Anyone setting eggs May 1st?

[mollybuck]

Molly, someone seems to be hatching twins...

http://www.ustream.tv/channel/thechickenchick

CG

OH SWEET!!! Her twins are hatching!! I cant watch from here...but I hope she has good luck with them!!

and I wonder why my email didnt alert me to any of the new post to this thread!!??

i candled a couple of mine last night.. just a few random and the twins and there is good viening in them!! woot woot! trying not to get my hopes up, but I should post a picture of the size of this egg!

Oh.. and one of my silkies went broody over the weekend. I looked this morning and she is still there, which is the longestest shes stayed.. so I will look tonight and see what and how many she is sitting on!! they should be 3 days behind the ones in my bator!!

She was so cute growling at me this morning..

 

[joyfulkeeper]

I'm so excited for all of you!

I set a dozen duck eggs on May 1st in our new homemade incubator that DH made. They are due to hatch on the 29th. I just candled them and they all look good!

On the 8th, I'm planning on adding some chicken eggs so they can all hatch at the same time.

I also have 8 chicken eggs under a broody that should hatch on the 16th.

These are our first hatches ever. The kids seem just as excited and nervous as I am. When Ms Broody-butt (as they nicknamed her) gets off her nest, they stand guard and watch over her and the eggs until she is settled again.

 

[randerson846]

Does anybody know if ducklings would be able to drink and eat from these

 

[joyfulkeeper]

Does anybody know if ducklings would be able to drink and eat from these

They would be able to eat and drink but the waterer isn't deep enough to keep them healthy. Ducklings need to be able to dunk their heads enough to wash their nares and eyes regularly.

I'll see if I have a pic of our last set up when my kids are done with the computer.

 

[randerson846]

Ok thanks

 

[joyfulkeeper]

Another thing to think about is if you'll use ACV in the water or do fermented feed, you don't want to use anything galvanized.

 

[mollybuck]

X2 on the galvanized. ..I found out the hard way!

I used that water for the first week with the ducks. Now they use the 2 gallon waterer... and I think they have water fights when I am not around!

 

[randerson846]

Ok so I shouldn't get anything galvanised and Turns out I might have a broody, I went out to collect the eggs in earlier about 6, and the hen was sitting on them, i lifted her to see how many there was I thought she was laying so I left her, I came back at 8 and she was still sitting on them, so I came at 9 and she was sitting on them, so I lifted her and put her in a separate smaller coop, and put the eggs in with her, and put some food and water near her, so I'll see tomorrow if she is still sitting on them (there is nine btw) she is an isa brown hen I hear they aren't good mothers or they don't sit, any ideas

 

[mollybuck]

Ah!!! My dear children mean well.. but ...they get home from school and run right to the coop. My 14 year old collected eggs, she took the ones out from under my broody!!! So, it's been hours since til I just noticed. All the eggs are in the fridge and she didn't know which were which so we just threw away a dozen eggs.

My daughter felt so bad but I guess she didn't understand what.."leave snowball alone, she is sitting on eggs",meant.

 

[Bogtown Chick]

Oh no, Molly. Well looks like you'll be closer with us now. My daughter is down at the coop now with Dixie. Holding her waterer right to the nest box. And Dixie is drinking and drinking. I bought a piece of Plexy glass today and am going to get more light in that Hutch. I'm sure the darkness helps with her broodiness...but I'd like her to see a bit better in there. There is a vent like area that lets in light...but I'm sure it's still dim in there.

randerson a good test of broodiness for me has been roosting time. Does the hen spend the night in the nest box or jump up and roost with the others in her usual spot. If you have some golf balls for her to tend to to ensure she'll set...that would be another good test to see if she's for real or if she's putting on a show. One thing I've noticed with Dixie over the last two weeks is her locking in harder and harder to the nest. First 3 days she got up a couple times to do her thing outside. Day 3 she was pretty certain of what she wanted to do. Week 1 up once in the morning for Broody poos, drinks, scratches in the dirt and outside. Week 2 leaving the nest fewer times once every couple days. And right now she's been solid on that new nest. No broody poo today at all....thirsty...she's ate some moistened food...but very little. I plucked some grass and clover shoots for her...ate just a bit of that....

And that sweet bird...has not bit anybody...at all or made no attempt either. Just a bit growly is all.