INDIANA BYC'ers HERE!

[SallyinIndiana]

Quote: I think the incubators will go on sale about the end of Feb at TSC, Rural king too maybe.

Quote: I have less experience than you. I sure was surprised by how fast these ducklings grow too. They are already almost as big as my production hens, easily taller. They are 6 weeks old.

 

[SallyinIndiana]

I have what I hope is a question, and not a problem!

I believe one of my Silver Leghorns has started laying. The eggs are white, and quite a bit bigger than the phoenix and fayoumi eggs I have been getting. This is impressive considering they are all the same size birds.

However, both the eggs I've gotten so far have had blood smears on them.




Does anyone know if this is just something that happens sometimes when a pullet starts laying? Or is it a sign that there may be a problem?

I have gotten 2 eggs like those but brown from my RIR over the span of months. it is my guess that is is something like a bleeding hemorrhoid issue. Completely a guess.

 

[julie0477]

I saw the exact issue on a fb group page today. The advice given was to check for a prolapsed vent and if that looks clear it's most likely not anything serious... Just a big egg for a lil pullet.

 

[julie0477]

I

I think the incubators will go on sale about the end of Feb at TSC, Rural king too maybe.
I have less experience than you.  I sure was surprised by how fast these ducklings grow too.  They are already almost as big as my production hens, easily taller.  They are 6 weeks old. 

I know!!! Both of my ducks grew at lightening speed but I read the khaki Campbell isn't technically mature until 7 months. Mine is four months now. Shes looked full grown for awhile now. Once she starts laying eggs sounds like she wont stop. Meyer hatchery description said 300-340 a year. Isn't that amazing? Do any of them have darker heads? I don't know at what age that happens but the drakes do get that mallard dark head.

 

[SallyinIndiana]

I
Quote:
No darker heads or curled feathers yet. At least one is deeply quacking. I hatched these from shipped eggs so I'm thinking at least one is a drake but maybe I got lucky and ended up with 3 girls. I got the eggs from ebay because Meyer hatchery had a minimum duckling order with a rather large shipping fee. I'm sure the shipping was cost but each duckling with shipping would have cost me almost $15 or more. Now I could have ordered more ducklings to reduce the shipping cost but I did not want that many ducks before I was used to taking care of ducks. Good thing too, I can only imagine how i would have housed 15 fast growing ducklings.

Edit, I went back to the ebay listing. It looks like my 3 ducks may all be girls. The seller's photos show his ducks and there is a very clear difference in the feather color and pattern between his males and females. I then had to do some more research. Turns out his ducks are the heritage show quality ducks. So the males would be much prettier than those in the hatchery pictures. I know if I ever decide to hatch more duck eggs I'll be getting them from him again.

 

[PeacefulWalls]

No darker heads or curled feathers yet. At least one is deeply quacking. I hatched these from shipped eggs so I'm thinking at least one is a drake but maybe I got lucky and ended up with 3 girls. I got the eggs from ebay because Meyer hatchery had a minimum duckling order with a rather large shipping fee. I'm sure the shipping was cost but each duckling with shipping would have cost me almost $15 or more. Now I could have ordered more ducklings to reduce the shipping cost but I did not want that many ducks before I was used to taking care of ducks. Good thing too, I can only imagine how i would have housed 15 fast growing ducklings.

We had to end up ordering the minimum 15 ducklings when we ordered from Strombergs (got Ancona ducks). They included an extra so we have 16 all together. They're about 8 weeks old now & I'll second or third it by now that they grow incredibly fast! We're still trying to figure out what kind of coop to build for them -- they definitely need to live outside & not in a barn stall. They sure like it, though, playing outside in their swimming pool! I need to get some new pics posted of them since I haven't done any since they were babies.

 

[Mother2Hens]

I have what I hope is a question, and not a problem!

I believe one of my Silver Leghorns has started laying. The eggs are white, and quite a bit bigger than the phoenix and fayoumi eggs I have been getting. This is impressive considering they are all the same size birds.

However, both the eggs I've gotten so far have had blood smears on them.




Does anyone know if this is just something that happens sometimes when a pullet starts laying? Or is it a sign that there may be a problem?

According to my "Chicken Health for Dummies" book . . . Blood-stained shell: Possible causes are Young Hen or Underweight Hen or Vent picking. Possible remedy-- provide complete layer diet. Possible remedies for vent picking explained on these pages.

 

[Thunder Chicken]

I think the incubators will go on sale about the end of Feb at TSC, Rural king too maybe.
I have less experience than you. I sure was surprised by how fast these ducklings grow too. They are already almost as big as my production hens, easily taller. They are 6 weeks old.

That's good to know. I have been looking at incubators but I'm not in a hurry. Thanks for that info.

Has anyone used pea gravel in their runs or poop trays? I am thinking about getting some tomorrow. Not much grass left and it seems like it would be easier to scoop the poop.

 

[Mother2Hens]

Nothing to be concerned about. It's just a little extra calcium. It's called bloom.

I don't mean to stand you corrected, John, but I happened to run across this description of bloom while looking for info about egg shell disorders.

Tonight's lesson is: What is Egg Shell Quality and How to Preserve It

Dr. Ken W. Koelkebeck
Department of Animal Sciences
University of Illinois
[Excerpt] There are many factors that affect the overall quality of the egg shell, but before discussing these factors, it is important to know what makes up the structure of the egg shell. The egg shell consists of about 94 to 97% calcium carbonate. The other three percent is organic matter and egg shell pigment. There are also as many as 8,000 microscopic pores in the shell itself. The outer coating of the shell itself consists of a mucous coating called the cuticle or bloom which is deposited on the shell just prior to lay. This protein like covering helps protect the interior contents of the egg from bacteria penetration through the shell. Egg shell quality is determined by the color, shape, and structure of the shell.

The rest of this article is very interesting: http://ag.ansc.purdue.edu/poultry/multistate/koelkebeck1.htm

I remember a discussion on this thread about egg washing-- some used cold water, some warm, some didn't wash, etc. This article discusses all this -- and more! And you can read it not only once, but twice at no extra charge. Just send me a check for shipping/handling/finder's fee.

 

[Thunder Chicken]

According to my "Chicken Health for Dummies" book . . . Blood-stained shell: Possible causes are Young Hen or Underweight Hen or Vent picking. Possible remedy-- provide complete layer diet. Possible remedies for vent picking explained on these pages.

Oooh! Maybe I should get that book. I just received the official backyardchickens cookbook but was a bit disappointed. It's a nice cookbook but I expected more egg recipes.

So.... anyone use peepers to stop pecking? I gotta google peepers now.