August Hatch-A-Long

[aliciaplus3]

Went out to gather eggs after an exceptionally difficult day, and heard cheeping...... yup crazy broodys managed to hatch 5 babies.... one looks like they tried to scalp it.... 2 of the babies were hiding under the boxes. Got the 2 hens that had babies under them tucked into separate boxes with their babies and they looked content. Of course it was dark so maybe they will take to being mamas and be done sitting for a while. Pics tomorrow when I have some light

 

[Kris5902]

No I need all the help I can get! I’ve put together a pretty detailed but simple survey I’ve given out to almost everyone I know. I want to make sure i straddle the line well between what I want to produce and what the market wants.

I’ve also been BEYOND amazed at the helpfulness and kindness of my local health department and my state health department. I can sell and do pickup at farmers markets with just my usda processed meat, but I have to have an individual building that can be considered a “store front” on property that can’t house livestock that has a mop sink and a bathroom and they’ll give me a license to sell to the public. I have to have that for any on farm pickups or deliveries.

So far, the local folks have been very encouraging. The only problem is the county Ag officer won’t allow me an agriculture property exemption in the county I want to stay in for pastured poultry. He “only allows Ag exemption for poultry houses for Tyson” and he told me that to my face. I said, so if I build a 20,000 square foot building for 100,000 chickens and let a corporation take all my profits you’ll consider tax benefits for farming but if I pasture poultry for the local community you won’t? And he just looked at me.

All I want to do now is raise enough to offset my chicken costs for myself. But I also want to have the property i would need to expand if everything falls into line.

It’s great that so much of your community is supportive, maybe you could also look at other ventures to get the ag tax exemptions? Chick sales, maybe a small market garden, or whatever other agricultural endeavor they will support short of joining the big poultry cult. We know people who keep 8-10 ewes, borrow our ram, and sell the lambs (ready to eat) just to keep their agriculture zoning for tax purposes, or that sell us hay, we do all the work, get the hay, and they get the tax benefits. It all depends on your local requirements though, and I’m in a different country, so I have no clue what would be needed for you.

 

[ScottyGill]

Hi I’m on lockdown with 4 maran eggs. That’s all that made it. Have scared myself reading maran eggs are the most likely to die at hatching and don’t know if your the guys to say this to as you seem so full on incubating fans but I will help if I need to. Can anyone cast an eye on my air cell markings. My humidity has been roughly 30-40 and now I added two small damp sponges and it’s sittings about 70. I really struggled the last time getting humidity right and it kept going too high and I did have fatalities. Little bit, lot a bit, worried now!

 

[Kris5902]

That’s SO COOL! That’s what I want to do to set up a solar exhaust fan for our coop! I’m having a hard time figuring out how to do it though. Any resources you can recommend?

One book I like, which is adaptable to different smaller applications is “mobile solar power made easy” by William prowse. It’s more geared to RV and camper vans, but has some good basic info in an easy to understand format... it also covers some 12volt dc applications (fuse box for vent fans and lights etc) as well as running an inverter. Best of all, you can get it as an ebook for cheap!

It’s funny b/c the brinsea heat plates actually run on DC and require a converter... so I’m taking the dc turning it to ac with the inverter, then back to dc for the plate. Not the most efficient set up, but neither is lugging my batteries from the trailer and solar to the barn to run them! Of course I have to clean my inverter up because someone (3 someone’s actually) pooped all over it!

 

[Kris5902]

I have a weird air cell, in one of the Ameraucana eggs, sorry for the crummy pic, this time my mom is to blame for it, not DH!

It sort of looks like this (pic of other eggs collected this morning) and I though I saw some movement in the red marked area. It’s really a small air cell with irregular borders but I see lots of veins

 

[CluckNDoodle]

Hi I’m on lockdown with 4 maran eggs. That’s all that made it. Have scared myself reading maran eggs are the most likely to die at hatching and don’t know if your the guys to say this to as you seem so full on incubating fans but I will help if I need to. Can anyone cast an eye on my air cell markings. My humidity has been roughly 30-40 and now I added two small damp sponges and it’s sittings about 70. I really struggled the last time getting humidity right and it kept going too high and I did have fatalities. Little bit, lot a bit, worried now!

The air cells look a little big from dry incubating in the beginning but if your on hatch day then the air cell will start to draw back anyway!
I have heard some people say Marans are hard to hatch but I haven't really had an issue personally. I was told by too different breeders that a slightly higher humidity is beneficial to Marans and I would agree that every time I've hatched them, the membrane seems to darken before they hatch and I've had to do a simple assist at the very end for some that weren't able the tear the last bit of dry membrane. I think it's because they seem to be slower hatchers. So 70% may be just right because I usually sit around 65% for hatch day.
Also, I don't think I've ever lost a Marans after lockdown and I've hatched a lot of chicks. To me, they just require a little more monitoring. Good luck with your hatch!!!

 

[CluckNDoodle]

I have a weird air cell, in one of the Ameraucana eggs, sorry for the crummy pic, this time my mom is to blame for it, not DH!
View attachment 1877356

It sort of looks like this (pic of other eggs collected this morning) and I though I saw some movement in the red marked area. It’s really a small air cell with irregular borders but I see lots of veins

View attachment 1877357

I have a few weird air cells in my shipped eggs too from the shaking causing the air cell to detach. If you see development then hopefully they'll be just fine!

 

[jolenesdad]

Hi I’m on lockdown with 4 maran eggs. That’s all that made it. Have scared myself reading maran eggs are the most likely to die at hatching and don’t know if your the guys to say this to as you seem so full on incubating fans but I will help if I need to. Can anyone cast an eye on my air cell markings. My humidity has been roughly 30-40 and now I added two small damp sponges and it’s sittings about 70. I really struggled the last time getting humidity right and it kept going too high and I did have fatalities. Little bit, lot a bit, worried now!

Looks pretty good I agree with @CluckNDoodle they are a tad large but the also look drawn down to me.

The air cells look a little big from dry incubating in the beginning but if your on hatch day then the air cell will start to draw back anyway!
I have heard some people say Marans are hard to hatch but I haven't really had an issue personally. I was told by too different breeders that a slightly higher humidity is beneficial to Marans and I would agree that every time I've hatched them, the membrane seems to darken before they hatch and I've had to do a simple assist at the very end for some that weren't able the tear the last bit of dry membrane. I think it's because they seem to be slower hatchers. So 70% may be just right because I usually sit around 65% for hatch day.
Also, I don't think I've ever lost a Marans after lockdown and I've hatched a lot of chicks. To me, they just require a little more monitoring. Good luck with your hatch!!!

I’ve never had marans issues either for those that make it to hatch.

Ive heard the entire range for marans with humidity. But then my last marans eggs came with specific instructions to dry hatch for the best results and a page I follow on Instagram hatches dry and doesn’t add water for lockdown or hatch either with marans.

I think we all worry a bit much.

 

[ScottyGill]

Looks pretty good I agree with @CluckNDoodle they are a tad large but the also look drawn down to me.


I’ve never had marans issues either for those that make it to hatch.

Ive heard the entire range for marans with humidity. But then my last marans eggs came with specific instructions to dry hatch for the best results and a page I follow on Instagram hatches dry and doesn’t add water for lockdown or hatch either with marans.

I think we all worry a bit much.

I asked for advice on air cell size day 14 and was told it was all good!!! Okay have got my kit, tweezers. Cotton buds, coconut oil. I've heard and read entire range so tried to do what I did as I had a maran/legbar hatch out of a maran egg the most easily last time. I'm going to go review the excellent article on when and how to help. Being so prepared I hope it isn't necessary.

 

[jolenesdad]

I asked for advice on air cell size day 14 and was told it was all good!!! Okay have got my kit, tweezers. Cotton buds, coconut oil. I've heard and read entire range so tried to do what I did as I had a maran/legbar hatch out of a maran egg the most easily last time. I'm going to go review the excellent article on when and how to help. Being so prepared I hope it isn't necessary.

It’s always better to be a little large than small. And like I said I really think your eggs are drawing down and that’s why they look maybe a bit larger. I think they’re going to hatch perfectly.