4th Annual BYC NYD Hatch-a-long

[michaelf]

Yay!!!! They are hatching left and right. 3 olive eggers, a lavender ameruacana, and a white leghorn so far. Several others pipping. One of the Marans is pipping. Which is my youngest son Kadens . He is bouncing all over the place .

 

[cluck-cluck]

At this point, I'm pretty much in for the night. I'll make one more check for the girly (only in close, to see if she tried to come to bed) and check that everyone in the coop is warm and dry and all that (and collect eggs), then I won't be out anymore until tomorrow morning to give warm water and hot breakfast (and check to see if she's back again). It just sucks. I love those cornish cross. They lay well, they're so sweet, they're huge and cuddly, and ultimately, I'm TIRED of losing birds, darn it! They definitely won't be out at all tomorrow and probably the next day. There's no sense in letting them out... There's so much room in their room that they don't need to get out to stretch their wings (our room is something like 19x36 or close to that). There's nothing for them to eat out there either, it's all snow! PLUS, the ducks, the fools that they are, seem to choose snow over feed and water (they've been filling up on water too, and not eating as much as I want them to, they need to eat and regain their strength!). Ugh. Birds... some days it makes you wonder why you have all the silly things around, lol.

Yah, I'd leave 'em inside! And you too!!!

Ooo, I know this one because I used to date a Canadian! It's a Canadian/British holiday where the stores have Huuuuge sales the day after Xmas. So it's become a holiday for them, where everyone goes shopping for gifts. (not sure if it's next year's gifts, or another round right after xmas).

I love that! Another commercialization of a holiday

Yah, it's tuned into their Black Friday now! But yah, I guess it was when the rich give the poor/servants gifts as they had to serve the households during Christmas

I'm firmly of the belief "If they're too stupid to come in out of the elements, I don't want them in my breeding program!"

But, but, but we loves each an every one! Especially when I've spent at least $15 + a head just to get them to grow old enough to lay! Little buggers better not up an die on me!

Actually, one of my pullets was not acting very healthy today, she better not be sick! Ugh!

Hey all,
Sorry I haven't been around much. I'm trying to figure out who to keep and who and how to disperse some birds. It is not an easy choice. I cannot afford the feed anymore. This is not helping my depression.

Oh man, I'm so sorry. Do people buy birds where you live? I hope you can sell them??! Around here, very few people raise birds, I've never tried to sell one before...

Oh, NO! Can you look around for a cheaper source of feed? I get feed from a local brewery, though I haven't been up for awhile. During the summer, with free-range, I can get away with basically not paying anything for food, then during winter, I have to do mash (but I'm hoping to get some brewery grain and mix it up with the mash to help stretch it a little bit). You could also start charging money for those eggs you send out to help as well.

Gosh, I think some people have mentioned breweries before and it just dawned on me, we have the huge Anheuser-Bush brewery here in Van Nuys, How would I go about seeing if they would sell me grain? How much cheaper do you think it would be? What should I be getting? Used hops, barley, in what condition? Are they used to selling to people like us? Please enlighten me

They turned a year old on Oct 21st. Still very needy as they progress from baby to toddler stage. Just wish my lap was big enough and my arms were long enough for both of them during story time!

An extra wide/huge warm blanket cuddled up on the couch will work for extra arms too!!! Or lots of pillows and blankets in the bed (making tents is great as well!) Oh, they are so young! Your fun is just beginning! Yaay!

A good start would be getting rid of the ducks, geese, and Guineas as well as most of the layers/Easter Eggers. I'm going through 4 bags of feed a day.

Wow, I really hope you can make some money up by selling them?

NYD Hatch-a-long Digest for 12/25 and 12/26

Christmas was a slow day for the Hatchalong with only 75 replies rather than the normal 400 or so. There were lots of merry Christmas wishes and more candling results with clears. Bettacreek lost her Drake, Razadia had a Tornado scare and the best news was Brechins announcement about expecting a new baby!(a human baby not one of the many types of critters we all have here)
cochins1088 teased us with an Emu story. The Boss is going to give them an egg to hatch.

RavenWood posted that it is time to get a brooder ready. Great reminder for those that still have eggs going to hatch!

Sally Sunshine started a worming discussion.

And posted a bunch of Christmas pictures and later ice chest incubator, Daughter and baby chick pictures.

Aspen stopped by to wish us all Merry Christmas!

mstricer too!

Post 5286 has Day 14 and 15 candling pictures. Thank You Brookhavens

michaelf has eggs with pips

Then he had and OE chick!

Genesis 1588 temp adjustment diagrams were posted to help with settings--for--hatching--can you guess what

Emus
It's 6Days Till Hatch Day!

Bettacreek is setting more eggs today! What spunk she has!

Mahonri stopped by to let us know that we are 72% through with the hatch!

Missydcpc and Bettacreek both had bad road conditions to drive on today. Must be a bad storm in PA

mrheinz77 needs to thin his flock. Feed costs are way too high. Ways to get lower cost feed were suggested by Bettacreek.

Bye for now!

I love reading your daily digests!!!

Well out of 19 set I am down to 3 for sure going well and 4 maybes...I am just not having any luck right now. Out of the 5 eggs that went into lockdown for christmas I have 1 left I am trying to save the others all died

Oh gosh, I hope you're able to save it!

 

[mrheinz77]

anyone know where I can find the breeds/numbers that the chairs set?  I didnt' participate this year but I'm participating where I can.

I'm trying to get them posted. Sorry.

 

[missydcpc]

Gosh, I think some people have mentioned breweries before and it just dawned on me, we have the huge Anheuser-Bush brewery here in Van Nuys, How would I go about seeing if they would sell me grain?  How much cheaper do you think it would be?  What should I be getting?  Used hops, barley, in what condition?  Are they used to selling to people like us?  Please enlighten me

Pay?? No dear, you explain to them that you are doing them a favor getting rid of something for them so that they don't have to pay for the removal! Or at least that's what I did with the local brewery....plus my sis and bil who home brew and someone else locally who brews.

 

[gabrielle1976]

Are you selling eggs mr77? That coould help with feed cost , Are you giveing your chickens any scraps ? That can cut down a little of the feed costs as well.

 

[Lilwanis]

Pay?? No dear, you explain to them that you are doing them a favor getting rid of something for them so that they don't have to pay for the removal! Or at least that's what I did with the local brewery....plus my sis and bil who home brew and someone else locally who brews.

OMG! This is such a brilliant idea! What can you feed the birds? The whole mash? Can it be preserved for any amount of time? I am going to be speaking with local breweries for sure!!!

 

[Cynthia12]

We have a chick , an Olive egger!

I'm jealous, have been trying for an olive egger all year..hasn't happened! Do you have your own eggs? If so, do you ever sell olive eggs?

 

[Bettacreek]

Just call and ask to speak to the manager about spent grain for your birds. A large one probably already has a farmer or two who already get some, but you can explain that you just need a few buckets at a time. It doesn't store well, but I let them freeze then bring in one at a time to thaw. It isn't full grain but damp and mashed up. It'll be very hot when fresh so have something to scoop with. As always, be sure to never leave a mess so they don't get mad. You should start with spent grain from a light brew. Some can be picky and offering a heavy dark brew would be like starting a person right on a heavy dark brew beer or expresso with nothing to doctor it up lol.

You can talk to bakeries or mom and pop grocery stores about stale foods as well. Some restaurants might have old food too.

 

[RoyalT]

I hatched a single OE yesterday, too! No idea what happened to the other two, but they just didn't make it. Poor little lady (I hope) is going to be lonely for a week! Poor girl.

The rest of the NYD eggs are doing okay. 2 more flunked out yesterday... hoping the ones left can hang in there! I do not want a consolation prize, I want chicks!!

Hope you all had a nice Christmas!

 

[Lilwanis]

Just call and ask to speak to the manager about spent grain for your birds. A large one probably already has a farmer or two who already get some, but you can explain that you just need a few buckets at a time. It doesn't store well, but I let them freeze then bring in one at a time to thaw. It isn't full grain but damp and mashed up. It'll be very hot when fresh so have something to scoop with. As always, be sure to never leave a mess so they don't get mad. You should start with spent grain from a light brew. Some can be picky and offering a heavy dark brew would be like starting a person right on a heavy dark brew beer or expresso with nothing to doctor it up lol.
You can talk to bakeries or mom and pop grocery stores about stale foods as well. Some restaurants might have old food too.

Thank you!!!