April Hatch Thread--Come Join Us!

[Arkansas81]

I set 24 of my eggs tonight...I might set another 12 tomorrow if I get another 4 to put in with the 8 ive already gotten. Getting my other 2 bators tomorrow to be able to switch back and forth with incubating and hatching. The 2 big things I'm trying out differently is ive put the eggs in an egg carton -styrofoam with the top cut off for air flow and keeping my humidity 30-40%. Last time I laid them in there on there sides..I felt as I was hand turning I was taking to long and the eggs were being tumbled around to much.

Last time all 43 eggs set made it to lock down but then only 13 hatched so I was wondering if having my humidity up a tiny bit might help the chicks to not be so big when they hatched. My humidity ran between 20-30% till day 18 then I upped it to around 80% till they hatched. Only 2 died while pipping, the others never even started. As this next round develops -I will keep updating.

Lets the insanity begin......

 

[MayDayMel]

Everyone is talking about their animals so I have to brag about my guard-cat. He is 3 yrs old and 18lbs. A few weeks ago I had to leave for the ER and didn't put the top on our grow-out brooder. So chickens got out, but he herded them and kept an eye out for them- never hurt one! I came home to him batting at one trying to get it back in the brooder. I will have to find the updated picture and put it on here

 

[hokankai]

Would you mind posting the link signature don't show up for me using the ipad. I find the live ones so interesting

Sure thing! You can "follow" my channel and it will notify you whenever I go live: http://www.ustream.tv/channel/kaitlynhokanson3

I'll post it again when it goes live, which will be on Saturday I think

 

[Serenity Lane]

Everyone is talking about their animals so I have to brag about my guard-cat. He is 3 yrs old and 18lbs. A few weeks ago I had to leave for the ER and didn't put the top on our grow-out brooder. So chickens got out, but he herded them and kept an eye out for them- never hurt one! I came home to him batting at one trying to get it back in the brooder. I will have to find the updated picture and put it on here

That is awesome! I have my chicks in the tack room in my barn in a large dog cage with a heat lamp hanging from above and wood leaned up on all 4 sides to help keep out drafts. Almost every time I go out to feed, my barn cats are stalking the chicks, some looking in the side over the wood, some laying on the top of the cage looking down inside. They haven't done anything wrong yet but they have got me worried. They're very playful and not mean at all so I'm hoping they just want to play. The chicks are white leghorns, RHRs and silkies. I think the leghorns and RHRs will be fine, it's the silkies I'm worried about.

In this picture the front wood was moved to open the door to change food/water. Oh, and there are only 3 cats in this picture. I actually have 3 indoor/outdoor cats who I don't think I have to worry about, 2 feral cats born in my barn who, after a lot of time and work, are the friendliest, plop on their back for a tummy rub type kitties.. Here's where the possible problem comes in.. There are 6 more feral cats that live and eat in my barn and even follow me around while I'm working, heck, one of them lived in my house for an entire winter (via the cat door) and I still can't touch her. I feed any cat who wants to eat. I've even had other people's house cats come to my barn to eat. There was a male cat who came around a little but I caught him fighting with one of my cats. I yelled at him and told him that only friendly animals are allowed at Serenity Lane. Yea, I'm sure he had no idea what I yelled at him but he's been back lately a d nicer than ever.. Go figure, I guess he can stay.
Another couple of thoughts.. Maybe the cats are simply trying to warm up. Or maybe they are upset because I'm using their feeding area for the chicks (both in the tack room.) maybe ill start feeding the cats in a spare stall I have. Yea, I need to make everyone friends here. I should tell the cats "the dogs don't eat you so you can't eat the chickens!"

 

[Loghousemom]

That is awesome! I have my chicks in the tack room in my barn in a large dog cage with a heat lamp hanging from above and wood leaned up on all 4 sides to help keep out drafts. Almost every time I go out to feed, my barn cats are stalking the chicks, some looking in the side over the wood, some laying on the top of the cage looking down inside. They haven't done anything wrong yet but they have got me worried. They're very playful and not mean at all so I'm hoping they just want to play. The chicks are white leghorns, RHRs and silkies. I think the leghorns and RHRs will be fine, it's the silkies I'm worried about.
In this picture the front wood was moved to open the door to change food/water. Oh, and there are only 3 cats in this picture. I actually have 3 indoor/outdoor cats who I don't think I have to worry about, 2 feral cats born in my barn who, after a lot of time and work, are the friendliest, plop on their back for a tummy rub type kitties.. Here's where the possible problem comes in.. There are 6 more feral cats that live and eat in my barn and even follow me around while I'm working, heck, one of them lived in my house for an entire winter (via the cat door) and I still can't touch her. I feed any cat who wants to eat. I've even had other people's house cats come to my barn to eat. There was a male cat who came around a little but I caught him fighting with one of my cats. I yelled at him and told him that only friendly animals are allowed at Serenity Lane. Yea, I'm sure he had no idea what I yelled at him but he's been back lately a d nicer than ever.. Go figure, I guess he can stay.
Another couple of thoughts.. Maybe the cats are simply trying to warm up. Or maybe they are upset because I'm using their feeding area for the chicks (both in the tack room.) maybe ill start feeding the cats in a spare stall I have. Yea, I need to make everyone friends here. I should tell the cats "the dogs don't eat you so you can't eat the chickens!"

At my house I tell the dogs... "those are my cats. those are my chickens." They have not bothered the chickens. They like to play with the cats.
I tell the cats. "those are my chickens" So far everyone is friends.
I tell the rooster "those are my chickens" He has not challenged me in about 3 weeks. He leaves my daughters alone. He does not like one dog,and does tolerate the cats.

 

[PugBug]

Everyone is talking about their animals so I have to brag about my guard-cat. He is 3 yrs old and 18lbs. A few weeks ago I had to leave for the ER and didn't put the top on our grow-out brooder. So chickens got out, but he herded them and kept an eye out for them- never hurt one! I came home to him batting at one trying to get it back in the brooder.

I will have to find the updated picture and put it on here

What a good boy!

 

[pogmobum]

BEAUTIFUL!! I had just noticed the picture and was going to ask...King Charles Cavalier?

Yep there basically just big lumps but there very loyal

Hi. I have some questions and concerns about my eggs. Today is day 7 and i candeled them, but only one had veing. Quite a few had this black spot in them though, my guess was maybe those eggs were developed more and the dark spot was from the developing baby chicks. This is my first time incubating so i dont really know what to think of it. Sorry if the picture were bad I had a hard time taking them. And btw not all of the pics are of one egg.

I couldn't see any in mine until i checked again at day 10 with some eggs its just hard sometimes i would leave them and if they are all dark on the 18th day you'l know to definitely keep them

Everyone is talking about their animals so I have to brag about my guard-cat. He is 3 yrs old and 18lbs. A few weeks ago I had to leave for the ER and didn't put the top on our grow-out brooder. So chickens got out, but he herded them and kept an eye out for them- never hurt one! I came home to him batting at one trying to get it back in the brooder. I will have to find the updated picture and put it on here

Your so lucky mine wouldn't even let the chick last long enough for me to take a cute photo, i recently had to put a bell on her to try and give the wild birds an advantage.

That is awesome! I have my chicks in the tack room in my barn in a large dog cage with a heat lamp hanging from above and wood leaned up on all 4 sides to help keep out drafts. Almost every time I go out to feed, my barn cats are stalking the chicks, some looking in the side over the wood, some laying on the top of the cage looking down inside. They haven't done anything wrong yet but they have got me worried. They're very playful and not mean at all so I'm hoping they just want to play. The chicks are white leghorns, RHRs and silkies. I think the leghorns and RHRs will be fine, it's the silkies I'm worried about.

In this picture the front wood was moved to open the door to change food/water. Oh, and there are only 3 cats in this picture. I actually have 3 indoor/outdoor cats who I don't think I have to worry about, 2 feral cats born in my barn who, after a lot of time and work, are the friendliest, plop on their back for a tummy rub type kitties.. Here's where the possible problem comes in.. There are 6 more feral cats that live and eat in my barn and even follow me around while I'm working, heck, one of them lived in my house for an entire winter (via the cat door) and I still can't touch her. I feed any cat who wants to eat. I've even had other people's house cats come to my barn to eat. There was a male cat who came around a little but I caught him fighting with one of my cats. I yelled at him and told him that only friendly animals are allowed at Serenity Lane. Yea, I'm sure he had no idea what I yelled at him but he's been back lately a d nicer than ever.. Go figure, I guess he can stay. Another couple of thoughts.. Maybe the cats are simply trying to warm up. Or maybe they are upset because I'm using their feeding area for the chicks (both in the tack room.) maybe ill start feeding the cats in a spare stall I have. Yea, I need to make everyone friends here. I should tell the cats "the dogs don't eat you so you can't eat the chickens!"

I would say they look like they are trying to keep warm and enjoying chick television lol

 

[animaladdictions]

It's REALLY HARD to get good candling pics! I wanted to show what an egg at five days candling looks like but I don't know if anyone will be able to see much. You can see the horizontal line...the top half is the yolk and growing embryo and the bottom half is what you'd consider the white of the egg. Once you get the hang of candling and know what to look for, you can pretty much tell by day 3 what is fertile and what is not. Even so, don't toss them until day 10 to be on the safe side. If you're unsure on day 10, keep them in there. It won't hurt anything. At this stage, if the egg was infertile, the yolk wouldn't be taking up this much space and wouldn't be spread so perfectly along the shell like it is here. In an infertile egg there is a shadow, but it's smaller and seems to float around when you gently roll the egg. I hope I'm not confusing anyone! I always liked the motto....If in doubt, DON'T throw it out!

 

[animaladdictions]

Arkansas, I just read your sig.... Did you realize you put $50.00 for shipping a dozen eggs? If so, why are you asking so much? Is that like a "same day delivery" price or something?

 

[animaladdictions]

Nevermind...I re-read it...it says express. Still though, I didn't think the PO was charging that much now. Geez, with the prices they charge, you'd think they'd do a better job of getting eggs to people safely!