Illinois...

[Faraday40]

I read on another thread here that incubating turkey eggs requires a slightly higher humidity at lockdown time. You might consider researching that if it has any merit.. Supposedly makes the egg shells easier to pip.

The humidity's up there. (It was 60-65%, but now's 65-70% which is as high as i can get it.) When I candled last night it looked like there was a shadow above the air cell line, so I quickly put the turkey egg back.


Sadly no new pips, but I'm still happy about the 15 new chicks I got.

 

[Faraday40]

Had an interesting find in the quail cage today. Quail eggs are small to begin with, but this one is about 1/4 the size of a quail egg. Can't wait to crack it open, but still trying to figure out the best way to do it.

Here's what hatched last night & this morning.
All are orps; left to right: blue, lav, 2 laced, & a black in front

My blues this year look very dark. They look almost black at hatch but then some feathers grow in which also look like a light black. As the feathers get longer, the edges stay dark but the rest gets lighter.
Here's what my blue looked like in March & now:



I think I may also have hatched a mauve on Saturday from Jewel's egg. I won't know until some feathers grow in, but it's possible that Jewel is a very dark mauve. Her mom is Oopsie (who's a mauve) so it's possible. Her blue babies are the ones I mentioned above.

Ups and downs.....
We're going through some major flock changes right now. Last week, I sold Oopsie to a nice couple. They bought a black orp pullet from me earlier & really love her. They wanted another chicken & were going to buy my Welsummer hen. The Welsummer's sort of skittish & I didn't think that bird would be a good fit for their docile flock. Meanwhile poor Oopsie squats for all the roos & was bald-backed from over mating. She's such a gentle, sweet hen and I realized that she'd be happier in a flock without roosters. I admit I cried a little, but I know it was the best thing for my baby. Here's a pic I took the day we sold her.

Mr Dummy (my spectacular, perfect rooster) has been having difficulty walking. He's had a limp for the past few years but it really never prevented him from doing normal rooster activities. I've seen him just laying about this past week, so I know his leg is causing him pain. Last night he stopped walking all together. He didn't come over to me when I had treats. I kept him in the garage today & he's not really eating/drinking. I'm going to have to put him down. I'm trying to get enough strength together to do it sooner than to let him suffer, but I'm having problems. I'll probably have to have a friend do it for me.

Likewise, my 6yr-old hen Precious is not doing well. Her abdomen is so swollen and growing. She stopped laying in March. I couldn't feel an egg, but did a few epsom salt baths anyway. I also tried deworming in March, but I'm pretty sure by now that's she's been internally laying. Precious was one of my orig chickens and of course a favorite. (Right up there with Cuddles, my 1st lav orp) I lost Cuddles and still miss her, but I just can't imagine our backyard without my beloved Precious. I don't think I need to put her down yet. She's still doing her normal chicken things but she's slowly declining like Cuddles did.


I seem to be experiencing all the joys & sorrows of owning chickens all at the same time. I'm so excited about finally hatching some good-looking laced orps. I also hatched lavs & blues this year. I'm even enjoying DD's useless little chickens. However, I'm losing some of my long-time favorite feathered friends.

 

[Justso]

Garfield farm was lovely, a nice showing of some heritage breeds. Behl farm from Rochester IL had a nice selection of icelandics and almost swayed me on an Auburn Java but what led me there were the black Java chicks. My neighbor and I each got one. Behl farm Java pair.
Blk Java hen and snoozing Roo
Dominique's
Icelandics
White Javas and our pair on the way home!

 

[Justso]

And one more picture of the Narragansett turkeys, they were so impressive!

 

[cavemanrich]

Garfield farm was lovely, a nice showing of some heritage breeds. Behl farm from Rochester IL had a nice selection of icelandics and almost swayed me on an Auburn Java but what led me there were the black Java chicks. My neighbor and I each got one. View attachment 1397696Behl farm Java pair.
View attachment 1397700 Blk Java hen and snoozing RooView attachment 1397702
Dominique'sView attachment 1397705
Icelandics View attachment 1397713
White JavasView attachment 1397714 and our pair on the way home!View attachment 1397715

Just out of curiosity,,,,,,,,,,,,, They have the adult chickens on display, and chicks for sale. Am I correct??? What was the going $$$ (approximate) for the Black Javas, and was there a sexing assurance on them??? I only desire hens.

 

[cavemanrich]

That is one SUPER SMALL fart egg. About size of marble???

on the DOWNS of your Flock Changes. I know it is very difficult to do some of those inevitable things coming up.

 

[Molpet]

Had an interesting find in the quail cage today. Quail eggs are small to begin with, but this one is about 1/4 the size of a quail egg. Can't wait to crack it open, but still trying to figure out the best way to do it.
View attachment 1397676

Here's what hatched last night & this morning.
All are orps; left to right: blue, lav, 2 laced, & a black in front
View attachment 1397634
View attachment 1397633
My blues this year look very dark. They look almost black at hatch but then some feathers grow in which also look like a light black. As the feathers get longer, the edges stay dark but the rest gets lighter.
Here's what my blue looked like in March & now:
View attachment 1397682 View attachment 1397684 View attachment 1397680


I think I may also have hatched a mauve on Saturday from Jewel's egg. I won't know until some feathers grow in, but it's possible that Jewel is a very dark mauve. Her mom is Oopsie (who's a mauve) so it's possible. Her blue babies are the ones I mentioned above.

Ups and downs.....
We're going through some major flock changes right now. Last week, I sold Oopsie to a nice couple. They bought a black orp pullet from me earlier & really love her. They wanted another chicken & were going to buy my Welsummer hen. The Welsummer's sort of skittish & I didn't think that bird would be a good fit for their docile flock. Meanwhile poor Oopsie squats for all the roos & was bald-backed from over mating. She's such a gentle, sweet hen and I realized that she'd be happier in a flock without roosters. I admit I cried a little, but I know it was the best thing for my baby. Here's a pic I took the day we sold her.
View attachment 1397661
Mr Dummy (my spectacular, perfect rooster) has been having difficulty walking. He's had a limp for the past few years but it really never prevented him from doing normal rooster activities. I've seen him just laying about this past week, so I know his leg is causing him pain. Last night he stopped walking all together. He didn't come over to me when I had treats. I kept him in the garage today & he's not really eating/drinking. I'm going to have to put him down. I'm trying to get enough strength together to do it sooner than to let him suffer, but I'm having problems. I'll probably have to have a friend do it for me.
View attachment 1397662
Likewise, my 6yr-old hen Precious is not doing well. Her abdomen is so swollen and growing. She stopped laying in March. I couldn't feel an egg, but did a few epsom salt baths anyway. I also tried deworming in March, but I'm pretty sure by now that's she's been internally laying. Precious was one of my orig chickens and of course a favorite. (Right up there with Cuddles, my 1st lav orp) I lost Cuddles and still miss her, but I just can't imagine our backyard without my beloved Precious. I don't think I need to put her down yet. She's still doing her normal chicken things but she's slowly declining like Cuddles did.
View attachment 1397665

I seem to be experiencing all the joys & sorrows of owning chickens all at the same time. I'm so excited about finally hatching some good-looking laced orps. I also hatched lavs & blues this year. I'm even enjoying DD's useless little chickens. However, I'm losing some of my long-time favorite feathered friends.

So sad to lose feathered friends. Prayers for comfort

 

[Justso]

Just out of curiosity,,,,,,,,,,,,, They have the adult chickens on display, and chicks for sale. Am I correct??? What was the going $$$ (approximate) for the Black Javas, and was there a sexing assurance on them??? I only desire hens.

The adult black Javas were a display by Garfield Farm. GF had chicks of all three colors a few days old and some 3 to 4 weeks old. The three to four week old, you could start to pick out the cockerels. But it is a total crap shoot, no guarantee. $5 each.
Behl farm had adults available (no black there), they were about $50 each

 

[Faraday40]

You know your lawn needs mowing when.....
.....your large dog lays down in the grass and disappears.

I hope you're all laughing WITH me.

 

[Faraday40]

I need to stay positive these days. DD was able to get Mr Dummy to eat & drink, so I didn't put him down today. It still must be done, but she had oral surgery this morning & was home from school.