Australia - Six states..and that funny little island.

[Fancychooklady]

Hey Fancy. How goes the talented one ?!

She did very well in the emerald series finishing 13th against some very stiff competition. The winner was Chris Chugg, 6 time Olympic medalist on a million dollar stallion. She's quite happy with her little $500 thoroughbred placing that well in a field of 120 . They are all having a well deserved rest before the next competition.

 

[satay]

Funny how we form different views on different breeds depending on personal experience.

So true. My one and only isa miracle is a sweet girl and gets along with everyone..

 

[satay]

She did very well in the emerald series finishing 13th against some very stiff competition. The winner was Chris Chugg, 6 time Olympic medalist on a million dollar stallion. She's quite happy with her little $500 thoroughbred placing that well in a field of 120 . They are all having a well deserved rest before the next competition.

 

[satay]

Thanks satay. I've got the incubator telling me it's at 39% and my hygrometer telling me it's at 47% so guess even in the middle is okay.

The instructions say I should be at 55% which could be 65% if it's my hygrometer that's right not the incubators. Would means I could be as high as 75% at lockdown when they say to put it up to 65% if I follow the incubator and it's the one that's wrong.

I would follow the hydrometer. 55% would be to high for the first 18 days. Where you have it now would be fine. I would go by around 65% for the lockdown. A little less or a little more is ok. When they start to hatch the humidity will go through the roof. Don't worry though as that is normal. Mine was on 78% once the first chick was out for most of the last hatch.

 

[appps]

I would follow the hydrometer. 55% would be to high for the first 18 days. Where you have it now would be fine. I would go by around 65% for the lockdown. A little less or a little more is ok. When they start to hatch the humidity will go through the roof. Don't worry though as that is normal. Mine was on 78% once the first chick was out for most of the last hatch.

Well it may all be a mute point Im afraid, candled the eggs and got this (poop is from Penny when I first put them under her to see if they would fit, cant seem to get it off unless I wash them, its stuck like glue)

Morning of Day 5
Egg 1 - Blood ring I think



Egg 2 - Blood ring I think



Egg 3 - Hairline crack you can't see down the bottom.

They are all still in the incubator at the moment but Im not terribly hopeful. The only one that I think has half a chance is the cracked one just because I cant see a red ring yet.

Hopefully Penny is having better luck than me, but Ill wait a few more days to candle hers.
Edited to add cwrite found images just like these at 24 hrs earlier that are normal development. Hopefully that's just the hrs they spent not fitting under penny slowing things down and this is a good sign and not blood rings after all!!

 

[cwrite]

Funny how we form different views on different breeds depending on personal experience.

Yes, although from what I've read I think they are generally sweet natured. There are always exceptions though. Snowy, my broody leghorn cross is a good example of that.

We had a bit of excitement this morning. I was lured outside by a fake egg song & let the girls out early. I then heard banging in the run & discovered a terrified dove & two extremely excited cats inside the run. I got the cats out (& locked in the house) & left the run door open. After then having a crow come for a look see I decided the girls could just go back inside & lured them back with food at which time I discovered the dove was still there & incapable of finding its own way out. By the time I caught & released it, the chooks had finished the snack & left. Snack 2 worked just as well & we have peace once again. I didn't hear a peep from Snowy through all this, but will giver her a bit of time to relax before I have a look to see how she handled all of that.

 

[CJ88]

my 2 isabrowns were mean to my australorp boys always chasing them and nipping them was funny to see a boy twice the size fleeing for its life from these small drumsticks lol

 

[satay]

my 2 isabrowns were mean to my australorp boys always chasing them and nipping them was funny to see a boy twice the size fleeing for its life from these small drumsticks lol

They sure are all different. My belgian rooster who is the size of a tea cup..... Well not that small but pretty tiny will chase the full grown marans roosters if they come up near the house. The marans hi tail it out of there.

 

[satay]

The grow out belgians etc.

 

[cwrite]

It's amazing what different little personalities we have.

It certainly keeps things interesting.

So I've read to feed chick crumble to the broody for extra protein. The only problem is that I can't find unmedicated chick crumble. I don't expect an egg from Snowy for a while, but was planning on using that for the whole flock while the chicks were integrated. I'm now wondering if you can actually buy unmedicated chick feed in Australia? I can't find it anywhere! What do you guys do when you have mixed ages? Do you keep them separate for the first 8 weeks or feed them something else?