California - Northern

[Wishing4Wings]

Does anyone here have a preference between BSL and GSL?

Eric has desided we need more layers. He wanted to add the BLRW's but with the amount of feed they eat I don't want to feed another 25 of them through the winter. They do seem to get along in smaller spaces than the sexlinks.

If they were as calm as the first BSL we got that would be great. The second BSL are terrible feather pickers and flighty. I'm just hesitant to get another wild batch from Ideal.

We haven't had GSL yet so they are an unknown, I'm not a big fan of Production Reds but I guess that's another option but they seem rather wild also.

I have one GSL and she is a real sweetheart- calm and very friendly and an excellent layer. I also have a hatchery New Hamp, with a good even temperament and a great layer.

 

[OR4-hmom]

I love that sign! My husband says that if there is a job that you don't want to do, then do it poorly. If you are bad enough, no one will ask you to do it again! Yes, he really did do this at his previous job and it worked, he is an electrical engineer and hated making cables. Well, they asked him one time to make a cable set and never again!

I candled my eggs yesterday (I have 10 lavendar ameraucana, 2 orpingtons, and 12 "grocery" store eggs) and here's what I found: 13 looked good, 1 was a maybe, and the other 10 were either clear or had bloodrings. I pulled all the ones that looked bad out so now its just the 14 cooking away. I've been weighing them and the average weight loss is 8.5%. I think this is ok??? Anyway, I can't wait for this hatch! Day 21 for them will be next Saturday... it seems like FOREVER!!!

Strange question... do you all stay home for the hatch in case a chick needs assistance? I'm struggling with deciding to go on a 5 hr outing Sat afternoon but really feel like I should be here in case the chicks are hatching!!!

I have very little experience with hatching, but I try not to assist to soon. I have assisted 3 hatchlings, but I gave each one close to 20 hours from pip to assist. The last thing I want to do is break a blood vessels to soon and have the tiny thing bleed to death. I have humidity issues so mine tend to get shink wrapped, it's getting better but I'm still learning so I stay close.

If all is going according to plan for you and equipment is working properly, go have some fun and come home to babies.

 

[Flowers of Abba]

Ronott1- what is the cross to get the " blue black, splash Australorp"? Did you upload parent or egg pictures somewhere here that I missed? Would love to see your project in progress;-)

Blessings
Flowers

 

[threadgeek]

Quote:

I try to stay away from the incubator. unless there are some really special eggs i want to make sure everything goes ok.

I have a problem with touching stuff. but thats just me. you might have better control.

Go on the trip!

It is best to stay away--It is better to leave them alone and let them hatch.

<sigh> Thanks all! Its going to be so hard to stay away from that incubator!!! I'm full of anxiety just thinking about them hatching when I'm not here. There's not much I could do anyway!!! Ahhhhh

Please tell me that hatch time is not always this tense and its just because I'm a newbie!!!

 

[tommysgirl]

OR4-hmom I have never had BSL but an brooding some next month for others. I love love love my Red Stars. Excellent producers and not flighty at ALL! They are funny and curious and there have only been 4 days since they started laying where I haven't had an egg a piece from them...gporgeous huge terracotta brown ones!

They are a hybrid of a RIR roo and a Delaware hen...my uncle has the roo, I will ALWAYS have Delawares so next time around I will make my own.

I have one GSL and she is a real sweetheart- calm and very friendly and an excellent layer. I also have a hatchery New Hamp, with a good even temperament and a great layer.

 

[redriver]

I candled my eggs yesterday (I have 10 lavendar ameraucana, 2 orpingtons, and 12 "grocery" store eggs) and here's what I found: 13 looked good, 1 was a maybe, and the other 10 were either clear or had bloodrings. I pulled all the ones that looked bad out so now its just the 14 cooking away. I've been weighing them and the average weight loss is 8.5%. I think this is ok??? Anyway, I can't wait for this hatch! Day 21 for them will be next Saturday... it seems like FOREVER!!!

Someone told that they look for 5% loss at day seven, and 10% on day fourteen. Sounded good to me if the goal is from 13-16%. You're right on track if you follow that method.

 

[redriver]

Blah! Duplicate.

 

[HighNDryFarm]

Quote: Wow, LOTS of Holiday's listed there!

Maybe we should work out a trade - you do live in the wine country.

We seriously need to have a meet up closer than the Bay Area this year.
Yesterday on my jaunt, I picked up my last three (yes, three!) wine club selections from Bella Piazza Winery. I just haven't gone that way AND thought about 'em for months. Opened a bottle of Stellina last night and will finish it today and this evening, I think. The other five bottles will "rest" until I have company or another good reason to divest myself of them. Got a couple bottles of Helwig wines, too.

I think we definitely need a BYC Foothills Get-Together this year!

Ummm, I started with the idea of "Christmas lists" and thought, No, too far away!

YES! And since I own a wine shop, we can get some VIP treatment!

Quote: I cannot stand a constant barking dog! Our neighbors had one that barked all night and even though it was 10 acres away it sounded like that dog was sitting under my window!!! I finally went to thier house at 2am and there's the dog sitting on the front porch! I banged on thier door and yelled in the window to shut their darn dog up!! Wgen they would t come to the door, I left a note that their dog barked all night! Signed their sleepless neighbor!
BigDaddy'sMom I'm wondering if the dog continued to bark after you left that note!

Nope! And they never responded or referred to my middle of the night visit when we saw them.

Ok, way off topic here. As some of you know, my husband passed away last July. On March 2nd of this year, my co-worker's husband died of liver failure. We've had some really bad luck lately (at my work). This weekend is my co-worker's husband's service and wake/celebration meal. The wake will be held at the same exact place as my husband's was. I'm pretty sure it is way to soon for me to go to a funereal and wake, especially in the same exact place. The blown up picture of him, the slide show, all the crying people, and I know exactly what she is feeling right now. It sucks! I feel like a big jerk because I don't want to go. What should I do?

Maybe you could offer to stay at the house during the service to receive food and such. If it's just the place of the service, not the wake, that you don't feel like you're ready for. I know it's still hard for my mom to attend mass since my brothers funeral 4 years ago. He died from cancer at 40. I, on the other hand find comfort there. No one but you can decide if it's something you want to do right now.

Quote:

The code they gave me for 10% off, when I ordered my octagon 20 incubator was BrinseaFan. They probably use different ones to track the source.

Wooweee! And I thought my 10% discount was a nice amount! As I say to my husband "but you won't believe how much I saved!" Looking forward to your answer on the PM!

 

[Happy Chooks]

YES! And since I own a wine shop, we can get some VIP treatment!

 

[juststruttin]

Does anyone here have a preference between BSL and GSL?

Eric has desided we need more layers. He wanted to add the BLRW's but with the amount of feed they eat I don't want to feed another 25 of them through the winter. They do seem to get along in smaller spaces than the sexlinks.

If they were as calm as the first BSL we got that would be great. The second BSL are terrible feather pickers and flighty. I'm just hesitant to get another wild batch from Ideal.

We haven't had GSL yet so they are an unknown, I'm not a big fan of Production Reds but I guess that's another option but they seem rather wild also.

I have Isa Browns from Townline Hatchery. They are basically a red sexlink but they are the strain used in Europe. I bought 50 in 2011 and all survived the shipping and thrived. I sold several as chicks and kept 25+ for my layer flock when I used to sell eating eggs. When I gave up on eating egg sales, I sold most but kept 5 for our own personal eggs supply. They are still laying really well and are sweet friendly birds that get along with the other chickens. I have been really happy with them.

I also bought Easter Eggers from Townline, but most of those laid brown eggs so I don't recommend them.