Araucana thread anyone?

[n8ivetxn]

Thank you n8ivetxn, others have said the same thing to me about the araucana eggs. It appears that I will be ordering pullets and cockerals in my "spring future."

I didn't know before I ordered eggs though. I bought one set of eggs on ebay from a breeder and read through her reviews. She had quite nice reviews with several people waiting till hatch to give their review. Several said their eggs hatched. Also, she breeds with a tailed and a rumpless araucana. But I thought if I could at least get a blue egg even if it has a tail I'll be fine. I'll just order a few trios in the spring.

My second set isn't a breeder but they got their chickens from Lanae Cash. Very nice looking little flock. I want a blue, black and white trio and a red and white pair/trio to start with.

Sorry about your $400. You probably could have gotten a nice trio and shipped for that. Sounds like you're doing great developing you're flock. Good luck with you're new arrivals. Don't forget to post some pictures for us.

I love to look at araucana pics. Just sit and drool and then promptly go clean my phone. lol

Almost forgot. Do you mind if I ask why you set to 35% for humidity? Just want to learn. Thank you again for your response. Huggs, JuJu

I've wanted Araucanas for a while and I just couldn't wait any longer, so I thought, they can't be that much different than any other eggs....well, I think just shipped eggs in general are a bad start. Yes, I got 2 sets of eggs off ebay, Gary Ramey and Tammy Thomson, both sets were wrapped nicely and had good reviews posted. The other set, I ordered directly from the breeder, Edd Sheppard.

I want some Cash Duckwings!!! I've been meaning to email her, but I thought I'd wait a minute and see how these chicks turn out first....

You're correct, for $400 I could've gotten 4 or 5 really nice birds to start with, oh well, hindsight..... I just couldn't wait, you know how it is

In regards to the lower humidity, after reading posts on the hatching thread, it seemed to me the best way to hatch would be the "dry method" where you start with a low humidity, to help draw down moisture in the eggs. People seem to have much better hatch rates using dry method. You just start out with humidity between 25 - 35% and then bump it up to about 65 or more on day 18....but, in any case, watch the air sac development (when candling) and adjust your humidity as needed...

 

[JuJubeann]

Thank you n8ivetxn, I'll try to find the hatching thread and take a read. Maybe I'll try the dry meathod. Your babies are beautful! The little white one with his wings out is so cute. I love birds with personality.

 

[n8ivetxn]

Thank you n8ivetxn, I'll try to find the hatching thread and take a read. Maybe I'll try the dry method.

If you have trouble finding it, let me know and I'll copy and paste the link here for you... I should do that anyway!

I was trying to remember the name of one lady who is very sweet and helpful, its AmyLynn and some numbers, lol.... she's always on and has tons (I mean really!) tons of hands on, hatching experience.

Your babies are beautful! The little white one with his wings out is so cute. I love birds with personality.

Thank you, I wish I could take credit for them

..... I'm really excited to see how the white one develops.... I had to rehome my last flock because a hawk was picking them off. So for a year I didn't have any birds, I didn't realize how much I missed their little personalities

. Its nice to have them back on the farm!

 

[Ravynscroft]

Here you go...

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/1081034/hands-on-hatching-and-help

It's AmyLynn2374's thread... I help out on it as well, lol...
Along with RubyNala97, WVduckchick, FridayYet, and Pyxis, among others... always good help there for any that need it in incubating and hatching...

 

[JuJubeann]

I've read several threads so far and I understand it better now. It seems that keeping a close eye on the air sac is key (imo not that I have much experience lol) and with little experience it's hard to say how much to adjust humidity.

The little experience I do have is with quail. My first hatch was 120 quail eggs and I kept getting temperature spikes. During the process my humidity was all over the place. Pouring water into the reservoirs, sponges,bowls of water didn't work for me. However, over the next 3 hatches I've learn to control the humidity and I noticed I don't have temp fluctuations either. So for me, control the humidity helped me control my temperature. My Bator heater is accurate and never fluctuates over .5 degrees. However, the hygrometer is off by 10%. I use an external hygrometer and go by it.

On my first hatch I had 50% hatch rate. Second hatch 67% hatch rate. Third hatch 78%. My first chicken eggs I just hatches was 7/16. However, 4 weren't fertile, 2 had wonkie air sacs, and two died around day 18, and 1 had a blood ring. These eggs were shipped cross country. The last egg to hatch couldn't get free. After waiting almost 24 hours I decided to help. He tried and tried and couldn't get free. Long story short he was easy to free...nothing dried on him but he was huge. The membrane was thicker than rest and stretched like crazy. The two that died I suspect because they were so big but that's just my guess. Still that was a good hatch to me considering shipping and lack of experience.

I've read taking the eggs out to candle won't hurt them before lockdown with a few precautions of course. Maybe.. lol ... maybe I'll candle them periodically this time with dry hatching. Or maybe on the next hatch....lol. Thanks for all of your help.

Hawks, oh dear birds of prey... the reason I wouldn't keep chickens for over 20 years. Over 20 years...thats as far as im willing to take it...lol. I completely understand how you feel. Trust me I do.

 

[n8ivetxn]

I've read several threads so far and I understand it better now. It seems that keeping a close eye on the air sac is key (imo not that I have much experience lol) and with little experience it's hard to say how much to adjust humidity.

The little experience I do have is with quail. My first hatch was 120 quail eggs and I kept getting temperature spikes. During the process my humidity was all over the place. Pouring water into the reservoirs, sponges,bowls of water didn't work for me. However, over the next 3 hatches I've learn to control the humidity and I noticed I don't have temp fluctuations either. So for me, control the humidity helped me control my temperature. My Bator heater is accurate and never fluctuates over .5 degrees. However, the hygrometer is off by 10%. I use an external hygrometer and go by it.

On my first hatch I had 50% hatch rate. Second hatch 67% hatch rate. Third hatch 78%. My first chicken eggs I just hatches was 7/16. However, 4 weren't fertile, 2 had wonkie air sacs, and two died around day 18, and 1 had a blood ring. These eggs were shipped cross country. The last egg to hatch couldn't get free. After waiting almost 24 hours I decided to help. He tried and tried and couldn't get free. Long story short he was easy to free...nothing dried on him but he was huge. The membrane was thicker than rest and stretched like crazy. The two that died I suspect because they were so big but that's just my guess. Still that was a good hatch to me considering shipping and lack of experience.

LOL, you have more experience than me

.... Your hatch rates seem really good, to me, especially for the shipped eggs...... Temp and humidity do affect each other, and also, the number of air holes you have can make it a challenge to control (I have a home made cooler bator).

Your Araucana eggs come in today?!

Well, I hope they arrive in good condition!

I've read taking the eggs out to candle won't hurt them before lockdown with a few precautions of course. Maybe.. lol ... maybe I'll candle them periodically this time with dry hatching. Or maybe on the next hatch....lol. Thanks for all of your help.

AmyLynn candles her eggs every day, up to hatch. She's very much "hands on." She wrote an article about it... interesting stuff. Think of it this way, the hen gets off her nest every day, there is no "lockdown!"

Hawks, oh dear birds of prey... the reason I wouldn't keep chickens for over 20 years. Over 20 years...thats as far as im willing to take it...lol. I completely understand how you feel. Trust me I do.

.....They are dirty birds. It took me a while to figure out what was happening. I had sheep in the same pasture where the chickens were ranging and they would be untouched. I couldn't understand what would go after a chicken but not a lamb....A hawk. I saw him sitting on a fence post one day. So, I rehomed my girls

 

[JuJubeann]

My eggs did not arrive... I pm'd the seller and she was very helpful. She told me not to worry just yet. She said the eggs were fresh and would be fine when they get here on Monday. She was kind enough to tell me if the box was damaged to refuse and return to sender. She said she would reship at that point. I had to go ahead and incubate the eggs I have now. Also means I have to buy another incubator. Dreading breaking that news to my hubby just yet. lol

He's in the process of building my chicken village. So far he has 3 runs with doors for sectioning off and they can all join together if I want. He's on the second coop presently. I'll make one more coop and then add a community aviary if they all get along. Our space is limited so the runs are 3 feet tall and the coops sit on top. Then we have designed and already purchased supplies to build a separate unit for the hospital, jail, and broody hen room. It's slow going though and I'm really ready to be done with it.

Plus it's time to cull my quail and more ready in about two weeks. Not enough time in the daylight now to get it done. lol I'm feeling a but overwhelmed.

Both people I ordered eggs from have been very nice so I'm hopeful yet not expecting too much. Well than I'm going crazy wondering if my eggs are too cold, where they are, and does the driver even care. Other than that I'm ok... lol

 

[n8ivetxn]

Here you go...

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/1081034/hands-on-hatching-and-help

It's AmyLynn2374's thread... I help out on it as well, lol...
Along with RubyNala97, WVduckchick, FridayYet, and Pyxis, among others... always good help there for any that need it in incubating and hatching...

Yes! That's what we needed! Thank you.... Oh yes, RubyNala, she was on there a lot and I thought I remembered you being there too ....

Great people, it's funny, after a bit you begin to feel like you'd recognize them if you saw them in the grocery store, lol....

I sure wish my hatches had gone better. Man, that is stressful. I practically sat on those eggs myself!

You'd think they were my own children

..... I cannot wait until warm weather and some pullets lay some nice eggs.... chicks galore at my place (hopefully!) I live a low carb lifestyle, so I eat a lot of eggs. I thought I was going to be eating some farm fresh eggs, but now I can't think of eating one single Araucana egg, lol! They're all going in an incubator or under a broody!

My eggs did not arrive...

I pm'd the seller and she was very helpful. She told me not to worry just yet. She said the eggs were fresh and would be fine when they get here on Monday. She was kind enough to tell me if the box was damaged to refuse and return to sender. She said she would reship at that point. I had to go ahead and incubate the eggs I have now. Also means I have to buy another incubator. Dreading breaking that news to my hubby just yet. lol

I am so sorry. She may be right, but its still hard to wait.... Yeah, Hubbies don't always take chicken (or sheep!) stuff as well as we'd like, lol!

He's in the process of building my chicken village. So far he has 3 runs with doors for sectioning off and they can all join together if I want. He's on the second coop presently. I'll make one more coop and then add a community aviary if they all get along. Our space is limited so the runs are 3 feet tall and the coops sit on top. Then we have designed and already purchased supplies to build a separate unit for the hospital, jail, and broody hen room. It's slow going though and I'm really ready to be done with it.

I am sooo jealous! That's what I want, but I'm afraid to tell him, lol! He just bought me a nice ring, but after this I'll be divorced before we get married

 

[LluviaChic77]

My eggs did not arrive... I pm'd the seller and she was very helpful. She told me not to worry just yet. She said the eggs were fresh and would be fine when they get here on Monday. She was kind enough to tell me if the box was damaged to refuse and return to sender. She said she would reship at that point. I had to go ahead and incubate the eggs I have now. Also means I have to buy another incubator. Dreading breaking that news to my hubby just yet. lol

Both people I ordered eggs from have been very nice so I'm hopeful yet not expecting too much. Well than I'm going crazy wondering if my eggs are too cold, where they are, and does the driver even care. Other than that I'm ok... lol

How did your hatches turn out JuJubeann??? Hopefully good! Merry Christmas to all you araucana fanciers!

 

[JuJubeann]

#9329 of 9329
a day ago
LluviaChic77
Quote:
Originally Posted by JuJubeann View Post

My eggs did not arrive... sad.png I pm'd the seller and she was very helpful. She told me not to worry just yet. She said the eggs were fresh and would be fine when they get here on Monday. She was kind enough to tell me if the box was damaged to refuse and return to sender. She said she would reship at that point. I had to go ahead and incubate the eggs I have now. Also means I have to buy another incubator. Dreading breaking that news to my hubby just yet. lol

Both people I ordered eggs from have been very nice so I'm hopeful yet not expecting too much. Well than I'm going crazy wondering if my eggs are too cold, where they are, and does the driver even care. Other than that I'm ok... lol

How did your hatches turn out JuJubeann??? Hopefully good! Merry Christmas to all you araucana fanciers!B]

The first set of 8 didn't have any fertile eggs. Of the 6 cream leg bars only one was fertile but it didn't hatch. It was due on the 24th and I still have it in the incubator. The second set has 8 out of 12 eggs that are fertile. They are due on tomorrow. It's only a few hours away and 3 have pipped. I'm tired and want to go to bed it's been a long day but I'm too excited to sleep. I'm afraid I'll miss something I could have helped. lol I have the incubator in the bedroom with me now as well as my little Mille fleur cochin bantam and my silver laced cochin bantams. They are almost 4 weeks and soooo sweet. I've taken them outside the last two days and let them forage since it's been so warm here. They don't last but about 30 minutes and then come running to me to pick them up. I'll try to post some pics of them tomorrow and an update on my araucanas. I'm hopeful and maybe I'll have some good luck. Ok, I'm really going outta my mind.lol

Hope you all had a wonderful Christmas and you're blessed throughout the year! <3

I've got to learn how to quote. That didn't work out for me.