Illinois...

[cavemanrich]

Was working around the yard, doing miscellaneous chores, and DW surprised me with a dinner. It was Tuesday,,, so it is Taco Tuesday. She made a batch of the ground beast from Sam's I posted a few posts ago.
Since the food thread I regularly post to went kind of quiet, I thought of sharing it here.
Meat also has some Rotel diced tomatoes, and a few mushrooms.
Sure,,,, we break the rules on taco meat recipes

One of my plates Note that my salt and pepper shakers are practicing social distancing

 

[Faraday40]

Got a single seramas chick zipping. Looks like I lost at least 1 more. It's quite depressing. I really don't need a lonely only right now.

My spitzie "mama" is seriously thinking about going broody. She spent all night on the nest, but then got off all day while "spitzer" thought it over for 4 hours. She decided it wasn't for her and then this evening "mama" is back on. Wish she would hurry up and decide!

I slipped one serama egg into the incubator & it hatched yesterday. I also slipped one silkie x serama mix egg under the broody and it pipped & peeped last night. I'm happy to have 2 develop out of 2 eggs. I think you'll get more hatch, but if you don't I can take it or you can take mine.

I also had 6 orps hatch last night.

 

[WhyDoILikeChickens]

My daughter is doing a report in ayam cemani. Supposedly National Geographic says the Silkie also has black skin and bones. Can someone confirm and provide photos? Or just some silkies?

 

[NotAFarm]

I have two Ayam Cemani hens, but no silkies...that would be @Faraday40 !

 

[Faraday40]

My daughter is doing a report in ayam cemani. Supposedly National Geographic says the Silkie also has black skin and bones. Can someone confirm and provide photos? Or just some silkies?

Yes silkies have black skin. I never ate one, (since ours are pets), so I can't confirm from experience about their bone color. I can try to take a pic of their skin later.

I did eat an extra ayam cemani cockerel given to me. (I don't own any myself) The black skin was weird, but didn't affect meat's taste. We don't eat the skin anyway. Some bones were black but not all. It may not have been 100% pure since not all the toe tips were black.

 

[Faraday40]

It's time for musical chicks!


All 9 incubator orps hatched (plus one serama who's bunking with some quail for now)
6 lav, 2 black, & one blue orp

I put them under hen Crystal and didn't have time to take good pics since it's cooler than normal outside.

Crystal's bantam egg hatched this morning. (Turned out to be a serama not a silkie mix like I had thought.) I also moved that serama in with the quail.

Then I brought the 2 pipped orp eggs under Crystal into the incubator. I was afraid Crystal would leave the nest with all the newly added chicks. The last 2 eggs came from my laced pullet, but she was probably fertilized by the lav orp. Likely they'll be black, but there's a small chance of laced.



Incubator Notes on the Nurture Rite 360:
The shelf liner I added seemed to have no effect on hatch rate. Every egg that was fertile hatched. But, the eggs did have a shiny wear spot around the middle due to turning.

I removed the chicks very shortly after the last one hatched. This was an active group that enjoyed playing soccer with their unhatched siblings. There were only 9 orps but it was quite a party. I think 22 "normal sized" chicks could work, but truly doubt 22 orps could move in such a small space. My orps tend to be on the gigantic side...... When standing, the chicks are so tall that they had to crawl under the center. You can see my height concerns in this pic.

The 360 view is nice to see and interact with chicks.... BUT the misc. floating chick fluff quickly sticks to the sides, so hard to take pics after a few have hatched & dried. Also camera flash glare from dome shape. My Coolerbator is still the best for photos.

Since the main goal is incubating and hatching chicks, I say this is an excellent incubator. Can't beat 100% hatch rate. It's also pretty easy to clean. The lid has all the electronics and gets wiped. The bottom with the water trays and hatching debris can be thoroughly washed in the sink. (Refill water, turn back on, heat it up, and then add more eggs. LOL) It has auto everything and is easy to use. The only thing I had to do was add water - especially at lockdown.

 

[Molpet]

It's time for musical chicks!


All 9 incubator orps hatched (plus one serama who's bunking with some quail for now)
6 lav, 2 black, & one blue orp

I put them under hen Crystal and didn't have time to take good pics since it's cooler than normal outside.

Crystal's bantam egg hatched this morning. (Turned out to be a serama not a silkie mix like I had thought.) I also moved that serama in with the quail.

Then I brought the 2 pipped orp eggs under Crystal into the incubator. I was afraid Crystal would leave the nest with all the newly added chicks. The last 2 eggs came from my laced pullet, but she was probably fertilized by the lav orp. Likely they'll be black, but there's a small chance of laced.



Incubator Notes on the Nurture Rite 360:
The shelf liner I added seemed to have no effect on hatch rate. Every egg that was fertile hatched. But, the eggs did have a shiny wear spot around the middle due to turning.

I removed the chicks very shortly after the last one hatched. This was an active group that enjoyed playing soccer with their unhatched siblings. There were only 9 orps but it was quite a party. I think 22 "normal sized" chicks could work, but truly doubt 22 orps could move in such a small space. My orps tend to be on the gigantic side...... When standing, the chicks are so tall that they had to crawl under the center. You can see my height concerns in this pic.

The 360 view is nice to see and interact with chicks.... BUT the misc. floating chick fluff quickly sticks to the sides, so hard to take pics after a few have hatched & dried. Also camera flash glare from dome shape. My Coolerbator is still the best for photos.

Since the main goal is incubating and hatching chicks, I say this is an excellent incubator. Can't beat 100% hatch rate. It's also pretty easy to clean. The lid has all the electronics and gets wiped. The bottom with the water trays and hatching debris can be thoroughly washed in the sink. (Refill water, turn back on, heat it up, and then add more eggs. LOL) It has auto everything and is easy to use. The only thing I had to do was add water - especially at lockdown.

Glad you had a good hatch... and reliable broodies. My turkeys keep having poults wander off and I pull them I have a brooder with 8 left for sale (2 pending) and 2 to go out with some mom when the weather is better.
One Mom is locked in a coop, she had 4 but I have only seen 3 the last couple days. There's 2 other broodies in there. It's not with the chicken broody, I hope it's with the turkey.

 

[homeschoolin momma]

I think you'll get more hatch, but if you don't I can take it or you can take mine

It ended up being a lonely only. I eggtospied the other 3 and two had almost completely absorbed the last of the yolk. The other one died a few days ago. Poor thing was loudly chirping tonight as I put it in the brooder. DS found the stuffed turkey for company. I think I'm going to need to make a trip up to see you Faraday.

 

[Faraday40]

It ended up being a lonely only. I eggtospied the other 3 and two had almost completely absorbed the last of the yolk. The other one died a few days ago. Poor thing was loudly chirping tonight as I put it in the brooder. DS found the stuffed turkey for company. I think I'm going to need to make a trip up to see you Faraday.

Fine with me. I have 2 seramas that just hatched Tues & Wed, so the ages would work perfectly. I put them in with the quail because the orps went outside with a broody. I was worried about them getting squished by a giant mama.

 

[NotAFarm]

Quite the storm last night. Lots of rain and lightning but just smaller branch debris. How did everyone else fare?