4th Annual BYC NYD Hatch-a-long

[cochins1088]

On the worming conversation... I read that pumpkins are a natural way to de-worm your birds. So every halloween, I feed my chickens the insides of the pumpkins we carve. I have no proof that it works, nor do I know that it works but it says that it does in many different places and I try to avoid chemicals if I can.

 

[TMNfarm]

I never ask this of anyone, but would everyone please pray for me and my family? There's a tornado in my area and it was last seen heading my way. The weather has gotten really nasty here today and things are getting worst.

Praying for you and your family... Please post when all is well...

 

[michaelf]

You got it...praying praying praying!

 

[TMNfarm]

I candled today to show my great-nephews (7 & 5) what the developing embryos looked like. I pulled the 4 questionable eggs. 2 of them looked like they were not fertile, and two of them looked like maybe they quit on day 2 or 3... Then I had to pull one more that looked like it had a blood ring. It was doing very well at day 10. Trying to compare it to he pics hat are posted about the development, I'd say it quit about 2 days ago... Then my incubator temp spiked to 102.4!!! I only pulled 5 eggs, and it had been holding really nice and steady for days... Frustrating... I turned it down, but now I'm gonna have to stay up law to make sure it is holding without dropping too low... I have 31 of my 45 that are still going strong, so I'd sure hate to lose them to a bad temp fluctuation.

 

[cochins1088]

I candled today to show my great-nephews (7 & 5) what the developing embryos looked like. I pulled the 4 questionable eggs. 2 of them looked like they were not fertile, and two of them looked like maybe they quit on day 2 or 3... Then I had to pull one more that looked like it had a blood ring. It was doing very well at day 10. Trying to compare it to he pics hat are posted about the development, I'd say it quit about 2 days ago... Then my incubator temp spiked to 102.4!!! I only pulled 5 eggs, and it had been holding really nice and steady for days... Frustrating... I turned it down, but now I'm gonna have to stay up law to make sure it is holding without dropping too low... I have 31 of my 45 that are still going strong, so I'd sure hate to lose them to a bad temp fluctuation.

Hopefully you get the temperatures right, I have had many very long nights for that same reason but my new genesis seems to never flucuate. And I showed my aunts and cousins and everyone the developing eggs last night and they were all amazed. It really is exciting, I get excited every night and I've done it hundreds of times. Many of them couldn't believe that the embryos had blood vessels forming around them as well as within them. So what did your great-nephews think about the eggs?

Only 1 week left, I'm getting soo eggcited!

 

[Razadia]

Thank you so much everyone! We are out of danger and no reports have come in of any major damage. There's still a storm in the area, but it looks like everything is going to be ok.

 

[mlm Mike]

We got two chicken-related games for Christmas. We were sitting at the table playing them, and my DS shakes his head and says.... "We're crazy chicken people."

 

[mlm Mike]

MERRY CHRISTMAS!! AND WHAT DID MY HUSBAND GET FOR CHRISTMAS THIS YEAR??????


A NEW BABY ON THE WAY!! I JUST CONFIRMED RECENTLY THAT WE ARE EXPECTING OUR THIRD (AND HOPEFULLY LAST) BABY!! PRAY FOR ME THAT IT IS JUST ONE BABY AND NOT TWO THIS TIME!!

Congratulations !

WHEN IS LOCKDOWN for ANCONA DUCK eggs set on DEC 4th???

Day 24, like most ducks.

Thank you so much everyone! We are out of danger and no reports have come in of any major damage. There's still a storm in the area, but it looks like everything is going to be ok.

I'm glad you are ok.

 

[Brechin]

Twins wouldn't be so bad, would they? he he..just a "little" more work. How old are your other twins?

Thanks everyone for the congrats! Lots of people with kids close in age say they know what it must be like to have twins. To them I say BULL POOP!!! You have NO IDEA what it is like to have TWO babies want to BF at the SAME TIME. NO IDEA what it is like to have TWO helpless babies crying and wanting to be held AT THE SAME TIME!! And you have NO IDEA what it is like to give BIRTH to TWO BABIES within minutes of each other!! It is not just twice the work, it is more like 4 times the work of one itty bitty little baby.

It is NOT easy at all but well worth it!

They have each other to play with and keep each other company. And of course I get to enjoy TWO precious babies at the same time! I just really don't want to have to do it again.

I might just have a breakdown of some kind!

 

[RavenWood]

that is a really pretty bird

Thanks. She's quite old and blind. She was almost dead when we got her a couple months ago. She was anemic, covered in lice/mites, skin and bones and could barely hold her head up. We nursed her back to health, but hard to say how long she'll be with us. She's a sweetheart.

wow that polish is pretty, you really should enter it in the contest!!

That's what I'm trying to do! But I can't find the right contest thread!

I candled today to show my great-nephews (7 & 5) what the developing embryos looked like. I pulled the 4 questionable eggs. 2 of them looked like they were not fertile, and two of them looked like maybe they quit on day 2 or 3... Then I had to pull one more that looked like it had a blood ring. It was doing very well at day 10. Trying to compare it to he pics hat are posted about the development, I'd say it quit about 2 days ago... Then my incubator temp spiked to 102.4!!! I only pulled 5 eggs, and it had been holding really nice and steady for days... Frustrating... I turned it down, but now I'm gonna have to stay up law to make sure it is holding without dropping too low... I have 31 of my 45 that are still going strong, so I'd sure hate to lose them to a bad temp fluctuation.

I went to look at mine today and I can't see anything in some now - they just look black. except for the bottom. I don't know if this means the chicks are just bigger and blocking more light (still a week to go though) or if they have suddenly died. One looked like it had stopped growing and another seems to have lots it's blood vessels. Ack! What was left was also doing great on day 10 ... but I only had 11 left after pulling infertile eggs. Now I'm worried I'll have nothing