Consolidated Kansas

[mommahen10]

Thoughts on shipping eggs, I've shipped eggs to family before for eating but not for hatching, and I've never had one broken. I know they would have told me if one had broken because I asked, but I never asked about the yolk breaking. But, you know how when the eggs sits around longer when you cook them the yolk is more likely to break, also a warmer egg is more likely to have the yolk break. In college, we noticed that single cells were harder to disrupt than bigger clusters of cells. These thoughts leave me to think that it may have to do with the time it takes from when the egg was layed until they get to their destination too????? Lower temps may stop the growth and duplication of cells, but if the temps are inbetween they may only slow it down so there may be a bigger cluster of cells. I don't know, but I'm trying to think it through and be smart. I think the amount of time it takes to gather the number of eggs we purchase would play a factor too, that's probably why they say eggs stored longer than 7 days have a much lower hatch rate. Does anyone have experience with this? I stored mine for several days before putting in the incubator this time, maybe 4-5. I will candle the ones I can on Sunday, it'll be 1 week.

 

[checoukan]

Ok, hawkeye, may be the state meet. Fayettveille is a state and the national meet. When is Sedilia any way? I have sent my entry off for nationals. Really scared. But, I am sure my birds will hold their own. ALL the big guys will be there. I am so excited.

 

[michelleml]

It's cold outside i love fall. The colors of the trees are beautiful being in the desert for the past three years i wanted to see this for a long time.

DH is feeling better today he is up playing with kids but still has sore throat and tummy not feeling all that great.

Does anyone know if white orpingtons are hard too find? I would like to get some along with a few lavender ones they are beautiful

Josie i hope interview went good

 

[chicken danz]

Wow a few hours and I am tons behind.

Oh also I adopted 3 pullets 5 1/2 months old. A black australorp, welsummer and a buff brahma. They were given to a neighbor and she let me take my pick for all the work I have helped her do this summer. The owner is a lady in town who was moving next month and needed to get rid of all her animals she still has roosters and 2 pigs to find homes for, they were not kept in good conditions but look good and will clean up nicely. I have them in a makeshift ICU in my barn, I gave them vitamins and food and water and they have settled in nicely. I think I will keep them there for a week to monitor for sickness. What a busy day for me.

Maidenwolf sent you a PM

I figured it must be something with the marans... I ordered two of those specifically because i really wanted a hen for dark eggs, but yes they were shipped, and today i poked around inside side and found nothing but a yoke in both oh well, glad to hear that that is normal for marans because i was wandering... By the way the, I'm pretty sure the chick that hatched out of the "australorp" egg looks nothing like an australorp chick should... i've looked it up time and again of what an australorp chick looks like and it doesn't look ANYTHING like it should... It is overall brown, no black at all, no yellowish feathers on the front, like the ones i've seen, and it just is brownish-reddish kindof like the wellie... hmmm, i'm wondering if maybe there was a mixup at the factory, and they got them labeled wrong or if they accidently mis-bred one of the hens with the wrong rooster??? who knows, now that i think of it, i think i ordered from strombergs maybe??? Who do you recomend for ordering shipped eggs OR live chicks??? oh, and, Any ideas on my australorp imposter confusion...

Contact the hatchery. Take a pic of the chick and tell them it wasn't the right breed. They will most likely refund your money.

Wow, I haven't had a chance to get on here today it's been a busy day & there were so many posts it took me awhile to catch up! There is no way I can respond to everyone, so I won't try.

We had to go to Lowe's this afternoon to pick up my roofing I ordered & the special nails for it, some other screws to put up siding, & some OSB for the roof. It was just a nasty, windy, cold day today. After we got back & my DH went to work I went out & cut off about 100 cable ties & pulled the chicken wire & tarp off the top of the grow-out pen. I was going to put the shelter I had been working on in there, but it turned out there was no way to get it in there. HEChicken will know what I mean when I say the gate to that pen is so narrow you can't get much of anything through it. Sunflowerparrot & R came over to help me, but we couldn't figure any way to get that shelter in that pen, so we ended up putting my extra igloo dog house in there & the other little dog house I did have in there. I never would have gotten that igloo dog house in there if it hadn't been for Sunflowerparrot. She was standing up on the other shelter box & lifting the igloo over the side of the coop, which is 6 foot tall. I was on the inside of the pen & we managed to get it over the top & into the pen without killing anyone. Then she helped me get the fencing I had hooked over the top of the pen. That was some real fun, at one point I had the fence sitting on the top of my head while I tried to hook it onto the top of the pen with cable ties. After she left I got the chicken wire & tarp pulled back over & hooked back onto the pen. Then I got my big tarp out of the garage & hooked it onto the back of that pen & halfway over the back of the turkey pen next to that one. Then I got one more tarp out & put it on the side of the pen, so my imported birds should be OK now for the cold snap. I was the most worried about them since they're more fragile & have been sick. At least they have shelter in there & a break from the wind. I got straw put in the dog houses in there for them to snuggle in & then had to hurry & feed everyone before it got too dark. I was feeding the dogs just after dark & finally got to come in & thaw out. I have to get a couple more tarps tomorrow & some plastic so I can do some more pens & the peacock/ guinea hoop coop yet. I'm also going to move all the rabbits into the cages in the garage tomorrow. I don't want to leave them out in the cold this weekend, I'm afraid they will get sick. That's all I need now is to have sick rabbits. Gosh I hate to have this cold snap come, I know it's time for cooler weather, but I'm not ready for 30s & 40s yet, BRRRR.

Sounds like a fiasco but you still accomplished a lot.

Oh! Duh! Sounds like even I could make such a thing!

Oh, hooray for a floor!!!!!! Congrats! My DH is taking tomorrow off to work on my chicken stuff. Gotta love a guy who will take time off work to help with a project he doesn't even have much interest in. Ours are almost 7 to 16. We adopted 8 kids within 8 years. We have one in high school, four in middle school and three in elementary school. This year they are all in the same school district and that has helped their organizationally challenged mother considerably.

That's my take on it -- they have to try things to learn and it's all good.
Cracked me up!


Aren't they just?


You chicken ladies are awesome! Way to go wrestling that dog igloo and fencing into submission!

Okay, I'm off to get some beauty sleep -- hope it works!

What an awesome hubby!!
Quote:

Sounds like you still have most of your nicer Polish, right?
Yes I still have my bantam Polish but DH and I were talking this morning. I think I am going to sell them. I need the space and I haven't done much with them this year. They've been great sellers and the offspring have won lots of shows but I am fairly well done with polish. I have just a few gold laced and silver laced and those are the ones I want to keep. I have a few people interested I am sure but want to sell them as an entire group. I think I have one male and maybe 7 or so females. I don't remember exactly.


Congrats on your pea's pen getting wired up!! Whew! Just in time for winter!
Now I just need to get the fencing installed around it. I need to get that done today but have too much on my plate.

Good luck at your interview today! You may find you stay warmer this winter than in previous years

You are so right!!!

Yep - they are super easy to make. Do you use the black rubber bowls for water at all? I have several different sizes and what I've found is that sitting one of those on a cookie tin heater keeps it from freezing quite nicely.
I like the rubber bowls as well. They last forever. Only downside is they are harder to clean.

Last year was frustrating because it was so hot that my tomato plants wouldn't set fruit. Finally when the weather cooled off a little in September, the plants started to set fruit by the hundreds and then we had that early frost in October, before they had had a chance to ripen. I didn't want all the effort I had put into them throughout the season to go to waste so I picked all the green fruit and made Green Tomato Salsa, and I have to say, it was about the best salsa I've ever had. It was super easy too. If I recall correctly, I diced up the tomatoes, put them in a big stock pot with a diced onion and some peppers. I used hot peppers because that's what we grew and had a ton of and we like hot stuff. Then I added a cup of ACV, and simmered the pot for a couple of hours. Cooled it a little, ran batches through the food processor until it was broken down a little and looked like salsa, and put it in my canning jars.
I have had no tomatoes this year at all but my vines are now producing green ones. I may just use this idea. I have to get the rest of those peppers picked so I might as well pick green tomatoes as well.
I hate painting too. And, I have a little I need to do this weekend as well

Thrift stores are a good idea! (On the other hand, if you have to go out and buy new cans, you get to eat the contents

. Then you can tell DH "But I HAD to buy the cookies, dear, I'm doing it for the chickens").

Cyrus jumped me again this morning. Sigh. I knew he was working up to it, so I walked up to him a few times to make him walk away and submit. He did the first few times, but I guess it just got to be too much for him and he had to have another try at me. If only he weren't such a good rooster in every other respect. He is so constantly vigilant - always with the flock and nothing ever escapes his attention.
I think it is time for Cyrus to become food!

On shipping eggs I always check temps from where they came from and what our temps are here, and how long they should be in transit. I don't have eggs shipped in hot weather unless the seller is using a cold pack. A group of people I know were sticking a thermometer in boxes of shipped eggs that registered high and low temps during the summer. The temps went as high as 118 degrees during the hot months. Well you know those eggs wouldn't survive.
I think I've gotten to the point I can fairly well tell a viable egg from one that won't develop if fertile. It's all about the air sack, quality of the shell, yolk size, size of the egg etc. I understand all the factors that go into this. My theory is if a handful of eggs develop and all look equally as good and were packed the right way, then if they are fertile, most should develop under the right incubator conditions. I have done a lot of analyzing on eggs I hatch and you can tell as soon as you open a box what you are going to have if they eggs are fertile... aside from temperature extremes. It's been pretty accurate. I understand there are lots of factors but with a trained eye, I can cull several eggs right off the batt as not likely to develop. I normally mark those eggs and attempt anyway but very rarely do they develop properly. Not singing my own praises. It's just an experience thing. Not 100% sure but fairly close.
If I could just get a light capable of viewing the bulls eye well I think I could save a lot of incubator space.
I buy hatching eggs because it is the only way I can get what I want most of the time.
I have a very busy day ahead. I should be out working right now but it is so cold. Got to take birds and eggs to town this morning then Josie and I are going to Emporia this afternoon. I'll bet I don't manage to get out to pick the rest of my garden stuff or get half of my other chores done. I hate really busy days. I didn't bother setting the mouse traps last night so the mice probably had a free for all. I am starting to catch some smaller mice now so I am thinking that maybe I have eliminated some breeders and am catching their offspring.

 

[chicken danz]

It's cold outside i love fall. The colors of the trees are beautiful being in the desert for the past three years i wanted to see this for a long time.

DH is feeling better today he is up playing with kids but still has sore throat and tummy not feeling all that great.

Does anyone know if white orpingtons are hard too find? I would like to get some along with a few lavender ones they are beautiful

Josie i hope interview went good

I hate cold!!!
Yes I can tell you white orpingtons are hard to find and especially this time of year. I have looked for a few months. Now any one that had some isn't getting any right now. I do think McMurray sells whites but won't be available until spring and of course they would be hatchery quaility. Eggs run usually about $40 or more a dozen.

 

[maidenwolfx80]

I love fall but the cold hates me

When you have RA cold is your worst nightmare... I cant wait till it evens out and my body can start getting used to it. I want spring to come quickly..

 

[chicken danz]

I am a walking piece of Arthritis. Trying to avoid more surgeries just to function. Any cold or wet messes me up bad.
Woot! I had my first fancy brahma chick hatch just minutes ago. There may only be a few eggs but at least there is a baby. I also just loaded a dozen each of porcelain d'uccle and Mille Fleur D'uccle eggs in the hatcher.

 

[maidenwolfx80]

Well guys on the pigs and roosters-- no roosters left and the only pigs left are potbellies.
Danz- I have been looking for porcelin d'uccles I have 2 milles and one buff columbian d'uccles. Do you breed them or are these to add to your collection? I have 2 dark brahma chicks in my brooder that are adorable. I have a buff brahma bantam and she is sweet as honey, love the brahmas.

 

[HEChicken]

I didn't bother setting the mouse traps last night so the mice probably had a free for all. I am starting to catch some smaller mice now so I am thinking that maybe I have eliminated some breeders and am catching their offspring.

Wow, that is awesome!

It's cold outside i love fall. The colors of the trees are beautiful being in the desert for the past three years i wanted to see this for a long time.

DH is feeling better today he is up playing with kids but still has sore throat and tummy not feeling all that great.

I'm glad your DH is feeling a little better today. If you think this Fall is nice, just wait until we're out of the drought! I have photos taken during some really beautiful Falls here not too long ago but last year was pretty much a dud. This year I've seen a few trees turning and we could still get some pretty Fall colors but I'm not expecting it to be like before the drought. Have you ever been to New England? One of the items on my bucket list is to get there in the Fall.

Woot! I had my first fancy brahma chick hatch just minutes ago. There may only be a few eggs but at least there is a baby. I also just loaded a dozen each of porcelain d'uccle and Mille Fleur D'uccle eggs in the hatcher.

Congratulations!!!

I just installed one of my storm windows on my coop. It was super easy and only took about 5 minutes, even though it was the first time I've put them up so I had to drill the holes. It makes such a different in the amount of wind blowing through, but didn't change the amount of light in the coop one iota - I'm so pleased with it! I would have installed the other too but.....back when I was building the coop, I had the storm windows sitting out and we had a hailstorm and now one pane of the window needs to be replaced. I called the glass shop in town this morning and they're only open Mon-Thurs. So, I think I'll wait and get it repaired and put it up on Monday. With one window in place there is no cross breeze so just having one in place makes a huge difference and I think they'll be fine this weekend.

 

[chicken danz]

I have just a few adult d'uccles. I am trying to get some good breeding stock. Give me till spring and I will hatch you some porcelains if all goes right. I am trying to get some self blues because I have an awesome roo.
I love my brahmas. I have a ton of light brahmas and they are awesome birds. I don't have any bantams. Most bantams just aren't something I like. I love the d'uccles though and now I have the Orlansk Dwarfs which are gorgeous.