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

[ronott1]

Well I wasn't planing on it but hubby ordered some silkie eggs that will arrive just in time, So ill join as well.

You are very lucky!

I hope the make it to you without being scrambled!

 

[Kat242]

its the freezing im more worried about. were in the middle of the deep freeze out here in Wyoming, but they haven't shipped just yet so hoping they will miss it.

 

[chicken pickin]

I might have one more random post.

I will have to check it out- I saw a link to make a poll in the first post so I should be able to do that.

What photo contest contest sounds good? Broody mom? (trying to keep things hatch related).

I like that idea, broody moms sounds good.

 

[Blarneyeggs]

Quote: Perhaps you're on the 'Naughty List'?

Ron, I do not have the Brinsea Spot Check….maybe Santa will swing back past here… BTW….what in the world is a Water Wiggle Toy?

 

[chiqita]

 I'm pretty sure that's how it will go.  I told my husband about the butt-fluff trimming suggested on BYC, you know I need someone to hold the chickens for their butt-cut, I got silence.  Silence is good, right?

I pluck rather then trim myself.sommr roosters will not mount a hen that pokes them with hard feather tips.

 

[Blarneyeggs]

Quote:
Bwahahaha!! Not around here…Silence means, 'watch yer back', or…'I'm not EVEN going to reply to that'. It comes in response to questions like…

'A barn would be awesome, honey…don't you think a Barn would be awesome?"

'Ya know, the kids would just love a swimming pool, wouldn't you just LOVE a swimming pool?'

and my favorite, 'How bout we get a horse?'

When you do decide to 'trim' be careful how short you trim, if you leave the quills sticking out, the rooster may injure himself, I was taught by a Cochin breeder to pluck the feathers just above the vent for better 'contact'. Good luck!!

Greetings all, goodness, I checked in only 13 hours ago and in that time 75 posts! Here in the Home of Heroes (Pueblo, CO) it is a balmy 1.2 degrees at 4:03 am - at 3:37 it was 2.1 ... not a good trend, but it is what it is. We are having a 6 day freeze, probably the same as members in Montana, Wyoming, and Utah, and other points North.

I have eggs hatching, first time trying the hatch part upright in cartons, fingers crossed. One had pipped when I moved it last night, it's further along this morning, one of the barnyard mixes from my friend. I'm swapping another dozen eggs with her for the NYDH.

DH went out to collect eggs every couple of hours yesterday, got 5, all were cold but none were frozen, so fingers crossed. The high was 16 - twice the predicted high. Today's high is also predicted for single digits, then over the weekend we get into the teens.

I wanted to mention to the poster asking about the mandatory no turning to get eggs hatched, I have had them hatch in the turner, so apparently it isn't mandatory, but it is most certainly preferable I have the Farm Innovators 4200 with fan and turner. Last summer I had two SLW hatch in the turner, two weeks ago two Silkies did the same.

Just ordered one of the Brinsea 40s from the scratch and dent page, and a Spot Check. Got notice they shipped last night - might just get here in time for the NYDH!

'Home of the Heros' is that a sandwich? 1.2 Degrees???? uhhh Florida, HERE I come! Chicks are hatching at your place? Pics or it didn't happen….just saying...

Quote: I hate making more work for you…SOOOO appreciate you doing this, Ron. for Photo Contest Ideas… Flapper? Most Colorful Rooster? Scariest 'Stink Eye'…I do love the Broody with Baby pics.. last year people got really creative with the egg uhhh 'sculptures' not sure what to call them. kinda like this…but MUCH more ornate

 

[chickee]

Feeling a little paranoid about this deep freeze and the eggs I'm getting! I know I've been watching the girls pretty close and grabbing eggs before they freeze but know not everyone else has that kind of time. Hoping the egg sellers are gathering them before they're frozen solid! It was 36 today at noon here in the valley of California.

It should be interesting to see how the cold affects them . . . I took some eggs from that pullet that Jean said I should show out of the refrigerator to set, so we will see. Might have some BW Ameraucana chicks for you if the rooster did his job and she has been in with him long enough

 

[roostercluck]

So excited for all the contests going on!!
I was wondering if when is too cold to gather eggs to set?
It was mid forties today and I didn't gather the eggs until just a little bit ago and I was wondering if the temperature will cause the fertility/ hatch possibility to go down. And if I should gather the later and closer to set day eggs when the temperature is warmer?

Here it was 1 degree! It's really tough to get the eggs before they are frozen... but at 40s, you should be just fine!

Thanks, I am trying to gather them as quick as I can, but we will see how everything turns out.

 

[acemario]

I might have one more random post.

I will have to check it out- I saw a link to make a poll in the first post so I should be able to do that.

What photo contest contest sounds good? Broody mom? (trying to keep things hatch related).

It sounds like a lot of people are incubating, so you probably won't get as many broody mom pics as you would for the Easter Hatch-a-Long. I really liked the idea of "Strangest incubator location".... is there a way to implement both? Just my two cents.

 

[ronott1]

It sounds like a lot of people are incubating, so you probably won't get as many broody mom pics as you would for the Easter Hatch-a-Long. I really liked the idea of "Strangest incubator location".... is there a way to implement both? Just my two cents.

I like that one!