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

[mlm Mike]

So for once I have a chicken question!!! Against my better judgement, I bought more seramas. 2 adult, 1 older cockerel and 2 younger cockerels (3 months). The person i got them from lives in a warmer climate-South Carolina where it has been between 50-75 degrees. We here in Michigan are lucky if we hit 30. I'm not planning on having her ship this week because of the holiday madness & chance of them getting lost but I don't see a break in our temps any time soon. Hopefully it will be 2 days-3 max travel time. Does anybody know if the birds can stand 30 degree temps or how or where they are stored at night? I always have them hold them at my post office and they give them food and water immediately when they arrive there. Or is there something the shipper can do to help keep them warmer? any advice would be appreciated!

No experience in shipping Seramas, maybe a heat pack would help. You could also ask on the Serama thread.

@ChickenCanoe Talk about predators.

HUNGRY and COLD can you guys see the three CYOTES that just skirted my property? The Llama and I did.

I hope they leave your poultry and livestock alone. Nice the Llama was alert to them too.

Quote: Sorry you lost a bird.

Quote: I know my mother growing up would be sent out to grab a chicken, wring its neck on the way back, give it to her mother, who would prepare it for dinner that day.

 

[Pensmaster]

No experience in shipping Seramas, maybe a heat pack would help. You could also ask on the Serama thread.

I hope they leave your poultry and livestock alone. Nice the Llama was alert to them too.

Sorry you lost a bird.

I know my mother growing up would be sent out to grab a chicken, wring its neck on the way back, give it to her mother, who would prepare it for dinner that day.

My mother in law remembers the same. Only it was always her pet chicken. One would have to be very quick to beat rigamortis. I have tried, didn't work for me. Too slow I guess. And as CC says oven would have to be ready. Mother in law says the used to marinade theirs in a coke first. The wife however doesn't remember that. Guess I'll try that next.

Seriously doubt ancestors used a coke if they even had such a thing.

 

[Fire Ant Farm]

Thanks everybody-better attitude this morning.

Weird morning. I always fall asleep to the same tv shows. This morning I woke up to some woman singing the most beautiful version of "Oh Holy Night"-my moms favorite Christmas song. The a couple religious shows came. on. I will usually only listen to Joyce Meyers but I couldn't find the remote and didn't want to wake Bill so I sat and listened as I checked my computer. I heard 2 very important messages-one of how God's plan isn't always ours and how he uses insignificant people and moments to bless others and a message on leaving old baggage behind and offer forgiveness. I have had a rough end to the year but have been through much worse and have made it through stronger and better. I have to remember and trust this and wait patiently know that everything is as it should be

Quote: Yeah, that's why I like it, and am happy with it - it is stable as a rock and predictable. It's off, but I know by how much, and have adjusted it. You can certainly hatch in it, but there's a lot of fiddly stuff int he lid that's hard to get clean after a hatch, so if you can, life is easier when hatching in another 'bator/hatcher.

I just washed the blender carafe (leaving the other dishes for later) and went to walk out of the kitchen. I paused at the blender base, and thought about the bananas on the counter. I figured bananas are good for breakfast... Why not make a daiquiri?

Great idea!!!

In all seriousness, I was in my freezer for something and saw that I have some aging frozen fruit in there. Looks like I need to start having smoothies for breakfast...

Quote:
Blue copper marans and an F2 olive egger from Eight Acres (Luanne) - per her info, she makes her olive eggers by first crossing blue/black copper marans with welsummers, and then crossing those with wheaten ameraucanas for F1 OE. Then the resulting laying hens are covered by a splash copper marans rooster. The egg color is AMAZING! I got three chicks from her - only one ended up being a pullet. I have all the "pieces" of the puzzle in my yard to make more, though (including both a lavender ameraucana cockerel and a splash copper marans cockerel).

Yeah, it's the big temperature swing I'm really complaining about - I understand cold in the winter. But it's just so bizarre to be outside and sweating and then have it drop into the 20s that night (getting even colder tonight). It's the hardest on the plants...

@Fire Ant Farm @ChickenCanoe Well, as to the weather here it is a colder mirror of yours Kristen. I said I was battling down test too. We had the same type of temperature drop. It warmed up weird Friday night to 55. At five AM Saturday morning it was 55° , by 6 it was 32. By eleven it was raining ice. By dark we were getting a light snow on top in the single digits. This morning it is 0° with a wind chill of -15°. The goats are shivering. The chickens and cows seem fine (CC ,Pen is in the dog cage in the main coop and much happier. I have a frozen waterer in between the goats and cows, and two chickens in the main coop spent the night outside in the run but seem fine.

@BantyChooks I have seen water freeze like that as a kid. I moved south because I did my share of winters like that. Here it just starts to ice over as soon as you set a bucket out.


I hope everyone is well.

Yup - weird, weird weather. (Love that rooster coffee picture - thanks for the smile!)

@ChickenCanoe Talk about predators.

HUNGRY and COLD can you guys see the three COYOTES that just skirted my property? The Llama and I did.

Yeah, before fencing my property, they would occasionally wander through as well. And I'm essentially in the city.

OK, it's warmed up a bit (a little above freezing - which is about as warm as it's going to get today). I'm going to take the opportunity to clean the waterers...

- Ant Farm

 

[kwhites634]

Quote:.

 

[Pensmaster]

Yeah, that's why I like it, and am happy with it - it is stable as a rock and predictable. It's off, but I know by how much, and have adjusted it. You can certainly hatch in it, but there's a lot of fiddly stuff int he lid that's hard to get clean after a hatch, so if you can, life is easier when hatching in another 'bator/hatcher.

 Great idea!!!

In all seriousness, I was in my freezer for something and saw that I have some aging frozen fruit in there. Looks like I need to start having smoothies for breakfast...


Blue copper marans and an F2 olive egger from Eight Acres (Luanne) - per her info, she makes her olive eggers by first crossing blue/black copper marans with welsummers, and then crossing those with wheaten ameraucanas for F1 OE. Then the resulting laying hens are covered by a splash copper marans rooster. The egg color is AMAZING! I got three chicks from her - only one ended up being a pullet. I have all the "pieces" of the puzzle in my yard to make more, though (including both a lavender ameraucana cockerel and a splash copper marans cockerel).

Yeah, it's the big temperature swing I'm really complaining about - I understand cold in the winter. But it's just so bizarre to be outside and sweating and then have it drop into the 20s that night (getting even colder tonight). It's the hardest on the plants...
Yup - weird, weird weather. (Love that rooster coffee picture - thanks for the smile!)

Yeah, before fencing my property, they would occasionally wander through as well. And I'm essentially in the city. 

OK, it's warmed up a bit (a little above freezing - which is about as warm as it's going to get today). I'm going to take the opportunity to clean the waterers...

- Ant Farm 

Won't be hatching in it for sure. Off to cover plants.

 

[BullChick]

Boy! You guys sure are chatty today! I almost couldn't finish reading all the posts in three minutes!

Don't worry, we're sending you more.

Gee, so generous!

Yeah, that's why I like it, and am happy with it - it is stable as a rock and predictable. It's off, but I know by how much, and have adjusted it. You can certainly hatch in it, but there's a lot of fiddly stuff int he lid that's hard to get clean after a hatch, so if you can, life is easier when hatching in another 'bator/hatcher.

 Great idea!!!

In all seriousness, I was in my freezer for something and saw that I have some aging frozen fruit in there. Looks like I need to start having smoothies for breakfast...


Blue copper marans and an F2 olive egger from Eight Acres (Luanne) - per her info, she makes her olive eggers by first crossing blue/black copper marans with welsummers, and then crossing those with wheaten ameraucanas for F1 OE. Then the resulting laying hens are covered by a splash copper marans rooster. The egg color is AMAZING! I got three chicks from her - only one ended up being a pullet. I have all the "pieces" of the puzzle in my yard to make more, though (including both a lavender ameraucana cockerel and a splash copper marans cockerel).

Yeah, it's the big temperature swing I'm really complaining about - I understand cold in the winter. But it's just so bizarre to be outside and sweating and then have it drop into the 20s that night (getting even colder tonight). It's the hardest on the plants...
Yup - weird, weird weather. (Love that rooster coffee picture - thanks for the smile!)

Yeah, before fencing my property, they would occasionally wander through as well. And I'm essentially in the city. 

OK, it's warmed up a bit (a little above freezing - which is about as warm as it's going to get today). I'm going to take the opportunity to clean the waterers...

- Ant Farm 

Smoothie. Daiquiri. Same thing, right?

 

[FaerieChicken]

Good afternoon all from Cali. I hope your Sunday is a blessed one. I'm out here working my butt off one woman show let me tell you what. Preparing everything for the processing of the Ducks when they get here later this evening. Of course I'm not going to be able to process all the Ducks tonight but I'm working really hard on getting a lot of these chores done that need to be done that been neglected since I've been at work for the last few days. Gotta finish the Pheasant pen so I can put him in a bigger space he totally totally hates that cage I swear. Preparing for him to get a pheasant hen. Wish me luck on my adventure as I wish all of you a safe journey as well. Have a glorious day.

 

[chicken hawk 33]

Todays eggs

 

[Fire Ant Farm]

Boy! You guys sure are chatty today! I almost couldn't finish reading all the posts in three minutes!
Quote: You make an excellent point...

(Oh, you made my brain go somewhere where it shouldn't have - I have all the ingredients to make either an extremely healthy drink, or a strong not-so-healthy adult beverage. The angel on one shoulder is arguing with the devil on the other. They're making quite a racket!

)

Good afternoon all from Cali. I hope your Sunday is a blessed one. I'm out here working my butt off one woman show let me tell you what. Preparing everything for the processing of the Ducks when they get here later this evening. Of course I'm not going to be able to process all the Ducks tonight but I'm working really hard on getting a lot of these chores done that need to be done that been neglected since I've been at work for the last few days. Gotta finish the Pheasant pen so I can put him in a bigger space he totally totally hates that cage I swear. Preparing for him to get a pheasant hen. Wish me luck on my adventure as I wish all of you a safe journey as well. Have a glorious day.

Gosh, you certainly do have a lot to do - good luck with all your tasks!

As for my chores... (I'll share, since it's quiet and I'm taking a break and warming up.) It temporarily got as high as 39F - I was feeling thankful to have a good hour-by-hour forecast to look at to plan my outside time (I use Dark Sky). I went out to clean and refill the waterers (breaking the ice for the hanging waterers - forgot about that) - I'm glad I have back up pans of water out, so the ice wasn't an issue, but it DID illustrate the "microclimates" I have in my yard, with some areas colder than others. Heck, in a couple of the garden beds, I have volunteer sweet potato sprouts (from ones I missed during the harvest) that didn't freeze (even though temp was 28F). I'm tempted to put max-min thermometers in each coop to nail this down, and also try it for parts of the garden. I scooped poop and then watered in the garden (the high winds had caused several of the collards and broccoli to wilt, and making sure they have enough water is a good way to protect from frost damage).

Monkey's comb tips are purple again, as is the blade. The other boys in the same coop also have big combs, and not even a hint of purple. I think he could have poor circulation - in general or at least to the comb. I'll try to go out after bed time and put vaseline on his comb (forgot last night).

OK, heading back out to give the chickens their soaked kitten food. (I am their favorite person in the world when they see me coming with those feed pans!)

- Ant Farm

 

[BantyChooks]

Todays eggs