EDUCATIONAL INCUBATION & HATCHING CHAT THREAD, w/ Sally Sunshine Shipped Eggs

[ChickenCanoe]

I did not see that, but campaign seasons under a month would make a lot more sense to me!

http://www.cnsnews.com/news/article...petitions-limit-length-presidential-campaigns

https://www.change.org/p/democratic-national-committee-shorten-the-us-presidential-election-cycle

 

[ChickenCanoe]

There's Chaos.

 

[daxigait]

Perfectly normal. It is a common complaint among first time chicken keepers when their flock reaches its second autumn. Most breeds will lay like gangbusters for a year to 18 months when they are young. Then in their second autumn they'll molt and quit laying till they grow a new winter coat. They may resume after recovering or they may wait till after the winter solstice when days begin to lengthen. All other things being normal, they will always start up by spring and reward you with their hen fruit till the next autumn and this cycle will continue annually. Each year, the winter break will be longer and longer, summer laying will be shorter and shorter (although larger eggs). Some breeds hatched very early in the year will molt their first autumn. Aside from the molting thing, shorter days is a signal to stop producing, longer days is the signal to reproduce. Since this is the educational thread and to take the mystery out of it[COLOR=333333], here's a brief rundown of the science.[/COLOR] [COLOR=333333]Light exposure to the retina is first relayed to the nucleus of the hypothalamus, an area of the brain that coordinates biological clock signals. Fibers from there descend to the spinal cord and then project to the superior cervical ganglia, from which neurons ascend back to the pineal gland. The pineal gland translates signals from the nervous system into a hormonal signal.[/COLOR] [COLOR=333333]When light periods are shorter, the gland produces serotonin and subsequently, melatonin. That's the hormone that affects the gonads for sperm production in males and ovulation in females. An increase in melatonin causes the gonads to become inactive.[/COLOR] [COLOR=333333]Photoperiod, in relation to day vs. night, is the most important clue for animals to determine season. Cold really has very little to do with egg production.[/COLOR] [COLOR=333333]As light lengthens, the gonads are rejuvenated. The duration of melatonin secretion each day is directly proportional to the length of the night because of the pineal gland's ability to measure daylength. Besides reproduction, it also affects sleep timing and blood pressure regulation.[/COLOR] [COLOR=333333]So as the light period increases, in relation to the dark period, it stimulates reproduction and - voila - EGGS.[/COLOR] [COLOR=333333]In addition to the day vs. night thing stimulation production, I wanted to add a few thing relating to light.[/COLOR] [COLOR=333333]Chickens don't have to see the light. Blind chickens can also detect a change in day length. Light penetrates the skull and thereby is still detected by the pineal gland.[/COLOR] [COLOR=333333]Chickens detect light in a broader wavelength than humans.[/COLOR] [COLOR=333333]Humans detect light in a range of about 400-660 nm.[/COLOR] [COLOR=333333]Chickens detect light from about 300-750 nm.[/COLOR] [COLOR=333333]Human's peak response to light sensitivity is from 550-560 nm.[/COLOR] [COLOR=333333]Chickens have 3 peaks of light perception at 440, 550 and 610 nm.[/COLOR] [COLOR=333333]Spectrum wavelength determines the color of the light.[/COLOR] [COLOR=333333]Humans have retinal cones that detect red, yellow and green.[/COLOR] [COLOR=333333]Chickens have an additional double cone that is thought to allow tracking of movement.[/COLOR] [COLOR=333333]This may be the reason chickens can see the slightest movement of prey (bugs) or predators from afar that we may miss.
[/COLOR]

[COLOR=333333]Red light at about 650 nm penetrates the skull and eventually the hypothalamus at somewhere between 5-50 times more efficiently than blue, green or yellow/orange. This makes red light vital for stimulating sexual maturity and egg production. If you've seen the sky at the horizon at dawn and dusk, it can appear red because red penetrates the atmosphere greater than other colors of the spectrum.
So birds, outside at dawn and dusk, are stimulated more than those locked in the coop at those times.
Incandescent light is good at producing light in the red spectrum.
CFLs, while efficient, produce little red light.
LEDs produce the most efficient light per wattage used and depending on phosphors used can be designed to output in virtually any spectrum desired.
You can look for LEDs in the 650nm range.

Citation:
Prescott, N. B., and C. M. Wathes. “Spectral sensitivity of the domestic fowl (Gallus g. domesticus).” British poultry Science 40.3 (1999): 332–339.[/COLOR]
I watched a replay of Stephen Colbert's election coverage on Showtime. He said it looked like we were voting on the apocalypse and people were picking the asteroid. Finally is. Did you see that Cheryl Crow started a petition to dramatically shorten the campaign season? Most countries campaign seasons are under a month long. I got down to 10 layers and 1 egg a day. The one that was still laying had molted early in the summer so she eventually restarted. I now have 3 of them laying and a new pullet as well. And? What are you doing about it? Rough I was paid my hourly wage to go to school for 4 years. It was 2 semesters a year and usually about 8 hours a week. I sure missed when those checks quit coming. My first class was basically rudimentary math (shop math and blueprint reading). The first night I sat there about 10 minutes and started to get up to walk out thinking "I'm wasting my time here". As I was about to reach the standing position, I thought, "I'm getting paid to be here" and sat my butt right back down.

I could deal with that. I would use the time to plan all the things I could when I was not in class. Wow, to have that much time to do stuff. I wish I could just have a forty hour week.

 

[Pensmaster]

Not as heavy as I thought they were, haven't weighed them since winter. They just went through a hard molt so maybe lost some weight IDK, they look huge. Year old this July. Just got a little over ten for the cock and a little over seven for the hens. :-(
They average 100grams on the eggs and not double yolkers.
Laid non stop last winter with no extra light hopefully they do again. I have the lay down IncuTurn turner in my Hova-bator, no way could you put 42 of their eggs in it like it calls for.
I've only grown out three cockerels from the first batch, one we ate and one other my brother has. The cockerels I hatched we culled young.
I was wondering how the roosters would be as a protector being I've never seen any aggressiveness or excitement in them.
My brother's won't let their dog anywhere near the girls so it looks like they'll defend if need be Lol! :-D

Nice thank you. Special breeder or hatchery

 

[ChickenCanoe]

I could deal with that. I would use the time to plan all the things I could when I was not in class. Wow, to have that much time to do stuff. I wish I could just have a forty hour week.

I rarely had a 40 hour week in my life. 58 hour weeks for many years. Many 7/12s for a lot of years too.
I'd go months without a day off and eventually it just becomes routine. When I'd take a vacation, upon return, it would take me weeks to bring myself to signing up for overtime again.

 

[daxigait]

Oops, I missed the last line about a regular job too.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Oops, I missed the last line about a regular job too.

Oh yeah, I was never without a regular job - or 2 or 3.

After my 6 am to 2:30 job, I'd drive to IL 2 nights a week for electrical classes and to UMSL 2 night a week for college classes

 

[Beer can]

Nice thank you. Special breeder or hatchery

Sandhill Preservation Center. Nice looking big birds but don't think they're going to get to full weight. Maybe, might still put on weight. Been thinking of getting some from Perky Poultry of Pennsylvania, she's the vice president of the national jersey giant club and has the whites.
I couldn't find a breeder when I got these and figured Sandhill was better than other hatcheries.

 

[Akrnaf2]

Is anyone Else having problems with egg production? I have over 25 chickens, and I'm only getting 0-2 eggs a day. I Feed them regularly and I always make sure that they have good water and a clean living condition. Is there something else that I should be doing that will make their egg production rise?

Perfectly normal. It is a common complaint among first time chicken keepers when their flock reaches its second autumn. Most breeds will lay like gangbusters for a year to 18 months when they are young. Then in their second autumn they'll molt and quit laying till they grow a new winter coat. They may resume after recovering or they may wait till after the winter solstice when days begin to lengthen. All other things being normal, they will always start up by spring and reward you with their hen fruit till the next autumn and this cycle will continue annually. Each year, the winter break will be longer and longer, summer laying will be shorter and shorter (although larger eggs). Some breeds hatched very early in the year will molt their first autumn. Aside from the molting thing, shorter days is a signal to stop producing, longer days is the signal to reproduce. Since this is the educational thread and to take the mystery out of it[COLOR=333333], here's a brief rundown of the science.[/COLOR] [COLOR=333333]Light exposure to the retina is first relayed to the nucleus of the hypothalamus, an area of the brain that coordinates biological clock signals. Fibers from there descend to the spinal cord and then project to the superior cervical ganglia, from which neurons ascend back to the pineal gland. The pineal gland translates signals from the nervous system into a hormonal signal.[/COLOR] [COLOR=333333]When light periods are shorter, the gland produces serotonin and subsequently, melatonin. That's the hormone that affects the gonads for sperm production in males and ovulation in females. An increase in melatonin causes the gonads to become inactive.[/COLOR] [COLOR=333333]Photoperiod, in relation to day vs. night, is the most important clue for animals to determine season. Cold really has very little to do with egg production.[/COLOR] [COLOR=333333]As light lengthens, the gonads are rejuvenated. The duration of melatonin secretion each day is directly proportional to the length of the night because of the pineal gland's ability to measure daylength. Besides reproduction, it also affects sleep timing and blood pressure regulation.[/COLOR] [COLOR=333333]So as the light period increases, in relation to the dark period, it stimulates reproduction and - voila - EGGS.[/COLOR] [COLOR=333333]In addition to the day vs. night thing stimulation production, I wanted to add a few thing relating to light.[/COLOR] [COLOR=333333]Chickens don't have to see the light. Blind chickens can also detect a change in day length. Light penetrates the skull and thereby is still detected by the pineal gland.[/COLOR] [COLOR=333333]Chickens detect light in a broader wavelength than humans.[/COLOR] [COLOR=333333]Humans detect light in a range of about 400-660 nm.[/COLOR] [COLOR=333333]Chickens detect light from about 300-750 nm.[/COLOR] [COLOR=333333]Human's peak response to light sensitivity is from 550-560 nm.[/COLOR] [COLOR=333333]Chickens have 3 peaks of light perception at 440, 550 and 610 nm.[/COLOR] [COLOR=333333]Spectrum wavelength determines the color of the light.[/COLOR] [COLOR=333333]Humans have retinal cones that detect red, yellow and green.[/COLOR] [COLOR=333333]Chickens have an additional double cone that is thought to allow tracking of movement.[/COLOR] [COLOR=333333]This may be the reason chickens can see the slightest movement of prey (bugs) or predators from afar that we may miss.[/COLOR] [COLOR=333333]Red light at about 650 nm penetrates the skull and eventually the hypothalamus at somewhere between 5 and 50 times more efficiently than blue, green or yellow/orange.[/COLOR] [COLOR=333333]This makes red light vital for stimulation sexual maturity and egg production.[/COLOR] [COLOR=333333]You've seen the sky at the horizon at dawn and dusk and have no doubt noticed it appears red because red penetrates the atmosphere greater than other colors of the spectrum.[/COLOR] [COLOR=333333]So birds outside at dawn and dusk are stimulated more than those locked in the coop at those times without exposure to big openings to the east and west.[/COLOR] [COLOR=333333]Incandescent light is good at producing light in the red spectrum.[/COLOR] [COLOR=333333]CFLs, while efficient, produce little red light.[/COLOR] [COLOR=333333]LEDs produce the most efficient light per watt used and, depending on phosphors used, can be designed to output in virtually any spectrum desired.[/COLOR] [COLOR=333333]You can look for LEDs in the 650 nm range.[/COLOR] [COLOR=333333]Citation:
Prescott, N. B., and C. M. Wathes. “Spectral sensitivity of the domestic fowl (Gallus g. domesticus).” British poultry Science 40.3 (1999): 332–339.[/COLOR]

Anyone else watching "Escape the Election" on TWC?

I watched a replay of Stephen Colbert's election coverage on Showtime. He said it looked like we were voting on the apocalypse and people were picking the asteroid.

I just want this election to be OVER.

Finally is. Did you see that Cheryl Crow started a petition to dramatically shorten the campaign season? Most countries campaign seasons are under a month long.

I've got 23 chickens, six are pullets and two are roosters. Went from about 12 a day to zero for about three months, now I'm averaging about 8 a day now.

I got down to 10 layers and 1 egg a day. The one that was still laying had molted early in the summer so she eventually restarted. I now have 3 of them laying and a new pullet as well.

I hope I can get this leak fixed

And? What are you doing about it?

Oh the polls the polls........

Rough

That sounds like fun. I would rather go to school than my job. Not to mention the hours and vacation is better. The pay on the other hand would be a problem even of I taught again.

I was paid my hourly wage to go to school for 4 years. It was 2 semesters a year and usually about 8 hours a week. I sure missed when those checks quit coming. My first class was basically rudimentary math (shop math and blueprint reading). The first night I sat there about 10 minutes and started to get up to walk out thinking "I'm wasting my time here". As I was about to reach the standing position, I thought, "I'm getting paid to be here" and sat my butt right back down. That was in addition to my 40 - 48 hour job and going to college at the same time.

2 remarks if I may 1. The EPITHALAMUS and the pineal glad are responsible to the light response and the circadian rhythm. 2. The Hormon that starts the reproductive cycle is Gonadotropin Realising Hormon that short light period (photopetoda ) influence and enhance the secretion of its antagonist that prevents the secretion of the GNRH ( Gonadotropin Relishing Hormone ) Read this https://www.boundless.com/physiolog...on-119/epithalamus-and-pineal-gland-647-5614/

 

[DwayneNLiz]

@DwayneNLiz

You getting some of these?

i would love to! if they are donkeys?

I was about to put up a really long post but instead I will just say this. I am so proud of Sophie for doing well in school, engaging in conversation and learning about her hobby and taking the time, care and preparations to raise a happy and HEALTHY flock! Great job Sophie!!! your parents should be very proud of you!!!

If there is anything I can do here in Michigan to help you, you can feel free to have your parents message me and I will do what I can to help you out to get the chickens you want!

You are so awesome Mel!!!!!

Speaking of Chaos, I noticed him in the lurker box a while ago. You 'spose he's doing a full readback?

ROFL!!! most definitely

awe thanks Mel! you are so nice, and thanks Sally! Mel, your offer to help me would be awesome, would you be able to help me maybe find one of these breeds? i can't really decide what breed i really want but i have always have had an interest in silkies, partridge silkies, and bantams (any kind). if you live anywhere where those breeds are found, let me know? because I've tried Meyer hatchery, my pet chicken do not have any available until like, may or something and the store near me that has chickens won't know what kind they are getting until like, 2 weeks before they come. I'm not old enough for Facebook, but my mom has been looking a little bit but so far nothing. okay diatribe over lol!

silkies come in many colors and are a bantam (a true bantam with no LF counterpart), partridge is a color

My kid just told me she planted an avocado seed.

Awesome!!!

Now it seems like everyone is young

just like you

Banti sweets.... can you make me this please?

I want one!!

The sponge gourd.

do you eat these things??

We voted at 8:30 this morn. #69 and 70.
Several people inside but no line. Chit chatted with everyone for awhile. Pleasant experience as usual.
I like small town

question- do you live anywhere near Friendship?

I can cook quite well thank you.

aww you made me a cake!

I have a new obsession.....SEABRIGHTS

seabrights are very pretty

I am so glad you processed that sucker!! what did the broody hatch, will you get more Bras to get a roo?

I wish I could brooder stinks already!

not to mention that it actually can dry their skin out and give them sores. I learned this the hard way after one of my roosters rolled in DE that I had used on an ant hill....................

there are 2 types of DE, should only ever use the food grade DE

Ditto, its been

However, not a good night here either, insomnia mixed with a puppy crying, chicks chirping, and dog having seizures again. At least CNN was there to keep my company on and off lol

so sorry

Not as heavy as I thought they were, haven't weighed them since winter. They just went through a hard molt so maybe lost some weight IDK, they look huge. Year old this July. Just got a little over ten for the cock and a little over seven for the hens. :-(
They average 100grams on the eggs and not double yolkers.
Laid non stop last winter with no extra light hopefully they do again. I have the lay down IncuTurn turner in my Hova-bator, no way could you put 42 of their eggs in it like it calls for.
I've only grown out three cockerels from the first batch, one we ate and one other my brother has. The cockerels I hatched we culled young.
I was wondering how the roosters would be as a protector being I've never seen any aggressiveness or excitement in them.
My brother's won't let their dog anywhere near the girls so it looks like they'll defend if need be Lol! :-D

i think i need one of these roos
think it can take on a full grown GSD? my D'anver roo did