Consolidated Kansas

[KeenaC]

Hi I am Keena, in El Dorado, KS. New to this chicken thing, but planning on learning lots, finishing the coop in a few weeks and getting started with my chickies! I am excited and can't wait

 

[Hawkeye95]

Hi I am Keena, in El Dorado, KS. New to this chicken thing, but planning on learning lots, finishing the coop in a few weeks and getting started with my chickies! I am excited and can't wait

Keena,

and to the Kansas thread! It's so fun getting new people on here! LOVE it! That's great that you are working on your coop! You'll have to post some pictures of it and let us see what you're working on. Is it a raised coop or on the ground? I just finished mine not too long ago, and I LOVE talking coops! Are you ordering your chicks or what's the plan??

 

[Hawkeye95]

Hawkeye, I have only one white serama pair and she has been putting out an eggabout every other day. I put them in an egg carton in the garage which is about 40-50 degrees. I got about eight over a 15 day period and put them in an incubator four days ago and all eight are fertile. It keeps from having too many age variations. I tip at a different angle when ever I put a new egg in. Seems to work. I do the same with my geese eggs. When it starts to get warmer, I just put them under the steps in the garage which is a bit cooler.

Thanks for the info! Really, I have no idea what I'm doing here. Okay, so how do you know they are fertile? Do you check them some how? Are the two eggs on my counter-- are those trying to grow right now, or are they stalled out until I get them into the incubator??

Just wanted to add, that I think my eggs are fertile, because we ate some of them and they had bullseyes. Other than that-- I have no idea if the specific eggs I have gotten recently are fertile. I'm assuming so.... based on the ones we cracked open and ate.

 

[Chickies-duckies-etc]

Thanks for the info! Really, I have no idea what I'm doing here. Okay, so how do you know they are fertile? Do you check them some how? Are the two eggs on my counter-- are those trying to grow right now, or are they stalled out until I get them into the incubator??

Just wanted to add, that I think my eggs are fertile, because we ate some of them and they had bullseyes. Other than that-- I have no idea if the specific eggs I have gotten recently are fertile. I'm assuming so.... based on the ones we cracked open and ate.

Hawkeye - This is the site I used a lot when I first started incubating eggs. I started with duck and goose eggs and the site is set up with duck eggs in mind, but an egg is an egg. LOL The biggest difference would be the time line. Chicken eggs hatch in 21 days and duck eggs in 28 or more days. So the development of a chicken egg at different "days" will be a bit different. http://minkhollow.ca/MHF/doku.php?id=farm:about_incubation Check out the whole site for lots of interesting stuff.

A great thing to have is a way to candle the eggs. You can make one (instructions are on the net, and it is easy) or just use a bright flashlight. You will learn a lot about the eggs by candling them. Or, just wait the time and see if they hatch or not.

The eggs on your counter will not start developing until they are at the right temperature constantly. That is why a chicken can lay an egg into a nest each day and then when she starts sitting (keeping the eggs at that correct temp) they all will start developing and then all hatch at the same time, not one a day.

I do not know of any way to know if an egg is fertile or not by looking at it. That is one of the things people check for when they candle at 10 days or whatever their schedule is. Then they can take the ones that are not developing out.

I hope some of that helps.

 

[Hawkeye95]

Hawkeye - This is the site I used a lot when I first started incubating eggs. I started with duck and goose eggs and the site is set up with duck eggs in mind, but an egg is an egg. LOL The biggest difference would be the time line. Chicken eggs hatch in 21 days and duck eggs in 28 or more days. So the development of a chicken egg at different "days" will be a bit different. http://minkhollow.ca/MHF/doku.php?id=farm:about_incubation Check out the whole site for lots of interesting stuff.

A great thing to have is a way to candle the eggs. You can make one (instructions are on the net, and it is easy) or just use a bright flashlight. You will learn a lot about the eggs by candling them. Or, just wait the time and see if they hatch or not.

The eggs on your counter will not start developing until they are at the right temperature constantly. That is why a chicken can lay an egg into a nest each day and then when she starts sitting (keeping the eggs at that correct temp) they all will start developing and then all hatch at the same time, not one a day.

I do not know of any way to know if an egg is fertile or not by looking at it. That is one of the things people check for when they candle at 10 days or whatever their schedule is. Then they can take the ones that are not developing out.

I hope some of that helps.

thank you! I checked out that site-- lots of great info! Neat how they said to store them in an egg crate, and then just lift one side to "turn" them and switch. Can't wait to collect more eggs!!

 

[ChooksChick]

Okay, I know I"m going to miss a lot of responses I was thinking of while trying to catch up, but here goes:

To the new folks- HI!!! Welcome to the Kansas thread and hope you have a great experience here- we love to help out and share when we can, and we rely on one anothers' experiences when we have questions. It's a great group of peeps.

Rittert- for a banty, you might also use a bit less, but Ivy is right- the back of the neck is easy. The main thing to remember is that the pour-on MUST be administered to the skin (not the feathers or fluff) or orally because it's an oil-based topical that is absorbed through the skin to work in a systemic manner. It won't work if it isn't absorbed into their flesh. The injectable can be use topically, but works better orally...and it's nice to give them some yummy fresh fruit to eat following because it's a terrible thing to have to taste (don't ask how I know).

Hawkeye, It's impossible to tell when an egg is fertile until it starts to develop. Basically, you just wait until you have several, up to 20 days (after that the number that will start to develop plummets) and set them all at once. I write the date on them and pop them in. I don't turn mine prior to setting, because I'm not convinced it makes any difference since no development is occurring. I do try to keep them cool, as the proteins will break down more quickly if they are warmer, which makes the whites watery. Since I ship, I prefer a robust egg to hit the streets.

I wrap a bit of foil in clear packing tape and make a flexible collar for my LED flashlight. This makes it really easy to candle on day 10, at which point it's VERY apparent which eggs are developing and which aren't.

Okay, off to work!

 

[HEChicken]

Hi I am Keena, in El Dorado, KS. New to this chicken thing, but planning on learning lots, finishing the coop in a few weeks and getting started with my chickies! I am excited and can't wait

and welcome to the Kansas thread!

 

[Hawkeye95]

Okay, I know I"m going to miss a lot of responses I was thinking of while trying to catch up, but here goes:

To the new folks- HI!!! Welcome to the Kansas thread and hope you have a great experience here- we love to help out and share when we can, and we rely on one anothers' experiences when we have questions. It's a great group of peeps.

Rittert- for a banty, you might also use a bit less, but Ivy is right- the back of the neck is easy. The main thing to remember is that the pour-on MUST be administered to the skin (not the feathers or fluff) or orally because it's an oil-based topical that is absorbed through the skin to work in a systemic manner. It won't work if it isn't absorbed into their flesh. The injectable can be use topically, but works better orally...and it's nice to give them some yummy fresh fruit to eat following because it's a terrible thing to have to taste (don't ask how I know).

Hawkeye, It's impossible to tell when an egg is fertile until it starts to develop. Basically, you just wait until you have several, up to 20 days (after that the number that will start to develop plummets) and set them all at once. I write the date on them and pop them in. I don't turn mine prior to setting, because I'm not convinced it makes any difference since no development is occurring. I do try to keep them cool, as the proteins will break down more quickly if they are warmer, which makes the whites watery. Since I ship, I prefer a robust egg to hit the streets.

I wrap a bit of foil in clear packing tape and make a flexible collar for my LED flashlight. This makes it really easy to candle on day 10, at which point it's VERY apparent which eggs are developing and which aren't.

Okay, off to work!

Thanks Renee!! I got another egg this morning. That makes 3. This is going to take a while! LOL That is amazing I can hold them for up to 20 days! WOW! I think I'll only do something like 10 days and hope I get a decent amount. I don't need a ton of chicks on my first hatch. But I'd like to get a few. I just don't want to end up with ONE lonely little chick because the rest failed and one made it. I'll hope that at the very least two of them make it, since I won't be incubating large numbers AND it's my first time ever with the incubator-- I could totally mess it up.

 

[HEChicken]

I just don't want to end up with ONE lonely little chick because the rest failed and one made it. I'll hope that at the very least two of them make it, since I won't be incubating large numbers AND it's my first time ever with the incubator-- I could totally mess it up.

That's always my fear too. Fortunately with your own eggs, you are much more likely to have a good hatch than with shipped eggs. I did have one hatch with shipped BCM eggs where only one hatched. Fortunately it was in the middle of Chick Days so I was able to go and get her a couple of companions and she never knew the difference. In your case, Chick Days should be starting up about a month from now, so in the event you only have one hatch, you should be able to get it a companion.

 

[chicken danz]

Hawkeye, I just leave my eggs on the kitchen counter. I used to keep them cooler but it doesn't seem to make a difference. If you have a garage that doesn't freeze that might be ideal. I never hatch an egg over a week old. The viability starts dropping quickly after that from what I've found. I used to put them in daily and mark the hatch date but that gets pretty confusing. It works well to collect a few so you don't have a lot of ages. Make sure they are turned when you start incubating. I've read if you don't turn them prior to that they will be weaker chicks but I've not been able to prove that one way or another. One thing I have done is put them in a paper mache egg carton and then just tip it one way and then another occasionally. Just keep in mind there has to be air getting to them. I don't think any of us know the right way but I always try to mimic what the mother hen would do.
Welcome, Keena! Glad to have another new face.
Ivy and Chooks, did you see the pics I posted last night?
So yesterday I had an awful day with allergies. I sneezed and blew my nose all day! Ugh! I took my parents to church and then got them dinner so it was about 2:00 before I got home. I got the cage drug out into the Serama house and separated my whites. I still have one more to go in there. I feel kind of cruel cause they can't get outside now and I really like them to have access to outdoors. If we ever get any rain and the grass ever grows again maybe I can get them some greens to eat.
Then I spent hours catching and banding some guineas. There were still a few more to do but I had had more than enough. Those things can be crazy! I haven't touched my house in days but there just isn't any energy left in me. Oh to be young again!