younger roosters in which it will be their first winter.

 

[greenrisingfarm]

And now on to other subjects.

My crazy houdini hens are out of the pen again this morning which means more eggs in places they shouldn't be! Maybe the dusting of snow we got last night will make her rethink where her eggs should go!

And I'm now thinking of adding in to my little farm some ducks! I kinda wanted a duel purpose duck such as a good meat/egg layer and was thinking of the khaki campells (I might of misspelled that). But I think the call ducks that folks have been posting on here are totally adorable!

I also like the runners especially blue ones but again I think they are more of a looks/maybe eggs instead of duel purpose?

So I will have goats, chickens, turkeys, ducks, and planing on getting a couple breeder heritage American Guinea hogs in the spring after my goats kid. I think that is going to be enough in the way of critters at that point!

We love the Welsh Harlequin Ducks! They are often difficult to find so we just got 26 Khaki Campbell ducklings for our egg laying flock. We just processed our first Pekin ducks (10) and they turned out beautiful! They grew crazy fast and were fun But really for dual purpose, Welsh Harlequin is the way to go in my humble opinion. Also have had very good hatch rate with the Welsh Harlequins, about 98% for all 4 hatches. This picture really does not show how beautiful they are and the amazing color on their wings when the sun catches it just right.


Oh my goodness! I have to get to bed. Reading all of these posts are making me blurry-eyed. But it is a lot of fun. I am going to have to start setting a timer to limit my new addition. I need sleep!!! Good night all.

 

[Mrs. Fluffy Puffy]

NYD hatch-along digest for 12/13/12
Statistics: #1 most active thread(304 replies)

The theme for the evening was waiting, home made incubators, incubator help and making room in the bator for members having bator problems.
Then the digest was posted!

gamebirdsony stopped by to tease us about joining the hatch. Who could resist so much fun!

nothinbutbirds is missing d'uccle eggs!
hardinpoultry has a broody Duck sitting on 11 eggs.

Blarneyeggs got her egg delivery today!

Post 2839 has a repost of the egg candling and air cell tips

Brechin has her eggs finally and is concerned. We gave her advice.
cochins1088 saw heart beats when she candled!

Shelshanam has crafty hens that hid their eggs! She would hatch them but does not want to incur the wrath of Kahn Broody hens.

Mrs. Fluffy Puffy wants Emu eggs to hatch, or shelshanam to hatch them for her. Aspen posted(2894) her Daily Chocolate Fix--Duck picture. Later in the
evening we started coming up with names for the Chocolate colored Duck. Is that the contest?

Gamebirdsonly joined and will be hatching very old eggs along with Banty Wellsummer eggs! Then, amazingly, the swap eggs were delivered!
farmerChef is Hatching Double Yolkers: 2967 has links! Sally Sunshine is concerned about dirty eggs!

TMNfarm posted broody Mom pictures with many little heads popping up out of the Hens feathers! Post 2900 is very touching! Have a tissue near by.

Chiqita told a broody story too! Way to go Sparkles!

We really can't get enough of the Broody Mom story!
Check out post 2889 for a duck embryo video! Way cool...

The Morning brought wishes for a good day. Several pages of them...I am still smiling.
Ebay has an amazing hatching find from a Storage auction. Huge incubators and some sportsmans. BYCrs are headed there right now! Post 2934

See post 2939 for a # of eggs set announcement! 18 days until hatch! Today we set Corturnix Quail.
tadpole98 had her scream on today! That Owl better watch out!
Dry hatch discussion started on post 2949 along with Humidity problems.
Aschenfire sees veins already! I am still waiting until Saturday...It's so hard to wait....ask Pele...Temperature lows and highs in the bators were
worried about and reassurances were posted. post 2963 has a link that was helpful too!

A random post prize was announced which resulted in a lot of very short posts.

A lot of BYCrs are following the post of Crazy Pet Lady.
pamc13 posted an Elvis celebrity look alike picture! Then Mrs. Fluffy posted Peacock pictures! Now we all want one of those! Christmas lights make chickens lay eggs! Clairebear joined us and asked for guidance. She was helped!
chiqita stopped by to give us the daily contest update and digest. See post 3024

Happy anniversary to chicken fever!

We stopped for a moment of silence and prayer for the shooting victims.

Shelshanam, the person with the Houdini hens that escape and hide eggs had them escape again! Time for an Easter Egg Hunt! Also, Shelshanam asked about tetris stacking hatching eggs.
Duck discussion: some are for eggs. Some are dual purpose. Some are wanted for meat.
Razadia has hot water problems but the girls are laying more and the bator is filled with Serama eggs. Then there were a lot of posts about contests, not seeing development, encouragement and etc.

Mrheinz77 asked if he was fired because of the contest confusion. No! Wingstone gave him a time out however.

Hurley gave Kudos to anyone that can keep up with this thread! How about putting together a digest of over 300 posts in a day!

Amazing! Love it.

Mahonri had a contest for this in one of his hatchalongs. hopefully he can help you.

I've double stacked eggs in my Hova-bator before. The turner didn't like it... : (

7. BHep's

Cutest Baby Picture Contest
https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/contest7
WEEK TWO CONTEST
Pictures can be of a baby of any breed or species but the picture must be taken by the entrant. Limit 3 entries per person. Contest is open only during week two: 17 to 23 DEC. Post your picture in the NYD and PM it to Bhep.
OPEN TO ALL OF BYC, NOT JUST THE HATCHERS!
Prize: 12 Hatching Eggs from BHep
​

FUN!!

Lovely...but I don't think I can keep up with one, much less multiple chat threads!!
He's lovely!! I have a pair of Purple Black-Shoulders from Deerman (bless his peace) and a BS hen and a pied cock. Ducky Deerman (named for Burt) is getting his 3rd year train now and I'm just awe-struck. They live high up in the trees over the field where I have my acre of breeding pens & runs. I'm going to have to figure out how to get the girls to lay in a reasonable spot again next year...
The biggest problem I'm seeing is that your blanket may inhibit the air circulation if you are using a styrofoam incubator. Also, where do you have your thermometer sitting, and is it just one? Take a look at the link in my signature for a good, cheap thermometer to use- and get 3 that all read the same thing in the store so you know they're consistent with each other. Put them between the eggs at 'yolk height' if you can. That will give you close to an accurate reading of the inside of the eggs.

You can still cover the incubator, but if it is a styrofoam, make certain there is good air flow under it and out the top small holes. Maybe cover it in books, leaving the holes between volumes? Alternatively, put your incubator on top of something warm, like your computer. You can also put other things inside to increase the mass that is heated, such as baby food jars of warm water, etc. This will make the temperature far less likely to rise or fall easily, due to heat ballast.


...who has the pleasure of accurately counting the bunny pellets?

Only in the sense that you're tempered by fire, fine sir. Hosting this is a special honor, and dubious at that!! It takes a special kind of BYCer!!




...imagine that...a hatchalong....BUSY!?!?!?

Mmmmmm...nothing like a big batch of fresh egg nog from our own eggs...stiffened up a bit!


Mine are on the loose now, but started in a 25' x 30' run with avian netting over the top after I moved them. They have to settle-in to a new location over a number of months or they'll take a hike, never to return. I have tall trees for them to roost in, or the bobcats would be a problem, but when they fly 50-60' up, it's past what those cats are willing to do to get a meal. When it's particularly nasty they might choose to go into the turkey coop (10' x 10' x 7') but that was their old coop so they are comfy in there. I'm thinking of building them a treehouse so they don't have to get rained & snowed upon.

Heh...as if we'll ever get precipitation again in the midwest.

Thank You. : ) I plan on expanding my peafowl run to 10' x 20' x 6'. We'll see.

I couldn't go to sleep thinking none of my eggs were developing, so I candled all of them. I found 4 of them developing and one possibly developing, or else it's a blood ring. I'm not throwing the others away yet, they could show something in a day or two, but I'm relieved enough to know I have possibilities tonight!

What really made my heart soar is that my one frizzle egg from bhep has the clearest strongest spider vein of 'em all, and I really want that one to hatch!

That one and please, one more (don't want any singletons!) Just gotta make it 18 more days 'till hatch!

I hope your Frizzled eggie hatches!! Come on friz!!

We love the Welsh Harlequin Ducks! They are often difficult to find so we just got 26 Khaki Campbell ducklings for our egg laying flock. We just processed our first Pekin ducks (10) and they turned out beautiful! They grew crazy fast and were fun But really for dual purpose, Welsh Harlequin is the way to go in my humble opinion. Also have had very good hatch rate with the Welsh Harlequins, about 98% for all 4 hatches. This picture really does not show how beautiful they are and the amazing color on their wings when the sun catches it just right.


Oh my goodness! I have to get to bed. Reading all of these posts are making me blurry-eyed. But it is a lot of fun. I am going to have to start setting a timer to limit my new addition. I need sleep!!! Good night all.

Beautiful WH's.

~ Aspen

 

[CluckyCharms]

he looks like a sailor

I like the idea, very inventive. I agree with SleepyOwl's "shower cap" elastic band idea for around the base.

 

[Countrypunk92]

There is so much you can do with that idea!

 

[Mrs. Fluffy Puffy]

I'm breaking my promise Peeps....I'm hitting the hay and will not post duckling pictures until tomorrow. Sorry!

Can you wait a few more hours? We have three ducklings as of right now, with two trying to zip....pictures tomorrow.

Night All

~ Aspen