Langshan Thread!!!

[Chick Lover]

Sorry it took me so long! Was gone for the weekend.

Okay. Cool, I love hens like that. Yes, I wish more of my hens would go broody like that, it always seems like they get up to get a quick sip of water a bit too much....most of them aren't very successful.

Rodriguezpoultry, good luck with those darling little chicks!

I will!

 

[SherrieT]

I have 8 B/B/S eggs on Day 19. So anxious to how many hatch out. I've read the whole thread and, maybe I missed it, but how are the newly hatched chicks sexed?

I'll post pics of the chicks!

 

[rodriguezpoultry]

Hello and congrats on your eggs! Hope you get a great hatch!!

I've done it for years. You'll mostly know by about the second week or so. In my lines, the males feather in much slower than the females. Seems to be fairly true for most lines.

 

[SherrieT]

It's day 20, not 19! And 3 have pipped!

 

[SherrieT]

I've ended up with 5 altogether. 3 chicks running around like crazy. 1 that just seems to like to lay down. But it was the last one to hatch so maybe it just hasn't figured out that it's not still in the egg.

And then there is one that has a horrid cross beak. When I get home tonight I'm going to put it in the brooder and see if it can feed and drink. I know what I should do with it but if I don't use it for breeding and it is happy and healthy then what is the harm of keeping him/her?

Sherrie

 

[rodriguezpoultry]

Congrats on your hatch!!

Shame about the crossbeak though. I had a bantam Lav Ameraucana hatch and it was normal...fast forward 2 weeks and it's beak was one of the worst cases of crossbeak I'd ever seen. It was small but vigorous. I went ahead and culled. My reason? I wouldn't use it for breeding and really only got them for eggs. A hen normally won't lay with a crossbeak. I don't have the space or feed to deal with one...so I put it down. Made me sad but I know it was for the best. Do what you feel is best. It's a Langshan...it'll make a great pet if you decide that you'd like to keep it.

 

[SherrieT]

Down to 4. All day at work I kept sneaking back to the site to check up on cross beaks. I had myself psyched up that I would come home, start clipping his bottom beak and he would grow up to be a great mascot! Well, when I got home I took him out of the bator and looked at him real close. The poor babies skull was so deformed. He only had one eye and it didn't look right to me, especially when compared to the others.

I just took him outside and culled him quickly. So now I'm sitting here with a big glass of wine and feel like crying. I normally wouldn't take it so to heart but things have been kind of rough lately and I just thought maybe the underdog would win one.


eta: and the one who just preferred to sit. She has a bit of a splayed leg. It's not too bad, she can run like the dickens when she wants. I'm pretty sure it will self-correct in a day or two

 

[rodriguezpoultry]

So sorry you had to do that. In those cases, I really wish the chick just hadn't hatched. It hasn't gotten any easier for me through the years. I always feel guilty and always second guess after the fact. Before I put a chick down, for some reason I always apologize...don't know why I do it, I just do. I can't pretend that it doesn't matter to me...suppose it makes us big softies or wusses, however you want to look at it. For what it's worth, I'm proud of you for making the decision and following through instead of allowing it to suffer.

 

[SherrieT]

I did give him a kiss on his head and told him I was sorry.

It really was the only decision to make. Thanks for letting me vent !

 

[Cydney83]

I am so sorry! I have been trying to get Langshans and I hatched one about a month ago...and waiting for more eggs...I can't imagine what you are feeling...

Good luck with the rest! 4 is 3 more then I have!

Quote:

Down to 4. All day at work I kept sneaking back to the site to check up on cross beaks. I had myself psyched up that I would come home, start clipping his bottom beak and he would grow up to be a great mascot! Well, when I got home I took him out of the bator and looked at him real close. The poor babies skull was so deformed. He only had one eye and it didn't look right to me, especially when compared to the others.

I just took him outside and culled him quickly. So now I'm sitting here with a big glass of wine and feel like crying. I normally wouldn't take it so to heart but things have been kind of rough lately and I just thought maybe the underdog would win one.


eta: and the one who just preferred to sit. She has a bit of a splayed leg. It's not too bad, she can run like the dickens when she wants. I'm pretty sure it will self-correct in a day or two