Chinese New Year Hatch/February 3 2011

[wolftracks]

Quote:
I will be there. I can't wait until you start the thread cause I miss chatting with everyone.

My too

No one can pass up a Mahonri thread and hatch.

Been very quiet in comparison here.

Mahonri !!!!

 

[BooBear]

Well my other chickies keep me distracted with their chickie antics.

Little One has gotten were she wanders out away from the group during free range time which I am concerned about as we have hawks out here. I am worried that her loner ways will make her an easy target. I only let them free range when I am home and can watch out for them as our place is not fenced in yet. I worry about the hawks and neighbors dogs. Lock them up at night as then I worry about the owls, coons, and possums. Never seen a skunk but every so often get a whiff of one so I know they are about.

Our resident Tom Cat was very curious over the spunky gang and was slinking ever so closer to them when all of a sudden Little One spotted him. Then the others spotted him.
With out stretched necks and slightly ruffled feathers they moved in mass toward the kitty. Some of the gang had their stink eye look on while others seemed curious. Tom Cat was unsettled by this turn and quickly retreated. Later, he spotted Little One foraging by herself and decided to slink in closer; however, much to his dismay she spotted him. Little One gave chase and Tom Cat ran for cover.

While the cat and chicken game was ensuing, Doris spotted her nemis the squirrel foraging too close to her sisters and decided he needed to be reminded that while they were foraging the squirrel is supposed to stay in his tree. Doris flapped her wings and took to chasing the squirrel around and round. The squirrel managed to give her the slip and went partially up his tree. Doris and her sister followed the squirrel around the tree to make sure he was not coming down. The squirrel popped his tail and fussed at the feathered bullies below.

After all the chasing settled down the spunky gang all resumed their foraging and some of the gang discovered the grown up flower bed has soft dirt in front of it's borders. Scratching this area resulted in dust bathing frenzy. Some of the first to bathe were in no hurry which upset Lester who was growing impatient as he felt the need to dust bathe and preene. So Lester stepped on poor Saphire to get her to move and he pecked another then plopped down in the pre-softened spot for his bathe. Saphire was not happy about being made to cut short her bathe. So she began pecking Lester to make him uncomfortable. Lester seemed to just ignore her as he just rolled over and continued dust bathing. Saphire then just plopped partially over him as she decided one way or another she would finish her bath. They both would push and kick the other one as they tried to bathe in the same spot. The other chickies thought this was silly as they just claimed other spots along the front of the border of the flower bed.

Mischief, Long Tail, and some of the gang found that there was more offered inside of the flower bed as they discovered slugs and yummy hidden bugs to munch on.

Yep the gang enjoyed their free range and be-grudgingly went back to their pen in the evening. As the sun went down they were tucking into their favorite spots so I closed the door to keep them safe in the night dreaming of their fun adventures as chickens in the wild (free range).

Just wish my camera was handy as I missed some good pic moments.

 

[thebirdguy]

I candled tonight and out of 72 eggs set, I had 13 clears, 1 quitter about day 3 it looked like and 7 maybes.. I moved the maybes into one tray and consolidated the others, so I have 51 hopefully developing eggs.

Funny thing, only 2 clears out the 24 easter eggers although there were a number that were so dark I couldn't see anything.. the other 11 clears and the quitter were all brown eggs.. Most of the darker browns look good though so I have my fingers crossed..

Question for all you experts.. This is my first hatch in about 25 years and as a kid I don't ever remember candling. We always hatched our own eggs and always had close to 100% hatches... So this is my first candling experience.. When I candle next week right before lockdown, I shouldn't be able to see anything except for the air pocket correct? Any eggs that I can still see through part of (other than the air pocket) would be quitters that I should pull before lockdown correct?

Thanks for the help!

Only 7 1/2 days till lockdown... can't wait!!

 

[Ms.FuzzyButts]

Out of 36 eggs set, I pulled 17 for being clear or having a blood ring. Looks like I need to trim some fuzzy butts... I set early so my lockdown will be day after tomorrow..

Birdguy, You shouldn't be able to see much more than the air cell at lockdown. And unless you can see a whole lot, I wouldn't pull any either. I like to give them the benefit of doubt. If they have made it to day 18 without stinking, it shouldn't hurt to let them go 3 more days.

 

[debilorrah]

Quote:
Check out page one of the first sticky in this forum. It will show EXACTLY what you should be seeing and what bad eggs look like too.

 

[justtoni44]

HI,
Only did a quicky tonight....3..all full of chick...........

 

[wolftracks]

Well I figured since I found my little lite, I'd candle.

Shouldn't have even bothered.

I think I may have 3 total.

Not even one Icelandic has even done a thing.

My second batch due the 5th, I had 2 that may be OK.

All these girls here better start laying, cause I can't afford more shipped eggs.

This is just getting rediculous!

So disappointed again.

I'll just have to live through the rest of you, so make sure you all post pics.

BTW didn't anyone what to enter any of the contests?

 

[RareBreedFancier]

So sorry so few of your eggies are developing Wolfie

I put a moulting pic in, there were some others too. My half awake brain can't remember what this weeks comp is.

I think I've lost some of my CNY eggs to the temp spike

I know they started but they don't look so good now. They are the biggest eggs by far in the 'bator and being still air they would have got the worst of it

Off to bed no since it's nearly midnight and I'm still up...

 

[jenjscott]

Quote:
The only difference I would note about the pics at the first of the thread is: When using my little led light I can't illuminate the whole egg so I usually do top and bottom. I usually still have a little clear area at the very bottom of the egg. They're not through growing! If the whole bottom half is clear, yeah, I get rid of them. But a little clear on the bottom is ok. If in doubt, keep it!

 

[MuranoFarms]

Awww, Wolfie I'm sorry about your eggs! Don't count those FBCM out till lockdown though, I can never tell whats going on with them and all mine made it to lockdown 2 weeks ago. Darn post office! I am interested in what's going on with them. When you cull them....do you open them? I'm curious if they started at all...in which case lots of blood rings or early quitters could be bacteria in your incubator. Or are they not starting...I would blame shipping. I wonder if anyone has ever tried to ship fedex for eggs? I've gotten duck eggs UPS shipped and most of them developed.


More bad news....the little guy in my avatar was about 2 weeks old.....he died this morning. He was a surprise. Was supposed to be a batch of silkies and the only one that hatched was a showgirl. He never did eat right. Took him 2 days to even try and he just wasn't interested in food. I gave him vitamin/electrolyte drops daily but....

My blue swede drake has gotten worse about picking on my call duck. Poor little guy was afraid to eat even though I was keeping him caged so the swede couldn't feather pull him anymore. I moved him into the house. Its warmer here and I can keep a better watch over him. I actually gave that drake away and the lady called to ask if I could hold onto him till her duck pen was built. I said ok, but then this took longer and that wasn't done. It's been 3 months! Looking for a new home now.


It's time for things to turn around for all of us! This is getting depressing!
In better news, DH is home and starting to feel normal though a little sore. I have eggs peeping in lockdown