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

[ChookieG]

Hey @Sussex19, I noticed you've got leg bands on some of your chickens. I got a 8mm sized one for my chicks. Vent-sexed them on day 3 (as best as I could! ) and put bands on the boys but they all slipped out so am wondering whether you've tried 6mm ones? The 8mm ones eventually stayed on when I put them on at 7 days old but had to take them out at 2 weeks of age as they were getting a bit tight. Man they grow fast!

I'm also wondering what size would you suggest I use past 2 weeks old? 16mm? 20mm? Will they slip out again? Hoping I'll just need to get one more size up till they're around 3-4 months old (big enough to distinguish the boys from the girls). Thanks!!

 

[Sussex19]

Hey @Sussex19, I noticed you've got leg bands on some of your chickens. I got a 8mm sized one for my chicks. Vent-sexed them on day 3 (as best as I could! ) and put bands on the boys but they all slipped out so am wondering whether you've tried 6mm ones? The 8mm ones eventually stayed on when I put them on at 7 days old but had to take them out at 2 weeks of age as they were getting a bit tight. Man they grow fast!

I'm also wondering what size would you suggest I use past 2 weeks old? 16mm? 20mm? Will they slip out again? Hoping I'll just need to get one more size up till they're around 3-4 months old (big enough to distinguish the boys from the girls). Thanks!!

Well to start with, I am not the best person to ask, as I haven't been using them for very long.
All mine are 16mm (just one packet from ebay) I put them on at around 5 or 6 weeks, which is when I can sex them.
Only the females get one, the boys just get moved to the 'university' to grow them out.
I have not had any lose them at that age, but that is as young as I can; any younger and they will just slip off.

So I have not tried the 8mm one's, and I think at 2 weeks 16mm ones will still be too big. Although, hang on, mine are the pullets, and you are doing the cockerels which would have bigger legs. not really quite sure.

Can you do vent sexing? If you can (and it works!) you will have to give me a lesson!

 

[AusHen]

I use flat coil legbands, the 5.5 for bantams and 6.4 for standard chicks. They fit for a few weeks as they are expandable but you can get larger sizes, I normally only need them for 4-8 weeks. You can get them on ebay or here https://www.birdbands.com/legrings/coiled.html
Website has coloured and numbered plus they also have a size guide if you're unsure what to go to next

 

[Aussie Shane]

View attachment 1656528 ok I know you shouldn't open incubator until lock down is over, but one new chick fell through hole of hatcher floor into the water channel. Hole is to add water to channel for humidity. So yes I opened it and got the little one out with 3 others. Blocked hole with tissue an locked incubator back up. 5 more eggs still in incubator and 4 chicks so far. Hope by saving one I haven't harmed the other.

Hi, we have incubated three quail broods in Winter, Spring and Summer. Late Summer brood due next week.
Incubated chickens in Spring and just hatching a hen-incubated brood today-tomorrow.
In our experience small excursions from the desirable temperature and humidity range in those last days make no difference. Our hatch rate has been ~60% in undisturbed, slightly disturbed or with a faulty incubator having cooler temperatures to finish with. That one had the most deformed chicks though...
So minimise disturbances and mimic the hens. The best hens stay put over their eggs in those last few days, keeping temp. and humidity constant.

 

[Somewhere_In_The_Clouds]

Hi, we have incubated three quail broods in Winter, Spring and Summer. Late Summer brood due next week.
Incubated chickens in Spring and just hatching a hen-incubated brood today-tomorrow.
In our experience small excursions from the desirable temperature and humidity range in those last days make no difference. Our hatch rate has been ~60% in undisturbed, slightly disturbed or with a faulty incubator having cooler temperatures to finish with. That one had the most deformed chicks though...
So minimise disturbances and mimic the hens. The best hens stay put over their eggs in those last few days, keeping temp. and humidity constant.

 

[Somewhere_In_The_Clouds]

Spices is molting in some gorgeous feathers!

 

[MaryJanet]

Spices is molting in some gorgeous feathers!
View attachment 3393069 View attachment 3393070

Really pretty!

 

[Sussex19]

Spices is molting in some gorgeous feathers!
View attachment 3393069 View attachment 3393070

She is stunning!
Has she got some light Sussex in her?

 

[Somewhere_In_The_Clouds]

She is stunning!
Has she got some light Sussex in her?

If I remember correct grandmother? But maybe it's actually Mother Light sussex are silver so she doesn't carry the light sussex colour, if that makes sense? (silver is dominant)

 

[Sussex19]

If I remember correct grandmother? But maybe it's actually Mother Light sussex are silver so she doesn't carry the light sussex colour, if that makes sense? (silver is dominant)

Ah, I had thought maybe it was a bit of the Light coming though so to speak, but that makes sense.
I can never remember what is dominant and what isn't.