Consolidated Kansas

[Trish44]

@KsKingBee thanks for the info on the peafowl, that's interesting.

I'm so looking forward to the warmer days next week. I don't know how long it will last, after all it is still Feb. but I'll take whatever we can get. I'm hoping to be able to go out & let my sheep & goats out to the new field today since it's warmer, we'll see how that goes. They're used to being in the pen all winter so they probably won't willingly go to the field at the other end of the orchard. I really need some fence to direct them there but it's not likely to get done right now.

@chicken danz I thought you were cutting down on pens, not adding more, LOL! I'm not one who needs to talk I have used up every spare pen I had & now need to add a growout pen, ha!

 

[sharol]

I'm about to embark on a new path, I think. I am getting shipped hatching eggs from back east. I've wanted a Campine every since my Scout died last spring, and I had an offer from a well known Campine breeder and promoter that I couldn't turn down. She has lots of experience shipping eggs (thanks @Chicken Danz for the foundation info on that), and is giving me some guidance about how to handle them.

I even ordered new, better, thermometers to use in the incubator.

Now if we can just get it together to get them shipped.... Any suggestions out there about shipped eggs?

If anyone is interested, there is an interesting thread at https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/1077842/chicken-breed-focus-campine about Campines (the OP used one of my pictures of Scout in the initial post, so they notified me). I love the breed, so having several running around chatting with me will be fun. Raising them in a brooder may help me tame them a bit, too.

 

[chicken danz]

@chicken danz I thought you were cutting down on pens, not adding more, LOL! I'm not one who needs to talk I have used up every spare pen I had & now need to add a growout pen, ha!

Uh.....you know how that goes. I am trying to get some show quality black Langshan birds. I found a person who shows but she is short on birds so I am first on her waiting list for some started chicks later this spring. My great grandparents imported Black Langshans and were famous for them. Here is an excerpt from a book I copied about them. These were my Dad's grandparents. His parents used to show and raise buff orpingtons which is why I started raising orpingtons in the first place. Trying to honor my family heritage. I have one of my great grandparents silver loving cups that they won for their birds. I just figure it would really be nice to have a representation of what they raised, even though 1899 was a long long time ago.




Quote:

I'm about to embark on a new path, I think. I am getting shipped hatching eggs from back east. I've wanted a Campine every since my Scout died last spring, and I had an offer from a well known Campine breeder and promoter that I couldn't turn down. She has lots of experience shipping eggs (thanks @Chicken Danz for the foundation info on that), and is giving me some guidance about how to handle them.

I even ordered new, better, thermometers to use in the incubator.

Now if we can just get it together to get them shipped.... Any suggestions out there about shipped eggs?

If anyone is interested, there is an interesting thread at https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/1077842/chicken-breed-focus-campine about Campines (the OP used one of my pictures of Scout in the initial post, so they notified me). I love the breed, so having several running around chatting with me will be fun. Raising them in a brooder may help me tame them a bit, too.

I loved the little campine chicks. They were marked like miniature leopards. But mine went when I was trying to reduce breeds a couple years ago. At least I haven't been over tempted to get more. I have too much trouble controlling myself anyway. I really do try to stay away from those bantam sized breeds.
I got my load of straw unloaded but it's so cold out there. I am really going to dread being out in the cold this afternoon. Wish the wind would stop blowing.
I didn't mention a couple things Sharol, which does seem to help. Let the eggs sit for at least 24 hours so air sacks can re-attach broad end up of course. Also you want them to warm to at least room temperature before putting them in the incubator. The fresher the eggs she sends the more likely you'll get good hatches. Have your incubator pre warmed, out of any air flow and make sure the temperature is as steady as you can get it. Try using a funnel with a piece of plastic tubing on it to fill the water reserve so you don't loose valuable heat out the top windows. Good luck with them.

 

[Trish44]

Yeah I know danz, I just had to razz you a little! I think it's really cool you're wanting to continue with birds your parents raised.

@sharol I agree with danz about the shipped eggs. I always leave mine just sitting in an open egg carton for 24 hours after they arrive to let them settle & warm to room temp if they're cooler You will know in a week or ten days after you put them in the incubator, I like to wait 10 days myself to see if you still have any detached air sacks. Those won't develop if there are, at least none of mine have in that situation. It's best not to disturb them any more than you have to after they start incubating. I know it's exciting & all but once is all I candle at the beginning to weed out the eggs not developing & then sometimes I will candle the day I switch them over to the hatcher but not always.

 

[sharol]

Quote:
I got some aquarium tubing and use a syringe to add water. It is less messy for a klutz like me. 24 hours, check. room temp, check. stable temperature, check. Keep hands off the incubator, OK, I'll try. On that note someone in another thread said that he took the lid off the incubator for 10 minutes once a day (much like the hen leaving the nest). It seemed to me it would take forever for the temp in the incubator to stabilize again, right? Not even thinking about doing it, I just wondered if you had heard anything of that sort before. I'll post some pictures of the orps hatched last summer in a minute. The mottle is purple irridescent in the sun. I'm having trouble catching it in a camera, though.

 

[sharol]

Yeah I know danz, I just had to razz you a little! I think it's really cool you're wanting to continue with birds your parents raised.

@sharol I agree with danz about the shipped eggs. I always leave mine just sitting in an open egg carton for 24 hours after they arrive to let them settle & warm to room temp if they're cooler You will know in a week or ten days after you put them in the incubator, I like to wait 10 days myself to see if you still have any detached air sacks. Those won't develop if there are, at least none of mine have in that situation. It's best not to disturb them any more than you have to after they start incubating. I know it's exciting & all but once is all I candle at the beginning to weed out the eggs not developing & then sometimes I will candle the day I switch them over to the hatcher but not always.

That is the hardest thing for me. I always want to candle, but I know I shouldn't. The plan is to candle at 10 days to eliminate the clear eggs and then hands of until day 19 when I take out the turner (I don't have a separate hatcher).

 

[sharol]

These are some of the English Orpingtons that hatched last summer from @Chicken Danz 's eggs.


This is Penelope above. Below on the right is her sister Beatrice. Penelope has lots more spotting.



Snowflake in front and Oreo (the Mottle) in the rear.


This is Trouble (she has escaped the yard on numerous occasions).


Beatrice and Onyx.


Winston the roo.


Trouble again.


Onyx (or Trouble), Amethyst (the younger of the two lavenders), and Oreo the mottle.


Oreo (the mottle, I can't capture her iridescence, though)


Oreo again.


They are gorgeous birds, @Chicken Danz

 

[Dani4Hedgies]

Oh My I can't wait to come chicken shopping at Danz love the colors on those ladies especially the English definitely gotta try to get a pair of those

 

[Trish44]

@sharol very nice, you did a good job taking pics too! Your Jubilee rooster has markings a lot like the first one I got. I have a younger one with a lot more spots & he's marked much better than his daddy, go figure. I like the daddy though because he's huge & he's really dark colored.

I let the sheep out today & boy I found out real quick I'm not quite up to herding sheep yet. They were so excited to be out that the wether & the ram just ran kicking up their heels. They have been shut in the pen for the winter & while I'm recovering. Getting the lambs to go with the mommas yet is another challenge I'm not quite up to. I finally got them all out to the new field & shut the gate & one lamb stayed up by the pens & yelled his head off. I got him down there & found out they can go right through that gate so when I'm up to it I'm going to have to attach some fence to that gate like I did on the other one. I'm just done now for the day, especially after getting them all in & then finding places in the fence in the duck pen where ducks were escaping to the field & places in the sheep pen fence that needed repair. I hope I can walk tomorrow now.

 

[sharol]

Oh My I can't wait to come chicken shopping at Danz love the colors on those ladies

especially the English definitely gotta try to get a pair of those

the problem is deciding on a color. Just when I decide that I like the Jubilees the best, I see the little mottle and fall in love with her again, and then the lavenders that look absolutely lavender in the right light, and the gorgeous white... I need more coops.