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

[Myfourladies]

And I've never actually raised baby chicks before, so I figure at worst, I'll get some barnyard mutts - cockerels for eatin' and pullets to go in the laying flock. My red girls are almost at the point of not laying anymore so I'd like to get a handful of pullets out of them if possible...this way I can learn for 'free' and if it works out I have a bonus!

They are usually much healthier birds, and make much better backyard chickens in my opinion. Can't lose, well unless you have none hatch, which I doubt will happen.

I can't wait to get my mutts next year.... hard to find mutt hatching eggs. LOL

 

[SunnySkies]

Aww man, won't show mine..now.  It was great though.  Just peices left over...for that later on snack.

Hey, these turkeys look great!  Bet yours don't look the same anymore either.  

Nope. Mine is broken down and in the fridge, turkey soup cooking down, bones reserved to go out to the birds if I can keep the LGDs off it.

I cook early so I'm done, kitchen is clean and I can hang out the rest of the day and maybe even take a nap.

 

[SilkieSensation]

She's done!!!

Aww man, won't show mine..now. It was great though. Just peices left over...for that later on snack. Hey, these turkeys look great! Bet yours don't look the same anymore either.

1 side still looks the same. The other side is missing...lol Dinner is served! It wouldn't all fit in 1 pic. (This is for 4 people.)

 

[Nuclear Chickens]

Add me into the list for the hatch along. Don't know what I am setting yet so I better start finding some eggs. I am shooting for 60 eggs this year.

 

[BoereMeisie]

Happy Thanksgiving to you guys over in the US

I envy you guys for having such a lovely tradition of spending a day with family to reflect on what you are thankful for. I'd love to do that one year, but over here it's not a custom... All the turkey pics looked stunningly delicious! I think I should travel to the US next year for Thanksgiving to go share in a beautiful tradition and try out those yummy looking turkeys!!

 

[seventreesfarm]

Count me in!
I am part way into my wine cooler - incubator project, so this will be good incentive to finish it and to a test run.

I'll be hatching from 2 pens of Olivers (Ameraucana roo + dark egg layers and BCM roo + Ameraucana hens), plus a few test hatches of my barnyard specials.

 

[Nicky-the-witch]

I will sort of be joining in - I have a dozen Araucana eggs on order for my broody Austalorp x Nell. They should be laid by Wednesday to go in overnight post and will hopefully arrive Thursday (5th December)
How long should I leave them to stabilise the air sacs before I put them under the chicken?

I was thinking to put them under her on the Friday 6th December - giving me a hatch date of 27/28 December.

This will be my first posted eggs hatch - feedback from other recipients suggests I can expect to hatch approx 8 out of the 12 - I'll keep my fingers crossed!

 

[Myfourladies]

I will sort of be joining in - I have a dozen Araucana eggs on order for my broody Austalorp x Nell. They should be laid by Wednesday to go in overnight post and will hopefully arrive Thursday (5th December)
How long should I leave them to stabilise the air sacs before I put them under the chicken?

I was thinking to put them under her on the Friday 6th December - giving me a hatch date of 27/28 December.

This will be my first posted eggs hatch - feedback from other recipients suggests I can expect to hatch approx 8 out of the 12 - I'll keep my fingers crossed!

The articles I have read say 24-48 hours to let the air sack stabilize. There is good information on here and online on how to store them while they rest and come to room temperature.

Good luck!

Sorry didn't add the link- https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/hatching-eggs-101 About half way through she talks about shipped eggs.

 

[SunnySkies]

I will sort of be joining in - I have a dozen Araucana eggs on order for my broody Austalorp x Nell. They should be laid by Wednesday to go in overnight post and will hopefully arrive Thursday (5th December)
How long should I leave them to stabilise the air sacs before I put them under the chicken?

I was thinking to put them under her on the Friday 6th December - giving me a hatch date of 27/28 December.

This will be my first posted eggs hatch - feedback from other recipients suggests I can expect to hatch approx 8 out of the 12 - I'll keep my fingers crossed!

Have a backup method...I ordered eggs for two broody hens this summer...long ordeal...but the end result was that both hens GAVE UP a day, just one day, before the eggs showed up! Shipped eggs, particularly SFH eggs, coming to my area are often damaged in transit, dropping my hatch rate below normal and especially so if I use an incubator versus a broody. I was so mad at the girls for quitting on me...got one to hatch, but if the hens had stuck it out, they would have probably gotten 2-4, based on past experience. But at least I had an incubator, kwim, and could try instead of wondering now what to do with the eggs as I watched my broody hen run off into the sunset.

 

[fallenangel79]

Nice l

Happy Thanksgiving!

nice looks good