5th Annual BYC New Year's Day 2014 Hatch-A-Long

[FeyRaine]

Looking at all the weather reports I am now getting a little worried about my eggs...they will be shipped on Sat CA to TN.
all the worries, will they freeze, (shaken, x-rayed, dopped), and most of all will they arrive on time to set Dec 11...

On the bright side, in the past 48 hrs of strangely warm weather (frogs woke up and agreed) we now have a brand new winter grow out pen,
AND the outdoor brooder is winterized=totally rebuilt. In theory this will help w/ NYDH chicks, but in real on the ground chicken math,
tomorrow 5 8wk old birds arrive of which 2 are for me, and ooops 3 are for someone who I'm told tonight no longer wants them, ahhh, yah, sooo
then on sunday, I get my 2 SFH from VA (2 m old, at least 1 roo which I NEED), & 1CL cockeral plus 3 CL 2m olds.
So about those new pens I'm needing... ;>

Gonna set up the LG tomorrow, now that the last batch of chicks went to the outside brooder today I have room for
NYDH incubation, ta da !

 

[Aphrael]

We have a cutest chick contest for a Photo contest.

I am the only one running this Hatch a Long though. I can only do so much.

Wait... You're not Superman?!?!? Our illusions are shattered!!

Ummm... Okay... That should be an interesting mission... Poor things are going to be emotionally scarred though as they're a bit skittish

Good to know, thanks!

Yes, same rooster but he might have been a low-ranking rooster since there was 1 rooster to two hens ratio where I got them from and they were randomly caught, so the hens were not caught with the rooster they would normally "hang" with... I suppose? If I look at my own established flock, some of my hens definitely favor a specific rooster and would have nothing to do with another one.

Oay, I think I must be a terrible person ... When I read this post I just could not help myself from picturing someone chasing big floofy hens, waving a pair of scissors and shouting "No wait it's only a trim!"

I will donate a hand painted "fresh eggs sign" for a contest. I will post pictures later. I am an artist ;-) Maybe it could be a photo caption contest or maybe it can be a most festive chicken photo contest?

That's a great prize and I LOVE

that sign. It is so cute!

Well out of 16 eggs 12 were great. Two were broken and two were badly cracked. Have them setting now gonna slip them in tomorrow. These totally turned my crappy day around

ok thanks!!!


haha I knew that!! (not)

I have a pro series circulated air incubator model 4200 in case anyone else has one too...






Also, do you clean your eggs before incubating? if so, with what?

You shouldn't wash eggs before hatching. They have a protective coating called "bloom" that helps keep bacteria out. If you wash them you will wash away this coating and make them more vulnerable.

Oh man! Hoping this freeze is gone by next week, when my eggs are coming. I am getting some from a couple of different people. It's cold. It was 1 degree this morning.

I hope so too! It is supposed to be like 11* here tonight. I know that isn't as bad as 1*, but for Texas that is really COLD.

 

[ronott1]

Looking at all the weather reports I am now getting a little worried about my eggs...they will be shipped on Sat CA to TN.
all the worries, will they freeze, (shaken, x-rayed, dopped), and most of all will they arrive on time to set Dec 11...

On the bright side, in the past 48 hrs of strangely warm weather (frogs woke up and agreed) we now have a brand new winter grow out pen,
AND the outdoor brooder is winterized=totally rebuilt. In theory this will help w/ NYDH chicks, but in real on the ground chicken math,
tomorrow 5 8wk old birds arrive of which 2 are for me, and ooops 3 are for someone who I'm told tonight no longer wants them, ahhh, yah, sooo
then on sunday, I get my 2 SFH from VA (2 m old, at least 1 roo which I NEED), & 1CL cockeral plus 3 CL 2m olds.
So about those new pens I'm needing... ;>

Gonna set up the LG tomorrow, now that the last batch of chicks went to the outside brooder today I have room for
NYDH incubation, ta da !

I hope all of the shipped eggs make it ok!

 

[bantambury]

stupid question, but do you take the plastic and staple off of this?

 

[bantambury]

Looking at all the weather reports I am now getting a little worried about my eggs...they will be shipped on Sat CA to TN.
all the worries, will they freeze, (shaken, x-rayed, dopped), and most of all will they arrive on time to set Dec 11...

On the bright side, in the past 48 hrs of strangely warm weather (frogs woke up and agreed) we now have a brand new winter grow out pen,
AND the outdoor brooder is winterized=totally rebuilt. In theory this will help w/ NYDH chicks, but in real on the ground chicken math,
tomorrow 5 8wk old birds arrive of which 2 are for me, and ooops 3 are for someone who I'm told tonight no longer wants them, ahhh, yah, sooo
then on sunday, I get my 2 SFH from VA (2 m old, at least 1 roo which I NEED), & 1CL cockeral plus 3 CL 2m olds.
So about those new pens I'm needing... ;>

Gonna set up the LG tomorrow, now that the last batch of chicks went to the outside brooder today I have room for
NYDH incubation, ta da !

hope all will go well!!!

 

[kara1015]

Getting ready!

 

[ronott1]

stupid question, but do you take the plastic and staple off of this?

Yes, take it off of the plastic.

Calibrate it to make sure it it accurate.

 

[bantambury]

ronott1,

We have decided to participate in the Hatch a long!!! so excited!!! we are running a bator test today, and another next week a day before we place the eggs.
hopefully getting mire eggs Tuesday!!!

happy to join!!
~Bantambury

 

[chickee]

Yes, take it off of the plastic.

Calibrate it to make sure it it accurate.

I thought the plastic was so you can lay it on top of the eggs to get a temperature reading at egg level

Of course if you are using a turner it slides off

I am still toying with the idea of joining in. I have collected some eggs from my one blue wheaten Ameraucana pullet that is a new layer and the only one laying right now. Either the chicks will be OEs because she had been in with my golden cuckoo Marans rooster up until a week and a half ago or pure blue wheaten chicks since she has been in with my Ameraucana rooster for a week and a half.

 

[ronott1]

I thought the plastic was so you can lay it on top of the eggs to get a temperature reading at egg level

Of course if you are using a turner it slides off

I am still toying with the idea of joining in. I have collected some eggs from my one blue wheaten Ameraucana pullet that is a new layer and the only one laying right now. Either the chicks will be OEs because she had been in with my golden cuckoo Marans rooster up until a week and a half ago or pure blue wheaten chicks since she has been in with my Ameraucana rooster for a week and a half.

Yes, that is probably true. I always have the turner to the plastic would get in the way.

I hope you can join. Your chickens are so pretty!