4th Annual BYC NYD Hatch-a-long

[clairebear]

Im so sorry for your loss

Thank you.

 

[MarineCorpFarmr]

Looky what hatched out yesterday 1 of 2 poults shown lol


and yes thats my kids b-day tattooed on my wrist

 

[TMNfarm]

Looky what hatched out yesterday 1 of 2 poults shown lol


and yes thats my kids b-day tattooed on my wrist

Yay!!! Turkeys!!!

My DD's b-day is 7-21-99!!

 

[clairebear]

Looky what hatched out yesterday 1 of 2 poults shown lol


and yes thats my kids b-day tattooed on my wrist

They're beautiful. Nice tattoo too.

Big difference between sq and hatchery birds. I've got a few hq and they just don't seem to be as vigorous and healthy as some of the sq in the coop for whatever reason. Probably because they're bred for production only. Also, some of the hq birds I used to have had a propensity for cannibalism even when more than adequately housed and managed and that freaks me out.

There is no way I can catch up on this thread. Not enough time in the day!

 

[FeyRaine]

Good morning all! So how many of you hatch-aholics have another batch cooking? I'm going to start collecting for my Valentines day hatch pretty soon. Although come to think of it, last year I had a Ground Hog Day hatch. I have some Silver Penciled Rock/Iowa Blue eggs on hold, maybe I should stick them in.

Some. Hatchery chicks are not bread towards SOP, they just have parents who are that variety and they hatch all the eggs. A Breeder usually is trying to go towards the SOP, and may also be looking for personality , hardiness, size, etc.

You can get great chicks from a hatchery if the parents happened to be great. You can get fugly ones as well, since they are not working at any goals but chicks .

Some breeds it is more noticeable then others. Some breeds are impossible to find as hatchery chicks. Some breeders are less vigilant about the stock they keep as well. Every situation is different.

I was pondering this very thing last night. There are 1,000s of posts about it over on the LF Heritage breed thread, and up til this hatch I was seeing both sides and thinks "yah, ok so the photos of the SQ (Show Quality) & true Heritage birds certainly look so much nicer I'm kinda now embarrassed to say any of my supposedly pure breed hatchery birds are other than mutts".

But I was still in part of my mind thinking "oh get over it ppl how can there be *that much diff..?" Well, I've had birds for a combined about 8 yrs, all diff. types from many places, but never SQ or Heritage until these current 2 chicks (& a Roo I got while these were in the bator). It is night and day different! One of my new chicks taught ITSELF to drink while still in the incubator (from water dropplets condensed on a plastic thing for humidity). IT taught the other bird to drink & eat. Yesterday day 4 one started w/ 2 full wing feathers in the am, buy last night it has 4 on each wing -never have my hatchery birds progressed so fast, not even broody hen chicks.

I'm sure some hatcheries have great stock. But sitting here today I have to honestly say my opinion is updated, and all the chicks I've ever had until these chicks were essentially "runts".

I was already scheduled to upgrade this yr - SQ Heritage Buckeye trio in Feb, poss. Heritage BR hatching eggs, and a few others I'm working on getting. Seeing these chicks being SO vigorous, maturing so fast, not needing any help from me to repeatedly find the food & water, no pasty butt, & the one who started w/ a hernia (due to problems I caused w/ the bator) by hr 12 the hernia was gone, totally gone like it never existed!

I'm convinced, I'm on the bandwagon. (again I'm sure some hatcheries have great stock, but not the ones I've bought from in the past, even the birds who lived and I formerly thought were great compared right now to these chicks well those others just were sad unhealthy and runty.) Going forward I personally would only buy from a hatchery if I got recommendations from others who had bought the exact thing I was considering and I could see what they got and felt confident on the quality. If I have any choice at all, I personally will only be going w/ breeders, SQ &/or Heritage stock from here forward. That's my 20cents on the topic & I mean no offense to anyone or any hatcheries, again I'm sure _some_ have great birds, I've just never lucked into those and was ignorant of the depth of the diff. until this week.

 

[JulieNKC]

CELEBRITY CHICKEN WINNERS!
Winner!

• Dudu
• 
• 

• Location: Ħal Luqa, Malta
• Joined: 7/2011
• Posts: 276
• offline

​

Runner Up
JulieNKC


Lady Gaga
I will PPM you to get you in touch wiht your prize donator!
if you dont get it yell at me
c​

Thanks! Now if only I could get my little chicken to sing and perform....

Looky what hatched out yesterday 1 of 2 poults shown lol


and yes thats my kids b-day tattooed on my wrist

Oh how cute! I had to sell my turkeys, they didn't like staying in the yard. I miss the poults so much though, they are such sweet darling little things.

 

[cluck-cluck]

CELEBRITY CHICKEN WINNERS!
Winner!

• Dudu
• 
• 

• Location: Ħal Luqa, Malta
• Joined: 7/2011
• Posts: 276
• offline

​

Runner Up
JulieNKC


Lady Gaga
I will PPM you to get you in touch wiht your prize donator!
if you dont get it yell at me
c​

Congratulations! Those are both awesome!

Winner of the egg art contest was entry 13, artist cochins!

Awesome! Congratulations to you too!!!

I'm a bit embarassed. I signed up and set eggs but missed the entire thing on new years due to a very unexpected family emergency and funeral. Just now back in town. I am sorry if my lack of notification and participation negatively affected anything for anyone. Please accept my apologies. I hope everyone had fun and wish I could have been here for it.

A friend hatched my eggs and out of 14, 7 made it, so a 50% hatch rate which is about where my expections were leaning.

Claire

Oh no worries! I'm so sorry for your loss as well. Hope you and your family will be OK

Looky what hatched out yesterday 1 of 2 poults shown lol


and yes thats my kids b-day tattooed on my wrist

Sweet! Were they late? Well, I guess better late than never!!! BTW, wait a sec, is that a duck? ROFL, too cute!

 

[Sally Sunshine]

Looky what hatched out yesterday 1 of 2 poults shown lol


and yes thats my kids b-day tattooed on my wrist

Oh and here I thought it was my winning lottery numbers!!!

 

[gabrielle1976]

Good Afternoon Everyone. HOw is everyones day going so far. I just woke up lol I needed the nap I feel 100% better then I did the past couple of days. SallySunshine I wanted to thank you again for those articles , They are awsome just like you are.

. I hope my horrible sense of humer and teaseing dosnt hurt your feelings and if it did I apoligize.

 

[MarineCorpFarmr]

Sweet! Were they late? Well, I guess better late than never!!! BTW, wait a sec, is that a duck? ROFL, too cute!

Nope they were actually early a day lol, and yes that is the ancona ducky I put them in their own side of the brooder with a banty and couple really small chicks (nearly banty size) so they have their own little flock to grow up with