First Time Hatching....Round 2

[Long Last Farm]

Kathryn: I am THRILLED that I got 18/19, especially since I never hatched before. I must say I love the Brinsea eco 20 that Santa brought!

I bought 2 bunches of banty eggs fron 2 different sellers on Ebay. One set are are Bantam Cochin frizzles, and the others are just barnyard banty mix.
One shipping had no breakage, the other had 5!!! The ones that broke travelled the shortest distance, but were packed in egg cartons, each wrapped in bubblewrap with cotton inside the egg cartons, and packing peanuts in the box. The other set were individually bubble wapped and placed in a box filled with crumpled newspaper.

so, there doesn't seem to be any rhyme or reason why one had 5 broken, and one had none. The one with the breakage had FRAGILE, DO NOT SUBJECT TO FREEZING AND HANDLE WITH CARE on it, so you wonder if that helped or hurt at the USPS!

anyway, good luck on your next hatch, everybody!
Pat

 

[Kathryn4629]

Quote:
I did see an under cover thing on 20/20 (i think) about the usps. They tracked boxes to see how many times the were dropped. Boxes marked "fragile" were dropped and average of 6 more times. The average of 3 times per trip with normal unmarked boxes. Mean postal service!!

One of my friends has Bantam Frizzle Cochins, they are soooo so cute. I wanted to pick them up and cuddle them! Every time I see them i am still surpised at just how small they are, but everything looks small compared to my giant cochin.

 

[latebloomer]

Quote:
I did see an under cover thing on 20/20 (i think) about the usps. They tracked boxes to see how many times the were dropped. Boxes marked "fragile" were dropped and average of 6 more times. The average of 3 times per trip with normal unmarked boxes. Mean postal service!!
:

i didn't just read this. ignorance is bliss.

 

[Kathryn4629]

I first posted this in a new thread, but no one answered... Do you guys know?


Well it looks like my LF Cochin has gone broody. She went broody about three times last year (she was very persistent about it), I didn't let her hatch any eggs as I didn't have a rooster.

She has been on the nest all day and I just went out to shut them in for the night and she was still on the nest. I stuck my hand underneath her to get the eggs and she did the angry hiss/cluck at me.

I currently have 8 two week old chicks in the brooder and 10 saved eggs and 12 more in the mail (Dorkings ) Should I give her the eggs from my flock or the shipped ones, does it matter which ones? How many do you think she could safely hatch? She is a very large, fluffy hen, way bigger than my buff orpingtons. Any chance I could get her to adopt the two week olds, in order to free up the brooder?

I am not sure where I would put her in the first place? I have an extra large dog crate that I believe would work. I dont really have extra room in the coop to make her a special place. Do I need to add a light for her?

In other words, I need some advice please

 

[latebloomer]

if it were me i'd give her the saved eggs over the ones you just bought

did you say if she's hatched eggs before, and what percentage?

 

[Missicaye]

Okay, Im frustrated.
My daughters well intentions are sabotaging my eggs.
I'm trying to keep at about 101 as instructed since I do not have a fan in my incubator.
She turned down the temp gage yesterday and again last night.
So for about 7 hours, the past 2 nights, my eggs were at 95.
Im sposed to candle them this afternoon.
If I see nothing worthy, I will have to start the entire process over... UGH
I might have to apply my hand to the back of her head in a repettive swinging manner. Lol
One word.......Teenagers......
Tell me what you think.
Thanks

 

[KZ]

Quote:
Why is she turning it down? Is it spiking? I put a big sign on my incubator that says "DO NOT TOUCH!!!" My kids really don't have enough of an interest to adjust the heat or open it up, but on the off chance they wanted to impress friends....
You could also put some tape over the temp gage which would make it more difficult to adjust.

If she is turning it down because she wants to be more involved, you might want to buy one of those tiny incubators that hold two or three eggs and let her have her own project. That way you can do this together!
OR
You could designate one of the eggs in the bator as "hers" and give her the job of charting the temperature in the incubator to keep track of what the temp is at various times during the day - but tell her not to adjust it because you need to know the variations. Just use a spiral notebook with times and dates. You could graph the temps after a few days and discuss what may happen to the chicks as a result of temerature changes during the day and what may be causing them. Anything to make her feel involved and give attention.

 

[kfchickenlady]

is your teenager interested in chickens? Or just wanting to disrupt something thats taking so much of your interest and attention? I say that because I see it with my teens, funny how they are jealous of my dog, cat, horse, and chickens, but love their own....I guess you would have to know the reason she is doing this, it may be that she knows better than you, have you heard that one before?

Good luck, and maybe show her some info on incubation temp?

 

[Missicaye]

She says she was trying to help.
I assume she didnt hear me say the temp needed to be at 101 degrees........ a bazillion times!!!
We candle tonite, so we'll see.
I think Im wanting some marans or welsummers.
I'm in love with those dark eggs.
Lol.

 

[kfchickenlady]

ok, its your fault then, you were speaking Japanese.