California - Northern

[ronott1]

Thanks everybody! Definitely will keep my hands out of the bator. Yep when I woke up this morning the umbilical cord was gone. 2 more chicks are hatched! I wonder how many will hatch? All had developed from what I candled on day 18.

@ bigdaddysmom yea we are about 17 miles from there. Anderson is the next town er next to shingletown. It's not nearly as Smokey today as it was yesterday. So I'm hoping the fire isn't gonna danger our area.

If the incubation was correct for temp, humidity and turning then all of the ones that pip should hatch. If something is off, you will see an amber liquid come out of the pip and the chick will die in there.

I did have one pip the wrong end and I helped it out. It probably pipped the wrong end because something was wrong with it. I was worth a shot, but that one did not make it.

My Mom thinks you will be ok from this fire. We still have two more months of fire season to go however.

Make sure everyone is taking it easy in the smoke. Even people without breathing problems can have trouble in the smoke, especially the young and the old.

Good news on the hatch!

Ron

 

[HighNDryFarm]

Quote:

Whenever I see crested breeds like Polish, I think they're going to the Kentucky Derby, or a formal occasion.

I wanted White Crested Black Polish once... but ran out of coops quickly in that era.

Hahaha, you're right, they do look like they're all going to the Kentucky Derby. Love the hats at the KD, maybe that's why I love Polish so much! BTW, we're up to 15 Polish chicks and they're still hatching! Lot's of color in these chicks too! I sure hope I didn't sell one of the roos that gave me all this variety.

I just keep getting DH to build another. I'm currently at 23 pens.

Although, 7 of those are just pens with shelter and no coop. We had our first predator attack on Sunday night. It found it's way into Camp Kenmore and killed two cockerels that I was planning to put in the freezer. Even though the pen was fully enclosed, it doesn't take them much space to squeeze in. The pen has been further reinforced at the corner that was 7 feet up and I ordered a trap from Amazon yesterday. If the darn things would make their kill and leave, without killing multiple birds and just eat the heads!

The one they did try to take off with, they couldn't get it out of the pen, just managed to pull one wing through the wire and gave up.

Deb

Deb, that's terrible. You really should get a trap, whenever we've had a problem we put out the trap and catch it......sounds like skunk. That's what we have the most trouble with. They'll take the heads off like that. I lost 20 chickens in one night. They were piled up and only 5 heads gone. Actually not sure exactly what got those because it's a lot of kills for most any predator but seemed sensless since our fencing wasn't all that good back then and they could have taken the whole chicken.

 

[Wishing4Wings]

BigDaddysMom, thanks for the link to the animal rescue group. The focus is usually on people, and while we all hope and pray for no injuries or deaths, it is good that the animal members of the families are not forgotten. Would make the prospect of evacuating a bit easier knowing that your pets are safe.

Hope the fires end soon. Best wishes to all affected.
Lynda

 

[ronott1]

Quote:

Whenever I see crested breeds like Polish, I think they're going to the Kentucky Derby, or a formal occasion.

I wanted White Crested Black Polish once... but ran out of coops quickly in that era.

I just keep getting DH to build another. I'm currently at 23 pens.

Although, 7 of those are just pens with shelter and no coop. We had our first predator attack on Sunday night. It found it's way into Camp Kenmore and killed two cockerels that I was planning to put in the freezer. Even though the pen was fully enclosed, it doesn't take them much space to squeeze in. The pen has been further reinforced at the corner that was 7 feet up and I ordered a trap from Amazon yesterday. If the darn things would make their kill and leave, without killing multiple birds and just eat the heads!

The one they did try to take off with, they couldn't get it out of the pen, just managed to pull one wing through the wire and gave up.

Deb

This sounds like coons. They can lift latches and get in through nest boxes with outside lids. They can also squeeze in through very little holes.

Have you tried the scare eyes, let lights on a stick? You have to direct them away from the coops in different directions, so you need several to cover a yard but they are supposed to work fairly well.

So sorry to hear about this.

Ron

 

[HighNDryFarm]

Thanks everybody! Definitely will keep my hands out of the bator. Yep when I woke up this morning the umbilical cord was gone. 2 more chicks are hatched! I wonder how many will hatch? All had developed from what I candled on day 18.

@ bigdaddysmom yea we are about 17 miles from there. Anderson is the next town er next to shingletown. It's not nearly as Smokey today as it was yesterday. So I'm hoping the fire isn't gonna danger our area.

I know exactly where Anderson is. Been through there many times.....are you making any preparations for evacuation if needed? The smoke was really bad yesterday, I think from a backfire they set. It's much better today here too. Please be safe and keep us updated.

 

[UrbanviewFarm]

Eighteen new chickies, YAY!!! Some mutts from a Splash hen that are a real pretty cinnamon color. Olive eggers. Marans. Silkies and more silkie crosses....LOL

My fertility test for the Shamo rooster is due tomorrow also. Will have to take pictures of all these crazy looking little chickens!!! <3

Does anyone here know about raising Guineafowl? My very first ones are growing up and I'm having trouble sexing them. I thought there were a pair for awhile, but they've grown out to pretty much look the same to me.

 

[Meg2000000]

Eighteen new chickies, YAY!!! Some mutts from a Splash hen that are a real pretty cinnamon color. Olive eggers. Marans. Silkies and more silkie crosses....LOL
My fertility test for the Shamo rooster is due tomorrow also. Will have to take pictures of all these crazy looking little chickens!!! <3
Does anyone here know about raising Guineafowl? My very first ones are growing up and I'm having trouble sexing them. I thought there were a pair for awhile, but they've grown out to pretty much look the same to me.

Congratulations on the new babies!!! Do you do a fertility test on all your chickens? Didn't even know you could do that!

 

[zooweemama]

These fires. Gosh. Ron I am so glad your mom's house is fine!

I live closer to Palo Cedro than full on Redding. I hope the fires stay away. The smoke was icky yesterday not quite as orange today.

 

[ronott1]

Quote: I know of two ways. The first way is to crack open the egg and look for the white spot on the egg with a magnifying glass. It is supposed to be 1/8 of an inch in size and have upraised edges. It looks like a Bullseye or a doughnut. Non fertilized eggs will have a smaller spot without the upraised egg. The cell divides a couple of time in the hen before the egg is laid. The Embryo then goes into dormant state until it is heated to 99.5.

The other way is to throw a couple of eggs into the bator and see what you get.

Ron

These fires. Gosh. Ron I am so glad your mom's house is fine!

I live closer to Palo Cedro than full on Redding. I hope the fires stay away. The smoke was icky yesterday not quite as orange today.

Thank you Amy Beth!

The wind is for casted to increase at midnight tonight. That is a worry but so far ok for Lake McUmber.

Ron

 

[ronott1]

Eighteen new chickies, YAY!!! Some mutts from a Splash hen that are a real pretty cinnamon color. Olive eggers. Marans. Silkies and more silkie crosses....LOL

My fertility test for the Shamo rooster is due tomorrow also. Will have to take pictures of all these crazy looking little chickens!!! <3

Does anyone here know about raising Guineafowl? My very first ones are growing up and I'm having trouble sexing them. I thought there were a pair for awhile, but they've grown out to pretty much look the same to me.

I do not raise Guineafowl. There were some at my Grand Parents Orchard that live in the irrigation drainage ditch. We collected eggs and boy were they great!

Ron