INDIANA BYC'ers HERE!

[julie0477]

I kind of want both.  Once I start getting a decent number of eggs a day, the incubator can set more, but I'm not sure the bator's hatch rate will ever be as good as a broody's rate.    There are different issues with a broody but I would not have to think twice about a child touching that ever sensitive temp knob, or the humidity, or the power, or the turner.

My HRIR are supposed to go broody once in a while, but nothing like a silkie or sumatra.  I have 3 Sumatra chicks that I will grow out and 1 sumatra roo from my last sumatra attempt.  If I still don't have a hen, then I will break down and start looking for more local sumatra options, preferably chicks.  But I have to say once they are hatched these sumatra chicks are very sturdy and seem to get up and go investigating the brooder area much faster than the other breeds I have hatched (PRIR, Mixed mutts, ducks, CL).  It would not surprise me if the sumatra's were trying to escape in the next week or so.  Something else a broody hen would take care of.

I know some one around Bloomington that raised Sumatras and is getting out of the breed. Let me know if you'd like contact info.

 

[julie0477]

Okay. I hope I didn't hurt anything.

oh my gosh you sound just like me lol I bet they are ok. Mine needed help but the mom would not go anywhere near the pipped egg. Sounds like what you did was very brief and then the eggs went right back to correct humidity and temp. I worried soooo much. I bet the second time is much easier. I have a broody BO right now and I'm thinkin about chicks.....

 

[kabhyper1]

oh my gosh you sound just like me lol I bet they are ok. Mine needed help but the mom would not go anywhere near the pipped egg. Sounds like what you did was very brief and then the eggs went right back to correct humidity and temp. I worried soooo much. I bet the second time is much easier. I have a broody BO right now and I'm thinkin about chicks.....

I didn't take her off for more than a few seconds. Each time. The chicks have been pushing more air in and out than I think I could have exposed the eggs to. lol They are busy little nuggets. I wasn't planning on helping any chicks hatch. I would rather them go in the shell naturally, than to have to put them down because of birth defects or weakness. I couldn't do it. I can't even kill bugs. I will just hope everything goes okay. That way I will know when it comes time for the 15 eggs one of my silkie hens is sitting on to hatch.

Oh boy lol

 

[barb s]

How exciting to have little chicks running around! And more to hatch, too! If you could grow out a pair of the German New Hampshire females for me, I'd be thrilled - and pay, of course! The only place I have to use as a brooder is a bathtub, because the bathroom is about the only place I could shut off from the cats. Starting them off in April would be great. We will be ready for them just when they are ready to move. Now I just need to track down Heirloom Barred Rocks and Rhode Island Reds. Then, maybe an Australorp or a Marans or a Wyandotte. There are so many wonderful chickens out there!

Yeah it's great. I will be more than happy to grow out a couple of New Hampshire for you. I will increase the order so there is a better shot of getting some girls. Bathtub wouldn't work for us we only have 1 bathroom. I have always used plastic totes, but with these chicks I bought a 2 x 4 stock tank. It has a lot more room for them to grow. And I can put lots of chicks in it.
There is someone on here who has Heritage Rhode Island Reds but I can't remember who. Walt's Ark has French Marans Black and Blue Copper I believe. Dick Horstman has Silver Laced Wyandotte. He also has Silver-Penciled and Partridge Rocks. From what I understand Strombergs show quality chickens come from Duane Urch and they have Australorp and Silver Laced, Golden Laced Wyandotte plus a lot of other breeds and colors. If you order any and need some one to split with or take any extras let me know and maybe I can help you out.

 

[barb s]

if you can wait on yhe heritage barred rock I may have some chicks in a month. I have 2 dozen eggs coming this week. I can send you pictures of the breeding stock I got them from. I have a dozen from 2 different people

I would be interested in some of the barred rocks if they aren't already spoken for.

 

[CCCCCCCCHICKENS]

I dont worm mu chickens. I wont until u find worms. It can be a bery heated subject in some cases on wether to or not to.

 

[Old Salt 1945]

NO. That's a DQ.
Now you have your assignment. If you choose to take this assignment, photos will be required for proof. (This post WILL NOT self destruct in 60 seconds.)

Whuts a DQ?

OK, here you go. This is from several years ago during my confused time.




Don't tell anyone.

John

 

[Old Salt 1945]

That is a terrible article. People are already refusing blue and green eggs because they just seem weird. Now if they read the article, they'll refuse them because they are 'gross', and if they don't read the entire thing, they'll refuse them because 'oh my gosh, those eggs have a virus!'

I'm already reading reports of this happening among our fellow chicken keepers.

The truth is, virus or not, the color is in the shell only and doesn't affect the interior in any way. If you were to crack open a blue egg and a brown egg laid by hens from the same flock, you wouldn't be able to tell the difference. What affects the quality of the egg is what the bird eats. If she is fed only crumbles and not allowed to forage, her eggs will likely not be as rich as those from a hen who is allowed to free-range. Yolk color is usually darker in birds that free-range as well, though that is not a great indicator of a bird's ranging time as one can do something such as feed marigolds to a cage-raised flock and get the same dark yolks as those of a free-ranging hen.


Interestingly enough, I have seen this with my own eyes (not the marigold effect, but the difference between a ranging hen and a hen eating nothing but crumbles). I have a rescued silver Sebright named Francine whose previous owner debeaked her and did it so badly that she has almost no upper mandible. She can eat nothing but crumbles because she can't pick anything up while free-ranging. I can tell which eggs she laid by cracking them open. Her yolks are much paler than the other Sebrights' and in general they don't seem as firm or taste as rich.

This is Frannie, by the way. She is understandably human shy, but I think she's just beautiful and she has a home here no matter what.

This is the kind of misuse of animals that really makes me mad.

Hats of to you Pip for rescuing this otherwise beautiful bird.

John

 

[Leahs Mom]

A DQ is a Disqualification.

And I didn't see a photo...

 

[Old Salt 1945]

A DQ is a Disqualification.

And I didn't see a photo...

Fixed. I tried to copy/paste rather than upload. Looked good when I did it. Didn't display.

Post # 15477

John