Icelandic Chickens

[The Sheriff]

I am hatching Icelandics for Jake! Dang it, he will have Icelandics at the new place or else. I have been disturbed by the poor hatch rates on my shipped eggs but it has been sporadic. I will hatch some here and see if I get better results. I have been wanting to try that but really can't handle anymore Icelandics with the hot weather upon us. Wish me luck. I have never shipped chicks before just adults and juveniles. You might want to prepare yourselves for approximately 24 days of angst as follows:

Day 5: First candle, are they fertile?

Day 11: Second Candle, have I killed them all?

Day 18: Lockdown, always fraught with issues.

Day 20: Why haven't they hatched yet?

Day 21: Should I intervene and help them out, what if they are all the same color, what if the have feathered feet and five toes?

Day 22: Do they have enough room in the box, are they warm enough, are the air holes plugged, will I have a flat tire on the way to the post office, will they lose the box?

Day 23: When are they going to arrive, will they be ok, did the airplane loose cabin pressure, what if Jake has a flat tire on the way to the post office?

THIS SHOULD BE FUN!

 

[kathyinmo]

to all the mothers here!


I have to order more shipping boxes. I order 25 at a time, and I can not believe I am down to ONE. I need to pay closer attention.

I would be happy to hatch chicks for Jake, too! We will make sure he has Icelandics at his new place!

This is my routine, Mary......
Day 1: stick eggs in the incubator
Day 18: candle and move eggs to the hatcher
Day 19 - 21: watch the Icelandics hatch!

 

[The Sheriff]

Quote:
Well, I'm a Type A personality. I can't do that! Sheesh!

 

[Asgard Farms]

Quote:
of the 6 eggs I got, 2 never developed, so I had 4, just put them on lockdown and the looked good ( I guess)
3 were almost all dark inside and 1 was a late quitter

I have 13 that I set on the 3rd and candled for the 1st time today. have 10 that look good & 3 that don't but maybe they are just late bloomers

is there a better way for us to read accurate temps? I have a digital that does temp & humidity but it never agreed with 2 stand mercury thermometers. would love something reliable for the next hatch.

Jake - sending good hatch karma your way!!!

 

[kathyinmo]

Quote:
Brinsea Spot Check is the best one I have found. It is made specifically for incubation and is accurate to within .1 of a degree. I love it. I have never yet had any other digital that was accurate.

 

[The Sheriff]

Ditto what Kathy said, Brinsea Spot Check.

 

[Asgard Farms]

Quote:
Brinsea Spot Check is the best one I have found. It is made specifically for incubation and is accurate to within .1 of a degree. I love it. I have never yet had any other digital that was accurate.

thanks - they are not all that expensive either

I will get one before my next hatch!

I keep peeking into the window on the bator waiting for that 1st pip

 

[LarryPQ]

I am so in love with the Icelandics, and my eggs haven't even hatched yet.

I have issues.

Anywhoo, I was showing them off to some other chicken nerds in the the Valley, and they loved them so much, I got talked into ordering/hatching some more.

[double eye roll

]

Talk about breed preservation. Although, maybe these chooks will be a sub-species. Icelandics: the Desert Rats.

 

[Jake Levi]

Couches are one of the better gifts from heaven, and made for and meant to be used.

Candy loves to snuggle up if I am on it but she has gotten so big she cant get comfy so lays beside it now if I let my arm hang down, six mos old and weighs 60 lbs, she will be big, both parents are over 90 lbs. She is trim now too, a couple miles a day does us both good. One cat will lay on my chest if I am sleeping and the other on Candy, cant let a warm bod go to waste.

Life goes on.

 

[Jake Levi]

I didnt mention, this week, besides taking stuff over each day I am starting on the chicken house, moving it for a better view of it and the run from the house, putting in a floor and making it coon proof. And starting on the run outside. Much to do for the next 3 weeks. Its going to be a busy but a good month.