January 2017 Hatch-a-long

[Newchics]

The eggs go in tonight!!!! I ended up with a full 42 eggs to set

Even though it is "winter" (I live in Texas, so mainly less sunlight) my hens are still going strong!

We are in Texas also. Our birds are laying like crazy. We are getting at least a dozen or more every day. Now in the summer they will quit laying.

 

[ducky723]

Woohoo, go Buffy! 10/10 Hatched! One did not make it (might have been our fault for bothering her a couple days ago), so she has 9 to raise. So, starting with 12 eggs, 2 got smashed, 10 hatched. So exciting! This gives me great hope for the Black Australorp's clutch!

Awesome job Buffy

 

[frenchiegirl21]

We are in Texas also. Our birds are laying like crazy. We are getting at least a dozen or more every day. Now in the summer they will quit laying.

Haha, yup! Apparently that's the way it'll be this year. Thankfully most of my hens have already molted for the year so I won't have naked chickens in the summer.

 

[Newchics]

I don't know why but our birds don't molt as much as I see in the many pics posted on the www. Guess this summer we will try and set up some way to keep them cooler

 

[orrpeople]

There are a couple of different types of "molt" - one that pullets experience, or as our family calls it "the bad doll hair cut" and one that is more significant "the really bad doll hair cut" later on (and that one sometimes happens at a year- 18 months or further down the line). They're all so individualistic! Oh yes, and I believe genetics play into it too - ask a silkie or frizzle owner!

As far as keeping them cool, you will also have birds who tolerate the heat well (my EEs and Australorps are not even phased by it) and those that don't (my poor orpingtons live for the big ice blocks we set out)!

 

[frenchiegirl21]

I don't know why but our birds don't molt as much as I see in the many pics posted on the www. Guess this summer we will try and set up some way to keep them cooler

In the summer we set up a mister in the shade in the chicken yard and run it from like 2-4. Doesn't use too much water and can drop the temp up to 10 degrees where the water is. Our chickens love it!

 

[Newchics]

Quote: All our our birds are never out of their coops. Too expensive to lose them and too many animals to worry about

 

[orrpeople]

So, a couple of years ago, when I said I would never again complain about rain in California - well, I may have been stretching the truth a bit.

I think Meredith's expression says it for all of us, as she and the rest of her flock bunch up under the eaves of the house to keep dry.

 

[dannyelle123]

So I have 4 eggs in my incubator on Day 13- out of the 8 that shipped, one cracked during shipping and 3 failed to develop.

When candled 3 look to be developing, but one has no visible air cell... It is a BCM, but the other 2 BCM have visible air cells.

Is the one egg with no air cell a dud? This particular egg also seems to have developed weird white spots on it, almost like calcium buildup, but sort of clear, but hard...

I'm really irritated with the person who sold and shipped these eggs... When they arrived they were covered in droppings, almost excessively and now I wonder about the conditions they came from... Gross, lesson learned. I also have 5 local eggs under my broody that are developing wonderfully due on 1/22 and now a 2nd incubator with 12 eggs from a different seller that seems to take much more pride in her eggs and they are due 2/3... This is my first time hatching eggs.

TIA-Dannyelle

 

[Cerise1924]

The eggs go in tonight!!!! I ended up with a full 42 eggs to set

Even though it is "winter" (I live in Texas, so mainly less sunlight) my hens are still going strong!

Sounds like someone needs to start a February Hatch-A-Long