Icelandic Chickens

[thebirdguy]

The three blonde chicks have gone to the big icy land in the sky..

They had been acting more drowsy than normal last night... made sure they were drinking before I went to bed but they didn't make it.. Hopefully the rest of them will be fine.. Most are acting great but there are a couple that I can't determine yet if they are just doing the nap thing or acting lethargic.. I'll keep a close eye on them today that's for sure!!

 

[kathyinmo]

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OH NO!

Sure hope the others are okay.

 

[The Sheriff]

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For us, finding all the darned entry points has been a challenge--it's amazing what they'll climb! But your setup is a lot more practical, being on a slab, and I'd bet you'll be able to block the rodents out. I don't think I'll ever use a dirt-floor barn again.

Okay, I have to ask: fishbowl?

I have visions of Icelandics wearing flippers and dive masks!

Let me explain the meaning of fishbowl. Our neighbor told us our property is the fishbowl in that the road and driveways to surrounding properties all go around our property so everyone knows what we are doing. The other homes are set back from the road but ours in right on the road. It is also a smaller parcel at 5 acres instead of the required 10 acres. Two smaller parcels were carved out during a land split and grandfathered in. Ours is one of those. Here is the satellite map. That is us, outlined in purple. It is no longer the barren wasteland as pictured here. It is lush and green with a barn and a large pond.

 

[The Sheriff]

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Oh Shawn I am so sorry. That is sad. Gosh it seems like all means of getting chickens from one side of the country to another has it's perils. I have lost a total of three from my shipped chicks but the rest seems to be fine. I know they are eating because I fill the feeder constantly. I just want them to hurry and get bigger and passed the baby chick danger stage.

Good luck with your remaining flock.

Edited to say: I am going to the barn to candle the eggs in the incubators. I noticed something odd yesterday and curiosity has gotten the better of me. Heck, it's day five anyway! Be back with a report.

Mary

 

[juststeveb]

Wow so darn cool!

 

[The Sheriff]

Back from candling and here's the scoop:

In the Brinsea Advance I had 27 eggs. I removed 4 non-developing eggs or 14%.

In the Brinsea ECO I had 20 eggs. I removed 8 non-developing eggs or 40%!

All these eggs were set at the exact same time. I store my fertile eggs in cartons in a row according to collection date. To make all things equal, I pulled an egg from each end of the row every time I placed them in the incubator to get the same ratio of older/newer eggs. I also made sure each incubator had roughly the same ratio of pullet eggs to large eggs. The bulb thermometer in the ECO reads 99.5 but now I am beginning to wonder if it is actually lower than that. I will need to go get batteries for my Spotcheck thermometer and verify the temp.

Overall 25% of the eggs set did not develop. Of those, at least half were fertile because I verified the bullseye before discarding. Several also had started developing and then stopped. A couple had very small blood rings and one had a tiny bit of veining but was scrambled. I would guesstimate the fertility rate at around 88-90% based on the ones I could verify. I think that is pretty good considering the number of pullet eggs I have.

Now I just have to figure out why the ones in the ECO were more likely to not develop than in the Advance. I was pleased with my candling skills in finding that I was correct in pulling the ones I did. I don't think more time would have made any difference. I was also pleased at the really nice veining on some of the smallest pullet eggs. We'll have to see how many make it the whole way to hatch.

Mary

 

[kathyinmo]

I wonder if it is the temp, Mary. Honestly, I will not buy another Brinsea. I have the 2 Ecos and I have to keep messing with the temp on them for some reason..... BOTH of them! I am just not a fan of Brinsea. I LOVE my Hovabator Genesis, and plan to dump the Ecos and get another one.

 

[The Sheriff]

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I just think it has to be the incubator because the eggs were the same. Too bad my dream incubator, the Ova Easy, is a Brinsea product!

 

[Mahonri]

When I think that I could have had a Dickey for just a little more than what I spent for the Brinsea, it makes me ill.

 

[The Sheriff]

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I hear ya! Never in my wildest dreams did I think I would ever hatch more than 22 eggs at one time! Hindsight is always 20/20! Wonder what the resale on the Brinsea's is?