6th Annual BYC New Year's Day 2015 Hatch-A-Long

[hennible]

Weird? Oh, no. I prefer the term 'crazy' - as in Crazy Chicken Lady.

Silkie sensation! LTNS Chica! Where ya been hiding? Don't tell me you've joined the Ohio Thread....we miss you on the PA thread.

Lol I've been called crazy chicken lady.

Oh my this is tempting! Im going to start begging my sweet hubby tonight for an incubator so I can join in. Wish me luck!

That's how I got mine, hehehe...

 

[MrsBrooke]

I heard there is a medicated/antibiotic egg-dip that you should treat your hatchers with before you put them in the incubator. Legend has it that the antibiotic bath becomes the new "bloom," and the chick is fortified with antibiotic as they are developing to give them a boost. Anybody else heard of or done this before? If so, do share your knowledge with us, please!!!

Also, once the chicks are born, what's the best way to go about vaccinating them against nasties like Fowl Pox, Marek's, and Mycoplasma?

What supplies are needed to successfully complete the above operations?

I figure this could be good information to have, so items can be compiled with enough time to enjoy the hatch without having to rush around at the last minute to prep your MEDICAL KIT!

I'm quickly learning having a few key supplies on hand makes for a (less) stressful hatch.

Thanks to all who chime in!

MrsB

 

[ronott1]

Good Luck!!!

@ mentioned to my DH 2 years ago that I wanted an incubator, he was so sweet and got me one for and early Christmas present that year and then to my surprise he got me another one for the following Valentines Day. This year around Easter(also with the help from @Sally Sunshine ) DH helped me build a huge home made cabinet style Cooler-bator. He now curses the day he bought me my first incubator lol.

Curses?

Tell him that your hobby is less expensive than therapy!

Hatch for other people in it. I hatched hundreds of chicks this year--90% for other people.

 

[ronott1]

I heard there is a medicated/antibiotic egg-dip that you should treat your hatchers with before you put them in the incubator. Legend has it that the antibiotic bath becomes the new "bloom," and the chick is fortified with antibiotic as they are developing to give them a boost. Anybody else heard of or done this before? If so, do share your knowledge with us, please!!!

Also, once the chicks are born, what's the best way to go about vaccinating them against nasties like Fowl Pox, Marek's, and Mycoplasma?

What supplies are needed to successfully complete the above operations?

I figure this could be good information to have, so items can be compiled with enough time to enjoy the hatch without having to rush around at the last minute to prep your MEDICAL KIT!

I'm quickly learning having a few key supplies on hand makes for a (less) stressful hatch.

Thanks to all who chime in!

MrsB

That opens a can of worms usually. It is a personal thing and I do not want to incite bad posts. This is just what I think about it and whatever one does with their chickens is up to them.

I think it is the USDA that says not to vaccinate for Mareks for home flocks. Commercially the egg is vaccinated somewhere around day 18 or so. Home vaccines that we can purchase are not very effective.

Fowl pox is not needed unless you live in a place that has it. IF so, you vaccinate the grown chickens around august first(at least in California). The vaccine needs to be re applied once a year.

I do not know about the mycoplasma vaccine but if mine tested positive for it the whole flock would be culled. I would then clean and sterilize and start over after the time it takes for the virus to die off in the environment. Quarantine for new chickens is very important for keeping stuff like that away.

 

[bamadude]

I have never vaccinated or wormed or anything.

 

[hennible]

Me neither... But there was some evidence of capillary worms, it's gone now but I'm still going to treat them.

 

[chicken pickin]

Curses?

Tell him that your hobby is less expensive than therapy!

Hatch for other people in it. I hatched hundreds of chicks this year--90% for other people.

LOL yes he curses! He says Im chicken obsessed and have way to many lol. He thinks I spend too much of my time with chickens or on BYC or learning about different aspects of chickens in general. And he is right, but I truly enjoy chickens. Im debating on getting out of turkeys so I can use their huge coop and run as a grow out pen for chickens.

Now that I am getting into breeding he just shakes his head at me lol. He knows I thoroughly enjoy my chickens and it is a joyful hobby for me so he doesn't get to upset when I talk about doing more. Its now a give and take. I now compromise with him, for every 1 chicken I want to add to my flock I will rehome or cull 2 of my existing chickens. That way I can keep my numbers in check and I will only add a chicken if it is truly needed or important. Might sound silly to some but it works.

 

[MrsBrooke]

That opens a can of worms usually. It is a personal thing and I do not want to incite bad posts. This is just what I think about it and whatever one does with their chickens is up to them.

I think it is the USDA that says not to vaccinate for Mareks for home flocks. Commercially the egg is vaccinated somewhere around day 18 or so. Home vaccines that we can purchase are not very effective.

Fowl pox is not needed unless you live in a place that has it. IF so, you vaccinate the grown chickens around august first(at least in California). The vaccine needs to be re applied once a year.

I do not know about the mycoplasma vaccine but if mine tested positive for it the whole flock would be culled. I would then clean and sterilize and start over after the time it takes for the virus to die off in the environment. Quarantine for new chickens is very important for keeping stuff like that away.

Good to know.

MrsB

 

[tommysgirl]

I would love to try this year. It would be fun!! We have had rain for weeks now, overcast with little sun. Not getting allot of eggs, might get 3 or 4, hopefully. If anyone in northern california would like to sell some I am game. Dream list is EE, Naked Necks, Marans, Hamburgs. Thank you

There is a FB page for Marans breeders. You may get some help there. There is also a BYC member in Sonoma county who has beautiful BCMs and Splash Marans...Not sure where you are in Northern California but let me know and I can get you the user name...it escapes me right now

Hatch for other people in it. I hatched hundreds of chicks this year--90% for other people.

Yep....It's a total win win!!! Ron hatched these for me this summer
:





This is what they turned in to.
.





Sadly I lost the snowy white little guy but these three are fabulous!

 

[ronott1]

There is a FB page for Marans breeders. You may get some help there. There is also a BYC member in Sonoma county who has beautiful BCMs and Splash Marans...Not sure where you are in Northern California but let me know and I can get you the user name...it escapes me right now

Yep....It's a total win win!!! Ron hatched these for me this summer
:





This is what they turned in to.
.





Sadly I lost the snowy white little guy but these three are fabulous!

They look so nice!

The person with Marans in Sanoma is @dldolan ?