4th Annual BYC NYD Hatch-a-long

[Pele]

Ok, cluck-cluck...what the heck is 'Boxing Day'?

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).

 

[Blarneyeggs]

The day after Christmas, the "have's", box up stuff and give it to the "have not's".  It's a British thing.

Deb

Get Out! Very cool idea.

 

[missydcpc]

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!"

 

[mrheinz77]

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.

 

[missydcpc]

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.

Aww...I know how hard it is to decide on who to keep and who needs to go....hence how many roos I still have!

 

[Bettacreek]

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, 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.

 

[swindledana]

BettaCreek did you get my PM?

 

[FeyRaine]

I think we've lost a cornish cross hen. I looked for her several times today and couldn't find her. It's now getting dark and still no sign of her. I just hope that with all that body mass, she can keep herself warm enough and shows up in the morning expecting a warm breakfast! I feel so bad about abandoning her out there, but I just don't know where else to look for her. I made myself even sicker and very cold and miserable (still can't get myself warmed up, despite the space heater, blanket and very hot peppermint tea), and still, I didn't find her. I suppose I should be thankful that my turkey hen laid her egg in time to come to my calls, but I'm tired of losing animals... Pekin hens, pekin drake, ameraucana and now a cornish cross? They'll definitely be locked up for the next two days, and the new house will have some kind of run for them for crappy days like this, so that they can still get out for fresh air, yet not get lost and freeze.

Sorry you are having a rough patch w/ the losses etc. I vote yes on the new place having some fenced runs. I rather that mine free-range but sometimes that just is not possible! So all the coop/pens are built so that the birds can be left "in" when nec. which might be b/c I can't be home to lock up at dusk (rare but happens) or b/c the weather is just *that bad, or b/c I know we have mtn lion cubs on our place (she raised 4 this yr and roamed back and forth across our place with them repeatedly, we have an understand re: the livestock, but no reason to temp the kittens).
So since you will start from scratch at the new place, definately build so you have the option of keeping them locked in coop/pen some days w/out feeling guilty about it, b/c sometime, like if you have the flu you just need to keep them safe while you stay in bed! (& if you are chilled from hinting for the missing bird a hot shower might be what you need) Best Wishes - FeyRaine

 

[Brechin]

How old are they now?

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!

 

[cochins1088]

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/607761/anyone-up-for-a-hatchalong
I found this thread incredibly helpful. It hasn't been active in a while, but some very knowledgable people are subscribed and have a lot of experience raising EMUs.
It could be that MY make of Genesis didn't go low enough. The temperature control on my Genesis consists of toggle switches on the underside of the lid.

Thanks for the thread, I've been reading it for the past hour and I'll continue again later. I was also able to contact a few people. I'm so excited for this egg!

I read that the genesis can go pretty low, but I have never attempted to adjust the temperature. We'll see how it works after these NYD chicks hatch.