Anyone doing a later year hatch that wants to share stories,experiences and pics?

[KikiLeigh02]

I'm so sorry. That is heartbreaking. Poor Inna. Did she go right back to her eggs after you got her fixed up?

 

[8 Chicks 1967]

the eggs we gave Farria and Rosie are good. Inna just took a hit. that's the first time in almost 2 years we have had a problem and it had to be last night..Shake...my.. head.

 

[8 Chicks 1967]

I'm so sorry. That is heartbreaking. Poor Inna. Did she go right back to her eggs after you got her fixed up?

yes, she is a trooper. very good hen. We cleaned her box and tended to her wounds.

 

[tripletfeb]

I think you made the right decision in disposing of the snake. It would have come back for an egg dinner. Hope all the eggs hatch and Inna gets better soon!

 

[Flamens Farm]

I feel your sorrow about your eggs and your sweet Inna getting hurt. Hope the rest of their set goes without any more problems for them or you. 3 days ago while we were sleeping a dog dug a hole under 2 of my pens, mind you I have the fence between 6 to 8 inches deep in the ground, she massacred 4 of my 3 months old there and then got my mama guinea and her mate in the other pen. I put the last of my mama guinea eggs in the incubator and have my fingers crossed I can hatch the last of her children. I currently have 15 of her babies about 4 weeks old. I took the dog to the SPCA and told them what she did, gave them a donation and went home and buried my babies. I still do not have all the feathers cleaned up, what a mess!!

 

[KikiLeigh02]

Yay! Glad she's doing ok, hopefully all her others will hatch. My eggies are in the incubator! I had a little trouble with the humidity so I just got the set this morning! I wanted to try dry incubation this time, right now it's running @ 35% humidity. It was at 28% before I put the eggs in, so we'll see how it goes! I'll be happy if I can keep it between 25-35.

 

[BreanneRN]

So, day one went as bad as it could possibly be. I went down before work to feed them some grapes and some left over watermelon and as I approached I hear Inna fussing about something.

I open the door to see a 4 1/2 foot Black snake. My heart fell in my pants and then protective parent kicked in. She was fighting the snake and kicked it my way. I grabbed the snake without thinking and threw it into the yard behind me. I looked at Inna and she had a bloody face and 3 of the eggs were broken. That's when pissed mode kicked in.

I know it's not the snake's fault. It's just acting on natural instinct and hunting for food but, I just got those eggs that was very costly and one of my girls were hurt.

I usually just relocate black snakes as they are helpful more than hurtful but since this one knows where my hens nests are, I disposed of this one.

I guess I will get blasted over this one but, what would you have done? Inna still had 5 eggs left and I cleaned her up and put some medicated save one her face.

Forget being blasted here, we are with you! When that snake upgraded his diet from rats/mice to chicken eggs and chicken, time for him to go! Better he shouldn't be around when the hatchlings happen... Be glad he's gone!And happy hatching!

 

[8 Chicks 1967]

I feel your sorrow about your eggs and your sweet Inna getting hurt. Hope the rest of their set goes without any more problems for them or you. 3 days ago while we were sleeping a dog dug a hole under 2 of my pens, mind you I have the fence between 6 to 8 inches deep in the ground, she massacred 4 of my 3 months old there and then got my mama guinea and her mate in the other pen. I put the last of my mama guinea eggs in the incubator and have my fingers crossed I can hatch the last of her children. I currently have 15 of her babies about 4 weeks old. I took the dog to the SPCA and told them what she did, gave them a donation and went home and buried my babies. I still do not have all the feathers cleaned up, what a mess!!

wow, sorry for your loss. we too have our wire about 6 inches down and another layer about 12 inches out with rock on top. I guess even if you plan well and you own outside birds eventually you will have a loss. still doesn't make it any easier.

 

[8 Chicks 1967]

Yay! Glad she's doing ok, hopefully all her others will hatch. My eggies are in the incubator! I had a little trouble with the humidity so I just got the set this morning! I wanted to try dry incubation this time, right now it's running @ 35% humidity. It was at 28% before I put the eggs in, so we'll see how it goes! I'll be happy if I can keep it between 25-35.

Nice looking lot.

 

[8 Chicks 1967]

Everyone is good today. Going to try and candle some eggs Tuesday evening. I will post pics. I spent the day buttoning up any possibly way for most things to impede this process. good grief. The coops are standing on 4x4's built out of 2x4's and 2x6 siding. I have chicken wire with hardware cloth over that. I have wire 8 inches in the ground and another wire 12 inches out with rocks over that with tin roofs. still not bullet proof. I start thinking about the coops in a box from TSC and I start shaking my head.