Illinois...

[Faraday40]

@homeschoolin momma
Welcome & please join in. Once you get the hang of BYC, you'll find it a great resource.



and Thank you again for the chicken saddles & test Spitz eggs. Now all my hens can have rooster protection!

 

[homeschoolin momma]

@homeschoolin momma
Welcome & please join in. Once you get the hang of BYC, you'll find it a great resource.



and Thank you again for the chicken saddles & test Spitz eggs. Now all my hens can have rooster protection!

Your welcome! I hope those saddles fit well, but mostly I really hope those Spitz eggs are pure now! Broody mama finished hatching all 5. None were pure. 3 red, 1 blackish with red, and 1 chipmunk with red.

I know 3 weeks should be plenty of time to clear out the orp, but I'm still gonna be on pins and needles waiting! I cant wait to see pretty Jake babies!

 

[BReeder!]

Guess what I found
I need a couple for bait eggs... they she didn't get fooled by the fake eggs last yearView attachment 1704201

I'm drooling to plug the incubator back in...

 

[Molpet]

I'm drooling to plug the incubator back in...

When do you want some? You can do the test fertility incubation
I am thinking about waiting until I get a broody chicken hen to do the work and have over a dz eggs... the oldest is from 3-19... they say turkey eggs are good for at least 14 days
The first broody I set eggs under last year was 4-11 so I have time to collect more

 

[Faraday40]

Your welcome! I hope those saddles fit well, but mostly I really hope those Spitz eggs are pure now! Broody mama finished hatching all 5. None were pure. 3 red, 1 blackish with red, and 1 chipmunk with red.

I know 3 weeks should be plenty of time to clear out the orp, but I'm still gonna be on pins and needles waiting! I cant wait to see pretty Jake babies!

The eggs went in yesterday, so we'll know fertility in a week..... and "who's" fertility in 3 weeks. LOL

Please post some pics when you can of your new rainbow "Sportzington" chicks.

Maybe by Easter I'll have another photo like this:

or this

or (one of my fav) THIS

(Technically these were Polish chicks that were hatched for someone else, but the Spitzes actually make better models for an 80s hair band.)

 

[homeschoolin momma]

Well, I'm having disappointment after disappointment. I ignored my gut feeling this morning and let my spitzies out as usual. I was taking the kids to a state park for the late morning/afternoon. Got home and everything looked ok. Collecting eggs though I found a pile of black and white feathers about 20 feet from the house. Another hen gone. I cant afford to lose another one. I'm trying to look on the positive side and keep telling myself at least it wasn't Jake, our only boy, but this stings.

I tried to take pictures of the rainbow babies, but they just wouldn't cooperate. It's hard to get all 5 to sit still.

 

[Molpet]

Well, I'm having disappointment after disappointment. I ignored my gut feeling this morning and let my spitzies out as usual. I was taking the kids to a state park for the late morning/afternoon. Got home and everything looked ok. Collecting eggs though I found a pile of black and white feathers about 20 feet from the house. Another hen gone. I cant afford to lose another one. I'm trying to look on the positive side and keep telling myself at least it wasn't Jake, our only boy, but this stings.

I tried to take pictures of the rainbow babies, but they just wouldn't cooperate. It's hard to get all 5 to sit still.

View attachment 1715486 View attachment 1715487

sorry for your loss
babies are cute

 

[cavemanrich]

Another hen gone. I cant afford to lose another one.

Do you know the predator?? Hawk? or other.
Is it possible to secure your area better???
Always heartbreaking to loose a chicken

 

[Faraday40]

Well, I'm having disappointment after disappointment. I ignored my gut feeling this morning and let my spitzies out as usual. I was taking the kids to a state park for the late morning/afternoon. Got home and everything looked ok. Collecting eggs though I found a pile of black and white feathers about 20 feet from the house. Another hen gone. I cant afford to lose another one. I'm trying to look on the positive side and keep telling myself at least it wasn't Jake, our only boy, but this stings.

I tried to take pictures of the rainbow babies, but they just wouldn't cooperate. It's hard to get all 5 to sit still.

View attachment 1715486 View attachment 1715487

Those rainbow spitz mixes are beautiful.

I'm so sorry about the loss. Even when it's not a favorite hen, it still hurts. If your incubator is full, I'll gladly help hatch more spitzes for you. I've got 4 hatches planned to start April 9th (egg set date) with plenty of space. I think I could fit up to 120 eggs!

What I won't have is the brooder space if all the eggs hatch. My plan is to set 10-15 eggs in each location. One school has a plan for their chicks & the others return here. That's why I need to be careful, estimate the hatch rate, & limit myself on the number I set. (I also have a few back up foster homes if more chicks hatch than expected.)


It's so very, very hard when you have empty incubator space tempting you & a lot of eggs....... Yet I love DH & a happy marriage more.

 

[homeschoolin momma]

Do you know the predator?? Hawk? or other.
Is it possible to secure your area better???
Always heartbreaking to loose a chicken

It was classic raptor. I saw some big ones flying around yesterday afternoon when I got home from faraday40's. They took one eyeball at me and sauntered off. There was a pile of down feathers and then I tracked down another flight feather leading away from the property 100 yards away. Jake's a really good roo and really watches the sky and normally won't lead his girls out into the open if he thinks somethings out there. Not much I can really do. I have 5 open acres. They are close to the safest place they can be right next to the woods.