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

[fosterson]

Oh, not having internet for this has taught me patience and killed me at the same time.

Sorted my eggs into 'I can see the light' and 'I can't see anything'...I have 22 in the 'can't see into them' department so I'm counting my chickens before they hatch

And last night, about midnight, I thought I was losing my mind....I couldn't decide if I was hearing peeps or just suffering from wishful thinking, but I called Squigglebrain over to have a look and lo and behold, he heard peeps too!

We have peeps today too, after I went into lockdown -- it's so dry I'm having a heck of a time keeping it above 67% humidity...and I'm having to slap my fingers from peeking in every once in a while, so I compromised and put a lamp over the windows so I could see in easier...the better to see if I'm getting the water on the sponges, ya know

Also my Gold Laced Wyandotte, against all odds, has made it this far...the air cell is really too big but I'm hoping for the little fellow all the same. My green egg is also now opaque so I'm HOPING that one hatches....I was so afraid it was gonna be a dud. The Light Brahmas look good and healthy, though! And of course, the RIR is just fine...not that I wanted more RIRs, but you know

AUGH! This is going to be worse than waiting for Christmas as a kid!

 

[ronott1]

Oh, not having internet for this has taught me patience and killed me at the same time.

Sorted my eggs into 'I can see the light' and 'I can't see anything'...I have 22 in the 'can't see into them' department so I'm counting my chickens before they hatch

And last night, about midnight, I thought I was losing my mind....I couldn't decide if I was hearing peeps or just suffering from wishful thinking, but I called Squigglebrain over to have a look and lo and behold, he heard peeps too!

We have peeps today too, after I went into lockdown -- it's so dry I'm having a heck of a time keeping it above 67% humidity...and I'm having to slap my fingers from peeking in every once in a while, so I compromised and put a lamp over the windows so I could see in easier...the better to see if I'm getting the water on the sponges, ya know

Also my Gold Laced Wyandotte, against all odds, has made it this far...the air cell is really too big but I'm hoping for the little fellow all the same. My green egg is also now opaque so I'm HOPING that one hatches....I was so afraid it was gonna be a dud. The Light Brahmas look good and healthy, though! And of course, the RIR is just fine...not that I wanted more RIRs, but you know

AUGH! This is going to be worse than waiting for Christmas as a kid!

thanks for the update!

I hope they hatch well for you!

 

[Blarneyeggs]

Quote: I wish you were my neighbor, you sound pretty cool to me. oh, and knowledgable, I do not have the slightest idea how to tan a hide, or raise a Praying Mantid

 

[fosterson]

thanks for the update!

I hope they hatch well for you!

At least I got a camera working again, so I can take photos!

 

[michaelf]

Ugghhh! My black copper roo is not breeding any hens in his pen. I have checked fertility several times. I even put some in incubator to check also. Nope no development! So I started watching and he chased occasionally a hen. Other than that .... zilch!

 

[MontanaDolphin]

Aww! You sound FUN!! LOL My closest neighbors are family. (we live on a homestead) That doesn't make it any easier when you Uncle calls your dad to ask 'what the heck is Amanda up to now?!'

I have to say though I have not brain tanned hides in my back yard!

LOL my neighbors just yelled at me across the fence "Hey Becca, what the heck are you doing now???"

As for the brain tanning, you gotta have a strong stomach. Not many people will put their hands in the stuff...but lemme tell ya...it's the best hand lotion in the world!

I LOVE Praying Mantis's!

Me too! That's why I raise one every year! You should try it, they are so much fun!!!

got my first pip finally lol.

Yay! Gratz

You sound like a neat person with cool hobbies! I'd be wanting to come check out your hobbies if I was a neighbor!

Thanks

My Eggs have all gone into shutdown today

!!!!

No peeking!!!

Sit on yer hands if ya have too!!!

They move in the cartons too. They do not need to move. The chick needs to get into position. The egg cartons keep the hatched chicks from kicking them around.

Oh, I thought I read a post of yours that said it's a better hatch rate if you place them upright? Is that not correct?

I'm sure they probably will gobble them right up. I know mine slurp up walking sticks like french fries. So I imagine mantids would meet the same fate. Has anyone else ever seen ducks hunt wasps and hornets? During the summer I'd be watching the chickens and ducks out foraging (one of my favorite pastimes

) and would see the ducks jump up and snatch wasps right in mid-flight and gobble them down. We didn't have near the problems with wasp swarms this year as we usually do. A nice change.

Don't have any ducks, but the chickens would hunt grasshoppers, though!

 

[Cynthia12]

First time hatcher here and my first pip/zip!!!!! 2 days early both of my tolbunt polish!!!!! Come on babies!!!

.

Well, it looks like we have some things happening here. And here we go. How fun for those that have pips already. I should start seeing something by tomorrow night..I hope. Due on New Years Eve.

 

[MontanaDolphin]

I wish you were my neighbor, you sound pretty cool to me. oh, and knowledgable, I do not have the slightest idea how to tan a hide, or raise a Praying Mantid

Thanks! That makes me feel great

!!!

Tanning hides is very time consuming and physically challenging...but oh so worth it when you have soft, supple leather you can make into whatever you want! As for raising a mantis, it's very easy. You feed 'em, and make sure you spray their habitat with water every day. That's it! Alice used to perch on my shoulder when I did the dishes...I had one of those three tiered hanging baskets over my sink that held apples and onions. There have been times...ahem...when the apples and/or onions started to get a little yucky (hey, I forget they're up there!) and fruit flies would be buzzing around them

and Alice would jump from my shoulder onto the basket and have a feast! I'm tellin' ya, they are so much fun!

Oh, and my knowledge comes from Google

Trust me, I'm not that smart. I look everything up, and remember the stuff that's important to me

 

[ronott1]

Oh, I thought I read a post of yours that said it's a better hatch rate if you place them upright? Is that not correct?

Yes, they do hatch better upright in cartons.

The chicks that hatch do not kick them around. Ones that hatch later can be hurt when chicks play hockey with the eggs.

 

[fosterson]

:: runs this way with hands over head ::

AUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUGH!

:: runs that way with hands over head ::

AuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuAUUUUGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHh!

<------ least patient person on the planet...why did I do this to myself?