Colorado

[lomine]

I also am breeding Silkies, so I’m hopeful with an incubator upgrade I’ll get better outcomes. One thing I have noticed with them is that they tend to hatch better with a lockdown at day 17 and not day 18. This is because they consistently hatch at day 20, not day 21.

My first two batches this year also hatched on day 20. The folks on the Easter HAL suggested I double check my temps with another thermometer and sure enough my incubator was running hot. Batch 3 started pipping right on time. Of the eggs that went into lockdown, 50% pipped but one quit while zipping and one died two days after hatch. The rest are doing well. Unfortunately I had a lot of duds that didn’t develope, but I think they got too cold before collection.

I’ll be setting more eggs today for the HAL. Hoping fertility is good this go around and I get more than a dozen chicks.

 

[Little Coop on Salt Creek]

My first two batches this year also hatched on day 20. The folks on the Easter HAL suggested I double check my temps with another thermometer and sure enough my incubator was running hot. Batch 3 started pipping right on time. Of the eggs that went into lockdown, 50% pipped but one quit while zipping and one died two days after hatch. The rest are doing well. Unfortunately I had a lot of duds that didn’t develope, but I think they got too cold before collection.

I’ll be setting more eggs today for the HAL. Hoping fertility is good this go around and I get more than a dozen chicks.

I think I had a bunch get to cold last time too. We opened the clears and in many you could see the bullseye. I also discovered this hatch that my incubator was also too hot on my last attempt. The incubator I’m using right now definitely has a hard time holding temps steady. Sounds like we could’ve had a cup of tea and talked about our same chicken woes!

 

[ScottKelly1974]

I think I had a bunch get to cold last time too. We opened the clears and in many you could see the bullseye. I also discovered this hatch that my incubator was also too hot on my last attempt. The incubator I’m using right now definitely has a hard time holding temps steady. Sounds like we could’ve had a cup of tea and talked about our same chicken woes!

My incubator has the same issues. I find it works best with a full load. I also have a thermometer inside. The probe hangs down and can bee moved. I have figured out the best placement for the probe to keep a stable temp range. My first batch got as high as 110. Only a few eggs hatched. The second only two eggs hatched. This last hatch all eggs developed but only one did not hatch. That one did develop but died with out attempting to hatch.

 

[lomine]

I think I had a bunch get to cold last time too. We opened the clears and in many you could see the bullseye. I also discovered this hatch that my incubator was also too hot on my last attempt. The incubator I’m using right now definitely has a hard time holding temps steady. Sounds like we could’ve had a cup of tea and talked about our same chicken woes!

Sounds like it. Incubating is tricky enough and we all have to deal with high altitude on top of that.

My incubator has the same issues. I find it works best with a full load. I also have a thermometer inside. The probe hangs down and can bee moved. I have figured out the best placement for the probe to keep a stable temp range. My first batch got as high as 110. Only a few eggs hatched. The second only two eggs hatched. This last hatch all eggs developed but only one did not hatch. That one did develop but died with out attempting to hatch.

Wow, congrats on that last batch!

 

[Mtn Margie]

What kind of sheep?

I have CVM and CVM crosses.

 

[Mtn Margie]

I wish I could get a few.
Stuck in town so no sheep for me.

I could use a truck load of their leavings for the garden though.

Seriously if I remember right you are quite a drive from me.

Allenspark area.... There is a place in Mead that has sheep poo, fyi.

 

[21hens-incharge]

Allenspark area.... There is a place in Mead that has sheep poo, fyi.

I think I found them on Craigslist. Definitely going to be getting in touch with them thanks.

 

[lomine]

I have CVM and CVM crosses.

Never heard of those (not like I know that much though) so I looked them up. They're cute. What do you do with the wool?

 

[Mtn Margie]

21HC, here is the link
https://boulder.craigslist.org/grd/d/mead-sheep-manure/6856206449.html

We have some handspinner fleeces and some yarn and some felting wool in all different colors.
We also have lamb in the freezer and I am thinking of maybe processing the culls as real food for peoples' dogs.

 

[lomine]

21HC, here is the link
https://boulder.craigslist.org/grd/d/mead-sheep-manure/6856206449.html

We have some handspinner fleeces and some yarn and some felting wool in all different colors.
We also have lamb in the freezer and I am thinking of maybe processing the culls as real food for peoples' dogs.

How fun. I'm not into knitting but I have done some felting. Wool is so nice and fluffy. Do they make good lambs for meat? I'm thinking of getting 2-3 lambs this year to "mow" my land and put into the freezer at the end of the season. I've mostly been looking at hair breeds. Read that they grow a bit faster.

I bet you'd have a pretty easy time selling as dog food. Bet dogs would love it. I'm always seeing ads on my local CL from people looking for freezer burn meat and the like for their dogs.