Arizona Chickens

[Mahonri]

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They are beautiful. Even if I do say so myself!

Great job with incubation.

 

[ltdmom]

I had my incubator up and running a few days before putting the eggs in it. Things were fine and dandy but when I woke up this morning, the temp was down to 97. I don't know what might have caused the temp to drop. I wrapped a blanket around the bator and the temp is up to 98.4. I have heard the wafer control can be temperamental. Should I mess with it or just keep the bator wrapped up? Any suggestions?

 

[Mahonri]

If it's wrapped too much then you won't get the ventilation you need.
Give it a full 24 hours to try and stabilize, then if it's still too low you may need to try and up it a bit.
How many different thermometers are you using?

 

[NoSkiveez]

Today something interesting happened. My buff Orpington rooster laid an egg. I was a bit impressed. It was a big egg. Guess its safe to say he is a she. lol. One of my Wyandottes started laying yesterday. I'm.excited about that too.

 

[Mahonri]

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Back when I was having problems with my hovabator, I turned UP the AC to make it warmer in the room and it got warmer in the bator.

Then another time I put towels over the top, leaving the ventilation holes opened. That worked too.

 

[Mahonri]

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Had to be a big egg if you thought she was a roo.

Congrats.

 

[Gallo del Cielo]

We didn't get much rain where I am in Tucson, but the temps are fabulous! I went to MI for a few days and it feels like I brought the weather back with me.

Angie, I'm so sorry to hear about your losses. Do you have any further ideas about what might have gotten to them? Hearing about your experience has given me the motivation to change my roost arrangement yet again. I think I have a roosting situation somewhat like you describe and I've known it was a weak point in my defenses but I've avoided changing it because they seem to love it so much. I'm sure they'll love the new situation too once they get used to it.

gckiddhouse, thanks for that story about the roosters. I had no idea such things still occurred.

beverlyl, congratulations on the great hatch!

ArizonaNessa, that was great news to hear about your local fire station getting chickens!

pimachickens, welcome to BYC from another Tucsonan. Sorry to hear about your rooster situation.

Beckyhsinglsc, all might not be lost with your mealworms. The ants may not have gotten to the eggs and you might see new tiny worms in the next week or so. I don't remember if it was you or not that asked if the garage would be too hot for them and I didn't know at the time. So, to find out I put mine in the garage. I don't think it was too hot at all and it keeps all the other critters from getting at them. I'll keep them there from now on. Sorry I didn't post that experience earlier.

Bob's henhouse, thanks for the pics you posted earlier. The owl must have been pretty amazing to see right there.

 

[BrahmaRoo]

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That IS interesting
Big enough for a one-egg omelette?
I hope ours start laying soon. They aren't going near the nest box yet.

 

[BrahmaRoo]

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Just a little rain in AZ City/ Eloy last night. Sprinkling in Coolidge now. Maybe the cooler temps will prompt some laying activity?

 

[Bob's Henhouse]

Gallo Del Cielo, what is really amazing is to walk onto the patio and see it sitting 8 feet in front of you on your plant starter box right there on the patio eyeing the juveniles! I don't have a pic of that yet, it takes off as soon as I open the door.

It's only 90 degrees here at the moment, hard to get motivated to do a/c work when it's nice out.