IT HAPPENED!!!

[CoconutCoffee]

First 2 eggs from my new pullets today. Ayam cemanis who'll be 19 weeks tomorrow. I almost missed them as I was counting heads at bedtime.

 

[Smiles-N-Sunshine]

So sorry to hear about Blackie! If it's any consolation, she had the best possible chicken existence during her time on Earth. Fingers and toes crossed for a successful duckling hatch soon!

 

[junior67]

@MochaLatte How are the eggs doing? They are due to hatch the end of this week aren't they? How exciting!

 

[MochaLatte]

@MochaLatte How are the eggs doing? They are due to hatch the end of this week aren't they? How exciting!

Hi there! I'm sorry I've been so absent... it turns out I actually had pneumonia! I've been pretty out of it.

Duckies are set to hatch on Saturday! I'll take out their auto-turner and get them prepped for lockdown on Wednesday night. I missed candling them for a few days while being sickly. I just checked them and saw great movement in all of them except egg #8. It could just be resting - I will recheck it on Wednesday. The eggs are so full of duckling now, it's really hard to see in there! This is what I was seeing tonight:


Optimus Prime was by far the most active... I cannot wait to meet the babies!

Have you decided what chickies you're going to order yet??

 

[junior67]

Hi there! I'm sorry I've been so absent... it turns out I actually had pneumonia! I've been pretty out of it.

Duckies are set to hatch on Saturday! I'll take out their auto-turner and get them prepped for lockdown on Wednesday night. I missed candling them for a few days while being sickly. I just checked them and saw great movement in all of them except egg #8. It could just be resting - I will recheck it on Wednesday. The eggs are so full of duckling now, it's really hard to see in there! This is what I was seeing tonight:
View attachment 2964218

Optimus Prime was by far the most active... I cannot wait to meet the babies!

Have you decided what chickies you're going to order yet??

oh no!! I was wondering if you were feeling better. I guess not. HOpefully now that you know what it is you have the right treatment and are starting to feel better?

Oh look at that little duckling wiggling away!!! I am so excited!!!!!! I really cant wait to hatch some chicks but first I need to have Ditzy to start laying. haahaa. Then I can hatch out a little Bitzy from Ditzy and Itzy.

I am not sure. still waiting for their order forms to come out to see what they have this year. hoping for a few different from last year. I have to get some chicken food on Wed so will probably ask then when they are coming out. Thought last year it was the end of Jan/beg of Feb when it came out. then figure out what breeds I want and when I can get them all for the same week. Wanted April but not sure Ditzys eggs will be big enough by then IF I even have a broody then and wanted them close to the same age.. so guess we see. If they aren't the same age it isn't a big deal.

You have integrated chicks with your flock right? how did you go about it?

 

[MochaLatte]

HOpefully now that you know what it is you have the right treatment and are starting to feel better?

Yes, finally! I'm still not 100% but getting better everyday... thanks for thinking of me

I can hatch out a little Bitzy from Ditzy and Itzy

Oh my gosh... Bitzy. I need this to happen. That's the cutest name ever for one of their babies! Fingers crossed for baby Bitzy the splash cochin wonder!!!

. I have to get some chicken food on Wed so will probably ask then when they are coming out.

How exciting! I can't wait to hear on what types of chicks you decide on... and pics will be mandatory, of course. My husband found out at work today that they will have 1,500 chicks coming in next week... I told him I'm happy to go help unload them, LOL. He said he'll be happy for the help as long as I don't shove any chicks into my pockets. Hahaha

You have integrated chicks with your flock right? how did you go about it?

Gosh, last year was crazy for me... I integrated chicks 3 times. It worked out well for me everytime. What I did was brood them until they were fully feathered and then moved them as a group into a sectioned off area in my run. Bear with me with this awful sketch of the setup I used... it shows front and aerial view of how I made the "safe area" in the run...


I used whatever I had on hand to do this. The first time I set it up with hardware cloth, the 2nd and 3rd time I used an extra piece of tin roofing I had laying around... I had a separate food and waterer in with the babies. The big girls could see them but not directly interact(peck) them. I would keep them in that area for a month and then remove the partition. I kept the extra food and waterer over there incase they needed to eat away from the big girls for a while.

I never had an issue with the babies getting picked on using this method... and will do the same thing when I move my current babies outside (although with the weather I'll probably keep these spoiled brats inside for quite a while longer than I otherwise would have... don't want frostbitten feet!)

 

[Iluveggers]

My husband found out at work today that they will have 1,500 chicks coming in next week...

What type of job is this magical place? Maybe I need a new career…

 

[MochaLatte]

What type of job is this magical place? Maybe I need a new career…

Hahaha he is the farm manager at our local store. It is fun when all of the babies come in, but it sure is trouble...

 

[junior67]

Yes, finally! I'm still not 100% but getting better everyday... thanks for thinking of me


Oh my gosh... Bitzy. I need this to happen. That's the cutest name ever for one of their babies! Fingers crossed for baby Bitzy the splash cochin wonder!!!



How exciting! I can't wait to hear on what types of chicks you decide on... and pics will be mandatory, of course. My husband found out at work today that they will have 1,500 chicks coming in next week... I told him I'm happy to go help unload them, LOL. He said he'll be happy for the help as long as I don't shove any chicks into my pockets. Hahaha




Gosh, last year was crazy for me... I integrated chicks 3 times. It worked out well for me everytime. What I did was brood them until they were fully feathered and then moved them as a group into a sectioned off area in my run. Bear with me with this awful sketch of the setup I used... it shows front and aerial view of how I made the "safe area" in the run...
View attachment 2964343View attachment 2964344

I used whatever I had on hand to do this. The first time I set it up with hardware cloth, the 2nd and 3rd time I used an extra piece of tin roofing I had laying around... I had a separate food and waterer in with the babies. The big girls could see them but not directly interact(peck) them. I would keep them in that area for a month and then remove the partition. I kept the extra food and waterer over there incase they needed to eat away from the big girls for a while.

I never had an issue with the babies getting picked on using this method... and will do the same thing when I move my current babies outside (although with the weather I'll probably keep these spoiled brats inside for quite a while longer than I otherwise would have... don't want frostbitten feet!)

I have no clue how to break up quotes and respond that way.

But LOL Itzy and Ditzy needed a baby named with "itzy" so Bitzy seemed to work. Or maybe Mitzy or both. LOL Think the rest are going to have Alcohol themed names (the ones I order. LOL)

I can't wait to order. They just answered they normally have the form around hte end of Feb (I swear last year it was the first week in Feb but guess less of a wait after I order if it is the end. LOL)


Thank you for the drawing! That helps a ton! I am hoping to have no issues. I will brood them inside the coop and block that off so they can see them there for at least 4 weeks if not 6 before I even let them out of the brooder so hopefully that will help. Then think I will make a little "door", well a few, in the brooder so they can run in and out but the big ones can't get in. Not sure if I should find a spot to block in the run but I only have 1 door so hard to make a spot only the littles can get to but guess I can make a section with a small door and their food and water in there for them as well. But they will have to mingle with the big ones to get to it.......... fingers crossed it goes well when the time comes!

 

[MochaLatte]

I will brood them inside the coop and block that off so they can see them there for at least 4 weeks if not 6 before I even let them out of the brooder so hopefully that will help

I feel like this is such a great setup, because the big girls will have the same "see-no-touch" time with the babies from the beginning. I bet you won't have any problems integrating at all.

And gosh @ end of Feb for their form... I wish they could just give it to you so I can know which babies you end up picking LOL