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

[abmaddox1981]

Somehow that doesn't surprise me! I am getting the itch to set eggs as well but I don't have an incubator. 

Lol. Get you a silkie hen. I just had 3 hatch under one of mine.

 

[JDchicks]

Lol. Get you a silkie hen. I just had 3 hatch under one of mine.

Ahhh, they are so cute!

 

[chicken pickin]

I wish it was Spring already...

I am itching for eggs.

I am itching to hatch.

I am itching to test breed my Cream Legbars.

I am itching for my turkeys to start laying again.

And my waiting list for eggs has started and I get anxious having to wait on my free loading chickens lol.

I hope Spring comes SOON.

Im getting the Winter Blues lol

 

[Gardeningmama]

I wish it was Spring already...

I am itching for eggs.

I am itching to hatch.

I am itching to test breed my Cream Legbars.

I am itching for my turkeys to start laying again.

And my waiting list for eggs has started and I get anxious having to wait on my free loading chickens lol.

I hope Spring comes SOON.

Im getting the Winter Blues lol

I'm right there with ya girl! Come on SPRING!!

 

[SoManyHats]

Life since the hatch has been crazy! Taking care of three different groups of birds (adults in the coop, juveniles in the workshop brooder, and chicks in the house brooder) is hard- I don't know how so many of you do it! But I just wanted to pop back in here and say that this hatch has been an incredible experience. These 29 chicks are so sweet and calm compared to the hatchery chicks I got a couple months ago. They seem so much happier and healthier, and I've had *zero* pasty butt. Half my hatchery chicks had it, and I'm seeing just how much a difference stress in the first couple days makes. I'm actually pretty sure that I don't want to order hatchery chicks ever again.

I also wanted to add my voice to all the rest thanking Ron for his awesome moderation of this thread. You have been invaluable, and I'm sure many of us would have been lost without your help. Thank you!

Tomorrow I'll post 1 week pictures of my babies if anyone wants to see them.

 

[abmaddox1981]

Ahhh, they are so cute!

Way more silkies hatched than I expected(every single one I set I think)!

 

[FeyRaine]

Follow up - the last 2 chicks (Lg cream eggs) which I assisted did not make it.
The one I thought was doing better of the 2 passed this afternoon, the other I culled to spare it further suffering.

The 3rd green egg (assisted) who I moved to the brooder yesterday is doing great.

So of the 3 very late eggs, all assisted, I once again got 1 of 3 fine, 2/3 not right & don't survive.

I know we had a lot of conversation on the thread about assisting (or not) etc. so I felt it was important to post this followup esp. so that those who had assisted chicks that did not make it would have full disclosure from me on how mine turned out. I didn't want to give a false impression to those ppl. As others have stated & I've agreed, some chick are simply not going to make it, assisting means you are helping some out of the egg which really have no chance at a healthy life so the decision to assist comes w/ that harsh reality & the responcibilities that follow from that.

In this case I'm still glad I assisted the several eggs I did, the healthy birds have a place in my eating egg layer flock (pullets) and my freezer/table (cockerals).

I really will get pictures of the happy healthy 7 chicks in the brooder tomorrow

&

A HUGE THANK YOU TO RON! You have gone above & beyond , I think you personally responded to every post on this thread! You did a fantastic job making sure we had good information as well as a festive & fun NYDH. My your 2014 be filled with 3x the goodness you have added to the world by your service to us in moderating this hatchalong

 

[JDchicks]

Follow up - the last 2 chicks (Lg cream eggs) which I assisted did not make it.
The one I thought was doing better of the 2 passed this afternoon, the other I culled to spare it further suffering.

The 3rd green egg (assisted) who I moved to the brooder yesterday is doing great.

So of the 3 very late eggs, all assisted, I once again got 1 of 3 fine, 2/3 not right & don't survive.

I know we had a lot of conversation on the thread about assisting (or not) etc. so I felt it was important to post this followup esp. so that those who had assisted chicks that did not make it would have full disclosure from me on how mine turned out. I didn't want to give a false impression to those ppl. As others have stated & I've agreed, some chick are simply not going to make it, assisting means you are helping some out of the egg which really have no chance at a healthy life so the decision to assist comes w/ that harsh reality & the responcibilities that follow from that.

In this case I'm still glad I assisted the several eggs I did, the healthy birds have a place in my eating egg layer flock (pullets) and my freezer/table (cockerals).

I really will get pictures of the happy healthy 7 chicks in the brooder tomorrow

&

A HUGE THANK YOU TO RON! You have gone above & beyond , I think you personally responded to every post on this thread! You did a fantastic job making sure we had good information as well as a festive & fun NYDH. My your 2014 be filled with 3x the goodness you have added to the world by your service to us in moderating this hatchalong

Thank you for the update. And I am with you, glad I jumped in and helped.

I had the same ratio as you. Assisted 3, 1 survived.

 

[Wisher1000]

I assisted three and all are doing great! In the past, I have had none survive the help, though......

OH! and I have my next batch popping out of the shells like popcorn! Man, I love my Sportsman!

 

[carriebain]

I was at the feed store and I got a good picture of UNOs dad!

(uno)

(storm trooper) they are both very sweet birds! I love uno!!!!