Eastern Tennessee Thread

[littlechicklet]

been sick after taking care if an ill friend, so just didnt feel up to pouring through the pages, but hope all is well and everyone has had a great holiday season so far and has a happy new year! finally got the ump to tear into and get most of my rabbit rack caging set up, and man does that setup take a bit to do, but so much better than others since i got up, though for birds its not so great with the so small grating on bottom, when broody hens make dino poops..

Glad to see you are back & sorry you have been sick. Did you find your pigeon?

 

[tennesseeckn]

Okay its been several weeks since my last update on my Orps from Daphne.  I think after I lost the only pullet I got a little sad and just didn't post.  So here are my 3 boys (man was I wrong on my guess).  They are 16 weeks now ( I think). 

I blew the first picture up and stuck my nose to the screen hoping it would be a girl... Shoot! I was really hoping you'd break the cockerel streak I had this summer.

If you decide you are ready, you could take your extras to Wisner's this weekend or next. They'll have a processing day as soon as some of their meaties are grown enough.

 

[hobbychicken]

What is everyone's experience with shipped eggs? What is the general hatch rate? Oh first time using the incubator and the total count was out of 24 eggs got 12 healthy live chicks, 2 died during hatching and 4 never pipped. 6 were not fertile.

 

[Talbott Poultry]

Okay its been several weeks since my last update on my Orps from Daphne. I think after I lost the only pullet I got a little sad and just didn't post. So here are my 3 boys (man was I wrong on my guess). They are 16 weeks now ( I think).

Black one


Blue runt


Blue originally sexed as cockerel



Finally here are pics of Boris & Bebe (2-4 weeks older than above ones, not from Daphne)
she is also in the pic behind the
black one above (so this is blurry)

Sorry to hear about the pullet, bit I still like the Black

Here is the blue Orp cockerel I am trying to give a way....hint hint or should I say help help?

He looks awesome but I do not have an opening for a blue, Sorry

Well, it looks like my NYD hatch is gonna be early. I have cracked shells in about 4 of mine.

They were dancing around last night and I figured they would come early. As long as they are healthy, I will be happy though. Although, I am like Terry...hope this doesn't mean a bunch of little roo's.

Nice Orps, Angie. I wondered if you would update us. I hate you lost your pullet, but the boys are still nice.

Some of mine have decided to come early also. I woke this morning to 7 new Seremas and I do not know how many Home Grown Bantams, could not count them all.

Rodney's nipple waterers have changed our lives. Life is sooooooo much easier now.

Currently I am only using the nipples in the chick house, and I love them. Can not wait till I can get electricity to ALL the pens so I can use them for everyone. I have enough nipples and buckets just not the electricity.

What is everyone's experience with shipped eggs? What is the general hatch rate? Oh first time using the incubator and the total count was out of 24 eggs got 12 healthy live chicks, 2 died during hatching and 4 never pipped. 6 were not fertile.

With shipped eggs I consider myself lucky if I get 50%.
Some shipped orders have been a total loss, some have been really good.
I think there are just too many factors involved with shipped eggs.

Like they always say "Never count your chickens Before they hatch"

 

[TNBEARCHICK]

What is everyone's experience with shipped eggs? What is the general hatch rate? Oh first time using the incubator and the total count was out of 24 eggs got 12 healthy live chicks, 2 died during hatching and 4 never pipped. 6 were not fertile.

I just go ahead and assume 50% will make it and order accordingly. It really just depends on the packaging, age of eggs at shipment, temperature during shipment, how the post office handles them, and most importantly.. whether you pick them up at the post office or if they are delivered (I wanted to scream the first 2 time I had hatching eggs and the delivery guy came through the door shaking the box-- obviously.... I pick my eggs up as soon as they get off the delivery truck at the main post office.)

 

[TNBEARCHICK]

ok, so.. currently hatching are my greenfire eggs (choc orps and blue isbars) that had to be set 2 days before the nyd hatch but, I have at least 2 that have hatched but, I haven't checked anymore since yesterday afternoon ( I have an older sportsman without a clear door (on my to do list for this year)) have learned my lesson in previous hatches to not open the incubator during hatch

must resist, must resist, must resist.

 

[tennesseeckn]

With shipped eggs I consider myself lucky if I get 50%.
Some shipped orders have been a total loss, some have been really good.
I think there are just too many factors involved with shipped eggs.

Like they always say "Never count your chickens Before they hatch"

X2, except I think 50% is really good for this time of year. My worst hatch ever was this time last year. The eggs were really cold when I picked them up from the PO, so I'm sure they were close to freezing at some point.

I couldn't ship a viable SLW egg at all last summer. I had 70% fertility here, but when I shipped it went down to 10%. I sent one poor lady four batches of eggs, as many as 20 at a time, and I think she only ended up with four chicks. The chicks I hatched here hatched from the sides and pointy ends of the eggs, so I'm sure there's an air sack issue. Plus, the SLW males are infertile a lot. On the Wyandotte forum there was talk about it being related to their rose combs. That's why I'm adding hatchery stock. It doesn't matter how pretty the bird is if it is frail and can't reproduce, IMO.

 

[tennesseeckn]

ok, so.. currently hatching are my greenfire eggs (choc orps and blue isbars) that had to be set 2 days before the nyd hatch but, I have at least 2 that have hatched but, I haven't checked anymore since yesterday afternoon ( I have an older sportsman without a clear door (on my to do list for this year)) have learned my lesson in previous hatches to not open the incubator during hatch

must resist, must resist, must resist.

How exciting! Are the two that hatched orps or Isbars?

I'm terrible about resisting! I always open the thing and then have to assist the rest because I shrink wrapped them.

Sometimes I'm surprised how my birds survive despite all of my "helping".

 

[littlechicklet]

I blew the first picture up and stuck my nose to the screen hoping it would be a girl... Shoot! I was really hoping you'd break the cockerel streak I had this summer.
If you decide you are ready, you could take your extras to Wisner's this weekend or next. They'll have a processing day as soon as some of their meaties are grown enough.

I know that black one was my only hope for a pullet. The poor thing I picked him up daily turning him every which way trying NOT to see those darn sex feathers! I am going to keep them a while longer to see which one I decide to keep. The black is my favorite personality wise, the dark blue body shape wise and the runt color wise: at least so far. And I am too much of a sap to take Watt to be processed also we don't eat very much chicken.



TalbotPoultry- since you do not have room for the larger blue roo (Watt is his name btw) do you know anyone who would want him? I don't care if he goes to someone for breeding or to freezer camp (just don't tell me if its freezer camp

)

 

[TNBEARCHICK]

How exciting! Are the two that hatched orps or Isbars?

I'm terrible about resisting! I always open the thing and then have to assist the rest because I shrink wrapped them.

Sometimes I'm surprised how my birds survive despite all of my "helping".

I tried not to keep it open- just peeked at the humidity but, I think the two I saw were oprs- Im pretty sure there was a cream egg cracked open. I will know either tonight or tomorrow- yesterday was day 21 and they had just started to hatch.