Jan./Feb. 2014 hatch a long

[jonih]

So after my coyote-surviving buff orpington hen laid 14 eggs in the first 16 days of January (10 of which appear to be developing nicely to rebuild my flock), she mysteriously slacked off! I've collected 3 eggs in the last 6 days. I was very suspicious at the sudden change as she's laid all winter with no problems. I realized my 4 month old Aussie pup spends a lot of time poking around down there when I'm out choring and sure enough, I caught her red handed leaving the coop with an egg in her mouth yesterday! Little turd! To top it off, I opened my cool room today because the pipes froze last night. I had the three eggs sitting in there to incubate once this batch is done. She almost gobbled them up before I recognized the sound of her messing with them! I wonder what affect puppy slobber has on the bloom.....*kids*

 

[chickydee64]

Question for those of you that have heard your eggs chirping before they hatch:

Is it loud enough to be heard over the fan, or are the people who hear the chirping generally using still air incubators or turning the fan off? Also, when does it start? It's day 20 and I've been periodically sitting by the incubator and listening but so far I have not heard a single peep. Honestly, if I hadn't candled two days ago and seen the chicks inside I would have no idea that anything was happening in there.

It is soooooooooooooo hard to wait..............
My experience is some chirp and some don't.
They can be heard after they break through the membrane...............internal pip,
so it is likely a little early......
Every time I hear it.......I think I must be letting my overactive mind play tricks on me........

then, sure enough..I'll hear it again..............
They are loud enough to hear over the fan..........

 

[SilkieSensation]

Oh man.  I was sent 15 BO eggs.  15 are going into lock down tomorrow!   And, 12 Rhodebar eggs were sent to me.  10 are going into lock down.   Here's hoping my bator does as well during lock down. 


Have to share something, that us older folks can appreciate.  Thinking I may be the only oldie.. in here, but anyway, was at the store struggling to get the money out of my inside pocket of my purse.  Took a while.  I don't know why?  I just find that some things take longer.   The person behind me was smiling, and being so patient.   I remembered then.  Something I read about 10 years ago.  
   A lady that was behind an older woman.  She was struggling with her purse, she could see that the woman was feeling embarrassed about taking so long.  Then the woman that was standing behind the older woman had a thought.  I hope when I reach that age, that people will be patient while I am the one taking a while in line.   Boy, did that come to mind. My time had come.  In fact, it came to mind just a couple of weeks ago too.   

I fit in that older category myself & have always been slow at the checkout. I have 6 kids so they slow you down. I always have so mych cimpassion for that mom (ir dad) trying to juggle baby, bag, wallet, change & keep baby from screamung & the toddler from pulling everything off the shelf. I always offer a hand. I been there!

Okay guys. Today is day 7. I just sat in my closet and candled. All of the eggs I got locally are clear I think maybe her drake is either infertile or not covering her ladies. 6 of the khaki Campbell eggs and the one Indian runner all have veining, but it's not on the side like I've always seen in the pictures, it's up at the top by the air cell. I'm hoping they're okay. One of the KC eggs has a blood ring.

If you are incubating upright babies will be at the air cell. If you incubate on the side babies will be on the side.

THANKS FOR THAT!!  I didn't understand it at all either. I didn't understand why or how.  It was only on this thread that I had even heard of it. Tried doing some research and, your right, it sounded complicated so I gave up. You just put it in terms I completely understand and feel confident enough to try.

A few questions. I've read we are suppose to add to it and stir it. Can you tell us how that is done (in what I call Lisa Lingo = Lingo I can undersand. lol)?  Are we suppose to have it in a warm place for fermentation to take place or is a cold shed fine?

Even the method mentioned here is more complicated than it needs to be.
Yeast fermentation:
Take a container twice as big as you need for 1 day's worth of food. Fill 1/3 full of hot water. Dump in yeast. (I use 1/8 tsp in a 5 gal bucket.) Dump in whatever mix of food ypu prefer. Stir. Add more water or food as needed to get it "sticky" without having dry spots or excess water. (Think bread dough.) Cover loosely & allow to sit 15-30 minutes. Scoop out & feed. Will smell like bread dough. No need to save any. Make fresh daily. This is good for cold weather especially as it does not require a heated location.

UPACV method:
Use unpasteurized apple cider vinegar (the cloudy stuff, may day "with mother."
Fill container 1/3 full of water. Add preferred feed mix. Add UPACV. (About 1/2 cup for 5 gal bucket.) Stir. Make sure feed is completely covered with water. Allow to sit 12-24 hrs in area over 60F. It will bubble & expand once process starts. Stir & drain excess water before feeding. Use water to start next batch. Just add more feed & keep it going. If done properly it will not sour. Must be stirred frequently to prevent mold & spoilage. Keep covered loosely to keep insects out.

I use the yeast method in really hot & really cold weather & the upacv method during mild weather.

 

[Gen9]

Lol, married life. We'll laugh at this when the years past

good times

Do you have pictures of the eggs?


Sometimes the ACV is too sour.  You can try leaving it out.  Vitamin B deficiency causes a lot of problems.
Extra vitamins can cause runny poop and pasty butt.  Keep an eye on the hiney.

Cool thanks, that's what I thought, maybe I have him too much... I put a tiny amount of ACV (I make my own) just for the electrolytes & probiotics

The above is so true..and, so can the medicated feed.  I only keep them on it for a week. 

Oh, I never thought of feeding medicated food, I give them all the same food. Usually a multi-flock feed for all ages, but when the chicks are here, it's starter/grower for everyone.. I also give them poopy eggs & BOSS... This is my 3rd year & coldest winter & they're all laying pretty well, I think the extra protein helps everyone out!

Your lucky. Mine looks for the first 2 minutes then says.... "here we go again. its the chick band." Even my little human babies are disinterested anymore.

Exactly. Mine wouldn't help with the incubator. So I bought a few.  He wouldn't help me with the coop either so I converted the kids old play house and added a 10 x 20 dog kennel to the side. I think he thought it was a phase. We moved last month and I had a tow truck move my coop. He couldn't believe it. I guess he thought I was gonna sell my babies.  HA  Last weekend, I bought a new playhouse....only problem is...... it has to be assembled. Gonna be fun asking for his help. 

Awww! I know how that is. I'm always careful when I ask the hubby for help when it has to do with chickens. He gets so annoyed with them.

 

[Gen9]

I guess those were my max quotes! Couldn't fit everyone in... I concur on the fermented feed. My chickens love it. I use the grain left over from my husband's brew. Nothing goes to waste!

So the little chick is 100% better. I was able to snap a pick of it today, standing up, chirping loud! I put a diluted version of what I was feeding it & just gave it all to them... Just in case.

 

[Gen9]

Before

After

 

[chickydee64]

Before


After

 

[Gen9]

Hey, I just found out it's going to 9*F on Wednesday! Gahhh! Not sure what I'm gonna do :-/

 

[Gen9]

e  

I know! Lol, I was so happy to see it getting around ok, still a little wobbly, but got them all drinking the same stuff, don't want anymore surprises later down the road

 

[dolfi]

Catching up.   BOSS is Black Oil Sunflower Seed.  Of course it has the protein in it..it's a nut.  You can buy it anywhere!  You see it pretty much in any big grocery store on the bird isle..Black sunflower seeds.    They may not take to it at first, or they will!   Make sure you have some way of them to get grit/rock. Mine are in their run for the winter, so I give them grit every now and again.  I just throw it down on the ground.  They love to scratch.  They will find it. 

Well I bought the sun Flower Seeds without the shell. And didn't find the butter milk so I bought soy milk. Hope that works.

Will try fermenting today. When do I feed it to them. How do I know that it's good to feed?