California - Northern

[lawatt]

Just catching up here..
YAY

I would candle them to see how well they were handled. Check for loose air cells (bubbles rolling around, funny shapes) and if you find any let them sit for 4-6 hours. I would hesitate to set them longer because your hen has already been sitting on the other eggs for a day - so these would be a day behind. Some hens are good about sitting for 4 or 5 days to hatch everybody if the chicks don't wander too far, but some hens are not..

I created a "chick" area using an upside down laundry basket. The chicks could get in to get their food - but the big hens could not.. I put the chicks and mother in there when I first put them out, but then took mommy out after about 20 minutes - so the chicks knew the food was in there. The hens did stand on top trying to figure out a way to get in - but the chick food was safe for the chicks! I have found that the chicks sometimes tried the layer food - but they liked their food better. Momma on the other hand really wanted to get back in and eat that food and call the chicks to it.. So I let her back under until she and the chicks were stuffed!

thanks for this -- i'm still trying to sort out how i'm going to deal with the chicks of FOUR broodies, all staggered a week apart, plus the other girls still trying to lay eggs... but i'm sure once the first chicks are here, it will become more apparent. and i will definitely make a chick-bar for their food using this as a model!

 

[liz9910]

I am also one who has hatched fertile eggs from Trader Joe's Market.

..was shopping today in Placerville and saw fertile eggs at Save-Mart! Brown eggs, too, so I wouldn't get White Leghorns. Hmmm. Double hmmm. For next time I incubate.

They carry those at my local save mart too

 

[Meg2000000]

Megan!!!! It's so good to hear from you! I'm glad that things are going well with you and I look forward to seeing your chick pics!!!

hurrah, so good to see you here again! if/when i end up with more broodies, i'd love some eggs of each/either -- although right now i'm going to have my hands full with chicks as it is!!

Thanks for the warm welcome Debi and Laura! I've truly missed my chicken peeps! Debi - I took over Cheryl's coops at the ranch in Clayton! My birds are loving it! There are a few coops open if you have any chickens you need a place for Laura - I can't wait to see pics of your chicks from your broodies. How fun!!

 

[debs_flock]

Yesterday's turkey hatch.

The fifth poult hatched with a small bit of unabsorbed yolk. I left it in the hatcher overnight and everything looked fairly dried out this morning. I put it in with the others and tutor chicks, of course by the time I went back to check, the chicks had picked it bloody. So it's resting back in the hatcher on it's own. It looks fine, but missed the photo op.



If the size of the snood at hatch was an indicator, I'd go a boy and three girls.

 

[OR4-hmom]

Hello Meg2000000,
Recognize you from the EO thread. I'm watching 11 and hoping for a good hatch in 2 weeks.

Debs-flock,
They are adorable! Don't know what I would do with them when they grew up, guessing they need room to roam.

 

[debs_flock]

Hello Meg2000000,
Recognize you from the EO thread. I'm watching 11 and hoping for a good hatch in 2 weeks.

Debs-flock,
They are adorable! Don't know what I would do with them when they grew up, guessing they need room to roam.

They pretty much stand in one spot and stomp around in circles, the toms anyway, LOL. Turkeys are great watch dogs and very intimidating to people if they don't know better.

 

[OR4-hmom]

Mariah liked the RP in Red Bluff. He was booming quite often when she went by him. We have wild turkeys here, do you think they would cause problems?

 

[debs_flock]

I currently have 13 adult turkeys. I see the wild turkeys come through quite often, I've never even seen them interact with each other, although I'm sure they probably do.

 

[debs_flock]

This whole group of poults are slates, I have about another 70+ incubating. There are bound to be RP in there as well, I have both.

 

[chiqita]

Mariah liked the RP in Red Bluff. He was booming quite often when she went by him. We have wild turkeys here, do you think they would cause problems?

hens come by on occation to romance my RP Tom, cranberries. Wild turkeys are a sign you don't have out of control blackhead around , so unless your girls run off wiht the wild bad boys, its a good sign.

I wonder if Im going to see some odd looking wild poults around here this year!
Deb, my turkeys are due this weekend too, probaly hatching now. I didn't see the thread so I didn't join!