HALLOWEEN Hatch-a-Long 2016 w/ Hosts, Mike, Sally & BantyChooks

[AlilSassy]

Well today is a tough one I'm not gunna lie. We decided to process today. For the first time well of course when we went out to do it the first time it started to downpour.

Take two. Everything is ready and DH2B is doing the deed on the first bird right now while I watch the water in the house. So grateful to him for this. I'm just not ready yet for that part. Maybe later tonight or next time we'll see. I'm grateful to these birds and excited to try the meat we've raised. I'm also a bit melancholy but I know they've had good lives and this is for the best. I'm also excited about the peace this will continue to give our flock as more and more spare cockerals come of age and get processed.

Wish we had some of you all here to guide us and make sure we do this right. We've watched very many videos and DH2B is a kind and gentle man. He will make this as calm fast and painful for these boys. Still I feel a bit guilty that this first time he is out there alone.

My thought on your hubby(I'm assuming that's DH2B) is that if this is bothering him at all, or if he is sensitive to you and how you feel, then you not being there may be a gift to him. It makes it easier to separate th feeling that might hinder the job before him, or possibly make a passing (cull) botched... For me, solitude on taking my birds lives is easier than if someone was there... For now. I still tear up thinkin on it. It's not a bad thing to care, you might respect what you're getting from their gift of life and then death more. Thank you for sharing. *hugs*

 

[AlilSassy]

Games for eggs has 2 bingo card sets left... 5 min to join us

 

[pjnbill22]

Regular bingo? Including 4 corners count? Or blackout?

 

[AlilSassy]

Don't know rules yet. We're about to start.

 

[mrchicks]

Well today is a tough one I'm not gunna lie. We decided to process today. For the first time well of course when we went out to do it the first time it started to downpour.

Take two. Everything is ready and DH2B is doing the deed on the first bird right now while I watch the water in the house. So grateful to him for this. I'm just not ready yet for that part. Maybe later tonight or next time we'll see. I'm grateful to these birds and excited to try the meat we've raised. I'm also a bit melancholy but I know they've had good lives and this is for the best. I'm also excited about the peace this will continue to give our flock as more and more spare cockerals come of age and get processed.

Wish we had some of you all here to guide us and make sure we do this right. We've watched very many videos and DH2B is a kind and gentle man. He will make this as calm fast and painful for these boys. Still I feel a bit guilty that this first time he is out there alone.

for you. I can't do it and I know it. I will fetch the bird and bring it to DH, he waits a second while I walk around the corner. He calls me back when it's okay for me to come do the scalding and to put them in the plucker. I can do that, so we consider it a team effort. He is fast, calm, and efficient, where I might not be so. You might be in the same situation as we are. DH is fine with his part, and would rather do it alone, without my stricken face staring at him. Our birds have a great life, filled with wonderful days. While I still feel terrible on process day, I am so very grateful for the meat.

It was candle day here today, all 17 duckie eggs are doing great!

 

[snywalker]

I did it again! I went on the hatchery website just trying to get an idea of what my assortments would be.

I figured that breeds they listed as available might be more likely than ones that are "male only". And unavailable are probably not set or a failed hatch.

They listed pullet assortments as available again. (They weren't yesterday) So I have another 27 coming. What am I going to do with all these birds? I have to figure it out before Tuesday!

I have never ordered before because shipping costs seem to make it not worth it. Free shipping is bad

 

[chickendreams24]

Well today is a tough one I'm not gunna lie. We decided to process today. For the first time well of course when we went out to do it the first time it started to downpour.

Take two. Everything is ready and DH2B is doing the deed on the first bird right now while I watch the water in the house. So grateful to him for this. I'm just not ready yet for that part. Maybe later tonight or next time we'll see. I'm grateful to these birds and excited to try the meat we've raised. I'm also a bit melancholy but I know they've had good lives and this is for the best. I'm also excited about the peace this will continue to give our flock as more and more spare cockerals come of age and get processed.

Wish we had some of you all here to guide us and make sure we do this right. We've watched very many videos and DH2B is a kind and gentle man. He will make this as calm fast and painful for these boys. Still I feel a bit guilty that this first time he is out there alone.

We have finished up the prehalloween hatch this morning.

As life ends in the yard it begins in the kitchen and our flock is coming full circle for the first time. As we prepared the supplies we would need an eagle flew over head and landed in a tree in the yard. The branch it landed on broke and it flew off. Better for us to reap the rewards of all of our hard work instead of that bird of prey.

Still this is hard. I know I'm tender hearted this is something I've dealt with and worked through my entire life. I believe it can be a blessing and a curse. Still I know it's best and I don't want this to be an easy thing to take a life without thinking of it and respecting it. These animals deserve this.

The first time is hard. Then the first time you watch. Please believe me when I say this. Doing it yourself isn't the experience you think it is. Especially if you have company. Having someone to talk to makes it much easier.
You don't think about the poop when dealing with animals or kids. You won't think about the unpleasantness of processing either. Biology was hard. Processing was sooo much easier!
Congratulations on the new babies!

My thought on your hubby(I'm assuming that's DH2B) is that if this is bothering him at all, or if he is sensitive to you and how you feel, then you not being there may be a gift to him. It makes it easier to separate th feeling that might hinder the job before him, or possibly make a passing (cull) botched... For me, solitude on taking my birds lives is easier than if someone was there... For now. I still tear up thinkin on it. It's not a bad thing to care, you might respect what you're getting from their gift of life and then death more. Thank you for sharing. *hugs*

for you.  I can't do it and I know it.  I will fetch the bird and bring it to DH, he waits a second while I walk around the corner.  He calls me back when it's okay for me to come do the scalding and to put them in the plucker.  I can do that, so we consider it a team effort.  He is fast, calm, and efficient, where I might not be so.  You might be in the same situation as we are.  DH is fine with his part, and would rather do it alone, without my stricken face staring at him.  Our birds have a great life, filled with wonderful days.  While I still feel terrible on process day, I am so very grateful for the meat.

It was candle day here today, all 17 duckie eggs are doing great!  e

Thank you all for the kindness understanding and hugs. I'm so proud of us! We did three birds and the processing act was easier emotionally than we expected although I now hate chicken lungs and kidneys, things are hard to get out. Lol

Our hatch contained 3 lavender Orpingtons and 3 silkies although one only has 4 toes.

More on the processing tomorrow.

 

[harmesonfarm]

Just fired up the incubator, getting it all ready and steady for our eggs. Collected a dozen from our girls this last week, so excited to see what the little fuzz balls will be like!

Hoping (if the incubator regulates easy) to be setting tomorrow or the next day, that'll be putting our hatch for the 17th or 18th of october (if my math is correct)

We did weighing for our first ever incubating for the September Hatch-along and I will be doing so again, found it so wonderful and reassuring for humidity control and air sac development.

Hoping for a better hatch rate from our eggs though than the breeder we got them from...it was only 50%, including the infertile and duds.
When we had gone into lockdown we ended up with a 70% hatch rate.

It'd be cool if our eggs did much better! They are not a pure breed though, so we'll see what we end up with. They are different tones of brown. Mama girls are all BCM crosses (mother was unknown...too many and no record kept at breeders but roo was a BCM)

i'm so excited to hatch again! I can see how easy it is to end up with more chickens than planned....

 

[BullChick]

Just fired up the incubator, getting it all ready and steady for our eggs. Collected a dozen from our girls this last week, so excited to see what the little fuzz balls will be like! 


Hoping (if the incubator regulates easy) to be setting tomorrow or the next day, that'll be putting our hatch for the 17th or 18th of october (if my math is correct)


We did weighing for our first ever incubating for the September Hatch-along and I will be doing so again, found it so wonderful and reassuring for humidity control and air sac development.


Hoping for a better hatch rate from our eggs though than the breeder we got them from...it was only 50%, including the infertile and duds.

When we had gone into lockdown we ended up with a 70% hatch rate.

It'd be cool if our eggs did much better! They are not a pure breed though, so we'll see what we end up with. They are different tones of brown. Mama girls are all BCM crosses (mother was unknown...too many and no record kept at breeders but roo was a BCM)

i'm so excited to hatch again! I can see how easy it is to end up with more chickens than planned.... 

Yes, chicken math is easy.
Good luck!

 

[BlueBaby]

Well, I candled again tonight. Some of the eggs look like there is something inside while others still look like just an yolk in there. I put the lid back on the incubator, and I'll wait a few more days and see if anything is different.