California - Northern

[ronott1]

Thanks Ron! *fingers crossed* my interference ddidn't do her in!

I think I just become anxious because it was a duck egg, Betty has never hatched one and I was too fearful. I feel better after bringing them both in (placing them in bator) and giving her chicken eggs instead. She is hatching 4 Rhodebars now- she should manage that fine- they are almost to lock down anyway. I've got the duck egg wrapped in a damp cloth. I also removed the 3 hatchlings that hatched for some odd reason they are drawn to peeping so the 3 kept going over to that egg and walking all over it. I didn't want it to get more damaged. One day I will have a normal hatch.

Oh AND did I mention the duck eggs pipped on day 23? The chicken eggs pipped on day 20. So it's not like my temps are off. My ducks are just nuts!

yes they are! I went to put the eggs from your Ducks into lockdown and two of them were looking at me through the window. I completely missed the pipping....They hatched three or 4 days early.

It must me something in the water in Redding.....

 

[zooweemama]

Anyone know of a place to find disposable booties? I'd like to have them on hand for people when they come over to look at my birds, pick up birds etc PLUS for me to wear when I go to other 'farms' so I don't bring something back.

 

[zooweemama]

yes they are! I went to put the eggs from your Ducks into lockdown and two of them were looking at me through the window. I completely missed the pipping....They hatched three or 4 days early.

It must me something in the water in Redding.....

Seriously. My goose egg hatched on time. All my chicken egg hatchings have also been on time. All my duck hatches I get pips on day 23 or so. Hatched by day 25 usually. Where is this 28 day incubation time people speak of? LOL At least I know it is not a fluke.

 

[liz9910]

Best place is Hunt and Behrens in Petaluma. They sell 250 for $36 If I did my math right, that is only 14 cents each. Cheapest place around!

Wow thank you! That is a lot of egg cartons

 

[zooweemama]

I need to buy egg cartons as I'm running out of bowls to store them in LOL where do you guys buy them from?

I buy cartons from Tractor Supply. They are .49 each (plus tax). They even fit most of my big duck eggs. I have a hard time finding any cheaper than that once you add on shipping etc.

 

[Chickengirl1304]

Anyone know of a place to find disposable booties? I'd like to have them on hand for people when they come over to look at my birds, pick up birds etc PLUS for me to wear when I go to other 'farms' so I don't bring something back. 

Hmmm I work at a hospital and surgery has them. Maybe you can buy them online?

 

[Flowers of Abba]

I buy them from the egg cartons store. They're only .70 each if you buy 50. That's only $35 and they include shipping. Here's a link to the ones I buy http://www.eggcartonstore.com/Local-Hens-Grade-A-Extra-Large-Standard-Egg-Carton-p/lh-ec-3.htm

They're .87 a piece from eggcartons.com

We buy from nasco. They're out of Modesto and ship quickly . My dh likes the clear plastic ones that can be washed quite a few times before they fall apart. It's in their farm and ranch section . They also supply arts crafts and science supplies...

 

[liz9910]

We buy from nasco. They're out of Modesto and ship quickly . My dh likes the clear plastic ones that can be washed quite a few times before they fall apart. It's in their farm and ranch section . They also supply arts crafts and science supplies...

I'm in Modesto and have never heard of Nasco, lol how sad. I'll have to check them out!

 

[liz9910]

I buy cartons from Tractor Supply. They are .49 each (plus tax). They even fit most of my big duck eggs. I have a hard time finding any cheaper than that once you add on shipping etc.

I'm gonna have to pick some up when I get more chicken food, thank you

 

[Meg2000000]

Hi everybody! This thread is my daily required reading and I love all the chick pics.

I need some advice. I have an Ameraucana that went seriously broody over a month ago, and she is getting thin. I pick her up and put her outside a few times a day, so I know she eats, but I'm getting a bit worried. Will she ever give up? How long do you let them stay broody and what are the options for discouraging her? I don't have room to let her hatch out eggs and we are going on a real vacation in 4 weeks, so the timing would not work either. Any ideas?

I agree with everyone. Can you get some chicks to put under her? Otherwise, move her to a completely different coop (if you can) without a nest box. I brought my girls that were broody to my backyard coop and they broke in a couple of hours. Good luck!

Yeah, I finally received my birds from Sand Hill Preservation. I placed my order December 2011 and got them today. 17 months later but who is counting? I ordered 25 birds, they shipped 29 and 27 survived. I really wanted the Brabaters and that is what they ended up being short on. Urg.. Fortunately, everyone looks healthy and are eating and drinking to the hearts content.

Here is the total count.
Mille Fleur Leghorn 11, Flame Jaerhon 8, Norwegian Jaerhon 5, Cream Brabanters 3

Funny thing. I ordered the MFL before I had my current flock which I got from Cheryl. Now, I am not sure what to do with these. I think I may toe punch them and grow them out so I can compare them to the birds I already have. This should be interesting.

Awesome.. and how patient of you!! I change my mind so much I could have never waited that long!

Pretty

Thank you!

A few months ago, Shantih gave me some mixed breed eggs to hatch in my new incubator. I had seven hatch and call them my Seven-up chicks. I have 4 cockerels and 3 pullets. They are approaching eight weeks old and just this past week, we integrated them with 5 thirteen week old pullets (3 Wellies & 2 CLs). They are getting along well but the little ones don't want to roost with the older girls in their dog igloo. They stand by the gate and cry for me. All of the cockerels are crowing already so I've been bringing them in at night and putting them out after 8 AM. The smallest cockerel is an icelandic/CL mix. He is the only one who wants to be with the bigger girls at night. But he is also the loudest and most frequent crower. The first night he cooped with the older 5, I thought that we had lost him out of the pen. He was in the back of the igloo nestled under the girls! Monet says that she has seen him jump on the younger girls. This morning, I let the 6 out and gave them a yogurt treat. He did the rooster "Come here, little girls, and see what I have for you!" call while dropping pieces of the treat. Then when they came close to check it out, he dropped his wing and did his dance for them! Of course, they were not at all interested! So, he has earned the name Casanova! Is 8 weeks early for that kind of behavior? I'm used to Langshan cockerels who don't crow until almost 30 weeks and don't show much interest in the pullets until after that!


Isn't he a cute little guy?!!!

One of my Basques started crowing at 10 weeks and dancing around the same time. You've got a testosterone ridden boy over there! hehe

Oh my gosh I miss coming in here. It's the end of the school year, plus I'm hatching and spring cleaning. ahhhh!

My duck eggs were supposed to hatch Sunday. Half of them were pipped Wednesday night. The rest are almost all pipped today and one has already hatched. My bator runs hot you say? No. My chicken eggs are on day 21 today and are just pipping and hatching. LOL My ducks are just darn early.

I think my Leghorn has a broken leg. I have her in a small crate to restrict movement. I honestly don't know what else to do with her. Poor thing. She all but drags her one leg behind her. I'm torn between letting her go and see if she can heal or cull her because I would hate to watch her deal with endless pain.

Betty's (my best broody hen) duck eggs have pipped. EEEE!!

Hatching help. Please. Betty keeps getting off the duck eggs. They need more moisture than the chicken eggs do. I could see in the egg pip and the membrane was turning white and encasing the ducklings body. I tried to chip a little piece of the egg off to see how extensive the shrink wrapping was and my finger slipped and I tore of a large piece than I intended (too much caffeine ugh). So it's bleeding some. I took the egg from Betty (took her other duck egg too) and put them in the bator with the other duck eggs hatching (replaced it with 4 chicken eggs almost ready to hatch). Did I ruin the baby duck? What should I do it for it? I just put it in the bator with the others. The humidity is good and its warm. I just didn't know if I signed her death warrant or there was something else I can do. Betty is a good broody for chickens- she is very devoted but she does like her ME time about 2-3 times a day and she is ditching them for 30-60 minutes at a time while they had pipped. :\ Thanks!

Glad to hear from you! You guys are busy over there! I'm so sorry to hear about the possible broken leg :-( Have you googled how to splint it? I haven't gotten to that part of my learning yet. I've heard that sometimes when a chicken gets a leg injury, even if it heals, they become infertile. I may be wrong though!

Don't freak out about the egg. I totally over handled my last hatch because I was so anxious, but everything turned out just fine. Give yourself a break! Your an anxious mama!

My Toulouse goslings came today! The post office called at 7:45 a.m. - "Your chicks are here."

The box contained three female goslings and six barred rock chicks, cockerels of course.

They are all settled into their first brooder, which is a rectangular bird cage with an EcoGlow, and their feed and water. I will move everybody to a big bin in a couple of days, because those goslings will grow fast.

I'll post pictures later. I just had to get them settled and comfy, first.

The girls are so freaking cute!

How exciting! Congratulations!!

A whole lotta hatching going on today! I'm checking on my other hen and seeing what she might have hatched today next lol.

Went to buy chick food yesterday and my 8 yr. old granddaughter begged for another chick. Of course I couldn't say no, so bought a red sex link. Had to explain the sex part, but got information on the web! Thank goodness for the web!

LOL I'm screwed when I have kids because I can't say no to any animals! Your granddaughter probably thinks you're the coolest!

I buy cartons from Tractor Supply. They are .49 each (plus tax). They even fit most of my big duck eggs. I have a hard time finding any cheaper than that once you add on shipping etc.

My local feedstore has them for .50 cents each as well. I'm going to check out that place in Petaluma to see what their shipping is like.