California - Northern

[One Chick Two]

Rubber chicken, lol! Ko Shamo are sure beautiful though.

Been looking for a few months, but have been having a hard time locating a few decent FBCM hen or pullets...We are in wine country, Napa. We're willing to drive from Redding to Carmel. Does anyone know a quality breeder willing to part with a few hens? Many thanks for your thoughts...

 

[casportpony]

I name my birds too......number 3, number 60, number 33 and so on.

w.

I only name my peafowl and they have names like orange, green, blue, black, 2013 orange, 2013 green, etc. (leg bands). My 2014 peachicks will have wing bands, so from now on they'll have numbers, lol.

-Kathy

 

[chrissyr]

I had 1 of my 3 bresse pullets unexpectedly die last night. they just started laying and had some soft shells coming from these.
she had been straining ALOT, but no egg. I saw earlier where she was laying a soft shell, but with the straining thought it must not be hers.
she got out to graze and would strain.
it was evening, she went to a nest (which 2 sleep there) and would stand like she's going to lay and egg.
came out later to check on her and she had passed.
I did not feel an egg when I checked her, gave her calcium tabs when i saw her struggle. Just didn't expect this.

I had 3 older hatchery birds with these guys.
1 seemed kind of OCD. I saw this hatchery bird go from nest to nest, kicking out these pullets all day on thursday. she's not laying much herself and a hybrid version of broody now. not sitting on any nest but clucking and puffed up. but i think when it came to nests, she was harassing them. I had 3 nests for 6 hens.
I'm wondering if all her kicking them off the nests caused problems with the new pullets. They couldn't' relax to lay. Just thinking here.

I put those 3 old hens in their old pen with the other hatchery birds. The young pullets have a break. And I'd like to say I think I need 2 Marans roosters. The one I have is priceless. He's breaking up any quarreling he sees with the re-introduction.
They start squabbling, but he runs over to stop the fighting. He also puts the young boys in their place and is very friendly to people. He's making this morning much easier for me.

 

[casportpony]

So sorry for your losses.

-Kathy

 

[casportpony]

Chrissyr, just a thought, but you could send two off for necropsy since they now have a limit of two per day and you could do the third yourself maybe?

-Kathy

 

[ronott1]

Thank you - after the last experience with shrink-wrapped chicks I was afraid to open it. I will remove a dish. The humidity was at about %65 but (after 4 hatched) spiked to %80 - according to the hygro.

80% is getting high but should be ok. If it gets to 90% you will need to do something.

How exciting!

 

[tommysgirl]

Petunia and Norma got their eggs at the same time and have been setting next to each other. (The Dorking in the pic is a daily egg laying visitor neither of the broody girls seem to mind her) They have not stolen eggs and after they got eggs they settled down in their respective nest boxes and Hatch Date is Saturday and I have concerns about the chicks at that point. I am thinking I would like to move one of them before there is a problem but am not sure if I am too late. Anyone with experience care to chime in?


@capayvalleychick let me know what you find out re the frizzled cochin source...I definitely want to add those at some point.

 

[casportpony]

Petunia and Norma got their eggs at the same time and have been setting next to each other. (The Dorking in the pic is a daily egg laying visitor neither of the broody girls seem to mind her) They have not stolen eggs and after they got eggs they settled down in their respective nest boxes and Hatch Date is Saturday and I have concerns about the chicks at that point. I am thinking I would like to move one of them before there is a problem but am not sure if I am too late. Anyone with experience care to chime in? @capayvalleychick let me know what you find out re the frizzled cochin source...I definitely want to add those at some point.

I would try to move the one that's been sitting the longest. Sometimes multiple hens are okay, but I've had hens squish or peck peck to death chicks. Can you put one hen and the eggs in a box and bring put them someplace else? -Kathy

 

[casportpony]

Sorry, I mis-read, but still, I would try to separate them.

-Kathy

 

[CackleJoy]

80% is getting high but should be ok. If it gets to 90% you will need to do something.

How exciting!

I took out a water container and another hatched so we are only down 2%. This is looking like a much better hatch this time!

This is the borrowed incubator from @sewandgrow - Thank you Karen! Looks like the chicks are going to hatch just fine - if I can keep from messing it up. This bator had 24 Turkey eggs that didn't develop. Leaves me with only 15 in this hatch. All but 2 have pipped so far and the ones zipping are doing so before the membrane turns brown. This makes me quite happy!