7th Annual BYC New Year's Day 2016 Hatch-A-Long

[howfunkyisurchicken]

I'm in TN and I spent Christmas Eve in shorts, T-shirt and flipflops. We are 10˚ above normal for the month of December. Checked it with the weather service.

Me too, this weather is CRAZY. We've had the windows open and the fans going full blast. But I'm not complaining!

 

[CGilbert]

Me too, this weather is CRAZY. We've had the windows open and the fans going full blast. But I'm not complaining!

I'm very envious. We have 3 feet of snow and its still snowing. We've had 3 power outages this month...

 

[Penny Hen]

This is what I thought I'd do. He did say the fall hurt his shoulder so that he was having a hard time writing. He used to write for a chicken magazine and was offering to answer any questions people might have about his breeding experience. Well he raised game birds which I was not interested in but the cross over was fun to ask questions any ways. Then we got into other subjects of his upbringing which was cool in itself. He always said he liked getting my mail as others were only interested in talking game chickens. Gosh I hope he's ok.

More people need to talk to the older ones. They have seen so much. My great-grandmother moved from Texas to Arkansas in a covered wagon in 1910 with her husband and my grandmother who was only 4 at the time. She lived to see a man walk on the moon. Thought it was bunk but who can fault her culture shock when you span that much technology.

 

[BullChick]

Ha ha! They look more like baby booties!

 

[rossfam06]

We have commenced lockdown!!!!! All 5 still look great. A couple air cells were a bit funky looking so they get to hatch in a carton. Humidity is up and I will be working till 10 tonight so we don't have to worry about fingers!!!

 

[Penny Hen]

How did you cure the Dog?

Depends on the dog. One of my dogs who was bad about going after birds (Border collie/Golden Retrevier and Lab mix) just needed to be introduced to the birds and told to be easy with the babies. I would carry them into the house and present them to her for a good sniff. Her son however had to take a couple of beatings to get it through his thick head that if I introduced and animal (I also raised sheep) to them that they are off the hunting list. Each new lamb or chick now I take and show it to the dogs and tell them it is mine and a baby and they are to be easy with it. This way they know that it is part of our farm clan. They do a good job of policing the property for wild life. They have killed 3 possoms since August. I don't currently have a female cat with kittens. My herding dog, Portia (a Sheltie/Lab) will kill kittens when their eyes are closed. Once their eyes open they are safe from her. I think she thinks they are rats but if you want the kittens to survive you must watch her like a hawk for those first two weeks because she is totally unreasonable about it.

 

[Penny Hen]

Thanks everyone for keeping me going. I am refitting my incubator with a new thermostat and cooling fan. Reading along with this hatching has kept me on task because I want some baby chicks too. I am going to order some Niederheiner eggs. I have fallen in love with their golden cukoo color.

If I can find the address and number I am also going to set some Bantum Barred Rocks. I ran into a guy at the TN State Fair who was exhibiting the most beautiful BBR's. He is from the Bristol area. Then I got to thinking. If I got some Bantam Cornish hens and crossed them to the BBR would I get some really meaty Cornish Hen crosses. I loved eating the Cornish hens when I was in my twenties. But the last time I bought some they had no special flavor at all. Not like the ones I ate in the "80's. So I am thinking of raising my own.

 

[Cynthia12]

Wow, everyone seems excited..and there are some seeing pips, and getting zips? Photos soon, photos soon! I am on day 19. I kind of like day 19 because I can say, well, I just may see some pips..tomorrow! And sometimes, I see them on day 19, or even have one hatch this early. Not expecting that with this batch after having candled. They look like they will make it to day 21. Maybe a couple could come early. Will see!

 

[Mirajane]

Hi Mira,

We those under 18 are not supposed to post their age.

Welcome!

How many did you set?

Oops, Sorry!
I set 10 at the start, then a neighbor gave me 4 to incubate for her. I have 14 in total.

 

[manicfarmer]

Here are some pics from my hatch. I got the breed number wrong before. 7 Dark Cornish/Rock X's, 4 Red Ranger/Rock X's and 6 Heritage RIRs. I had 21 in the brooder and 17 hatched. Not bad for a first time. You will also see a little bit bigger bird in there. He isn't counted in the hatch figures. He was in the bator with them but started early so he wasn't counted.


Pic of all the chicks in my cardboard box brooder.


Mostly the RIR's, happy to add some to my flock. I bought 6 on ebay, 9 were shipped and 6 hatched. Not bad for a newb with a cheepie bator off ebay from China.


The DC/Rock X's are my favs. This is my personal favorite, they have neat color patterns.


Another one of the DC Crosses, my second fav


The black ones are also the DC rock crosses, very cute


And I had to include the late little RIR runt that almost refused to hatch. He went into day 24 but I put him into the brooder this morning. He wasn't quite as fluffy as I would have liked but I have a dozen Silver Laced Wyandottes that I ordered that need to be put in the bator so he had to get out. He is doing well in the brooder so far.