Mahonri's 3rd Annual, BYC Easter Hatch-a-long!

[Arielle]

Well, the good news for me is my eggs arrived yesterday... the bad news is EVERY one of them has detached air sacs and two actually have bubbles in them. So I am resting them in my back kitchen until tonight when I'll candle them and I am going to try them all as I know I can't get these colours round here. I am really (expletive) upset about the state of the eggs. It's not the breeder's fault, but I know enough to get them all to at least start and if I have unfertile eggs I'll be back on to the breeder. So, out of 24, I'd rather not set 24. I have about half a dozen of my own, but they haven't been kept for the incubator so probably aren't much good to hatch this time around. I've been eating my own eggs as I was follhardedly waiting on the special eggs. Oh well, if it's a total disaster I'll be setting my own eggs after the incubator is clear. I am NOT running more than one incubator this year, fact.

So, good luck everyone with their shipped eggs. I'll be foregoing the auto turner in place of egg cartons and a thin book propping up one edge of the incubator this time. Ugh.

Have you tried gluing a plastic pipe to the middle bottom of the cartons???? I've seen some people do this and it works. I've don the rock the incubator thing--not fun--but then my incubator has 10 qt size mason jars to tilt . Not fun. Just a thought . . . Good luck with the eggs--I hope you get a few at least!!!

 

[Mahonri]

I'm picking up my sulmtaler eggs at 2PM.

THEN when Renee tells me what breeds I got from here, I'll post a "comprehensive" list of How many I'm setting, the breeds, how many of each etc....

and argh... I get to go see an emergency at the office...


................

amazing that with 227 signed on. (and I've removed 8 that originally signed on and bowed out)...
the most I've ever seen currently viewing this thread is 20. (last night when there was a posting frenzy going on)

I'm guessing it will really be popping tomorrow!

Your "Irish Blessing" for today.


May the wind at your back,
not be the result of,
the corned beef cabbage
you had for lunch!

 

[Spangled]

I swear she had chicks from every roo out there with her. I've never seen that done before but kind of cool.

Still just the 2 chicks from all those eggs. What a waste! I don't know what happened, but between the high temps and low humidity I lost 47 I guess.

I keep looking at all those FBCM eggs and it about makes me sick. Not to mention my Lav AMs.

That is really interesting about her hatching chicks from so many roos. I don't think many of us ever run very many roosters with our hens and we also don't usually have a hen that runs off to lay her eggs (keeping them separate from other hens' eggs) and then hatches them. I do have broodies like that, but usually only one type of rooster is out with her. They bring home chicks that all look the same. So, your experience is interesting. I'm glad you mentioned it.

Well, your wrist must be doing sort of okay since you're able to catch baby chicks. I'm sure it's still a pain, but at least it's a shorter cast. What color did you get? (Silly question, but hopefully you can humor me.) When do they take it off? Do you have to do PT?

Sorry about the poor hatch. I especially understand the FBCM egg loss. I've had them sitting there on day 24 still in the incubator with me not wanting to give up hope. Glady, they were my own eggs and not $$ or shipped. After that poor hatch, I bought a Brinsea. I know that's not the answer to all the world's hatching woes, but it's just been so helpful to me to have a Brinsea compared to what I was using.

Good morning all! Getting close! I am calling the PO in an hour to make sure they don't put my eggs on the truck plus I am getting some local eggs. Both incubators appear stable for now so we should be a go!

Originally Posted by featherz
Just called my post office and said nothing but "I just wanted to let someone know I had a shipment of eggs coming today" (did not give name) and she immediately knew who I was and said she already had my phone number on their bulletin board. ROFL.

Two incubators? Lots o' eggs, then lots o' chicks! It's great that you've got a good relationship with the PO!

I sat outside and watched her chirp around the yard frantically and waited as she pecked furiously at the feeder inside and settled herself back down. In the wrong nest box. Which had no eggs - not even wooden.

Ack! Why do they do that? I had three broodies in the coop the other day. They've been on two nests, but I tempt them off the nest with sunflower seeds. That's when I collect the fresh eggs. So when I went back down there later, all three were in the same nest. Squished together. And two little dummy eggs were in the adjacent nest looking forlorn. How can the hens not know where to return to? They manage in the wild, but I guess there's not two nests sitting right next to each other.

I wouldn't worry about the broody too much. Every one I've had has "held it" until I get home, which is around 4 PM. They run around for about 30 minutes then I help them back to the right nest. I've done it in the winter, too, where it's been dark at night when I get home, and I just leave a flashlight on in the coop for her to walk around and eat/drink.

You are super ... just like your name. I think I would go stark raving bonkers waiting around for 30 minutes in the dark and cold until one of my broodies decided to get back on the nest and then helping her to the correct nest. I would need a chair, a foot rest, a blanket, a book, a cup of cocoa w/marshmallows and homemade vanilla extract, a headlamp for hands free reading, a hat with ear flaps, a phone to call my partner for refills on the cocoa. Our wifi won't reach that far or I'd just take the interwebs with me.

What's cool, though, is how you and your chicken work together to get the chicks hatched. I just think that our (people in general) relationship with chickens throughout the centuries is utterly remarkable. We like them and many of them like us and we have this sort of symbiotic relationship going on.

He did send Jaers, 19, plus 10 Delawares, 4 red Dorkings, and 4 black Orps. The remaining ones are a mystery - there is one brown chipmunk that has 5 toes on each foot, no feathers on the legs, so ?? I may post some pics in the what breed thread when I have 2 seconds to sit down. He also said he would send the RC dorkings later if he could.

Fingers crossed that you get those RCC Dorkings later. I imagine they are worth the wait. How can people not be attracted to a chicken with such a rich history. I had them on my original order with Sand Hill, but didn't end up with any due to extenuating cirucmstances, etc. I call it fate or dumb luck ... something. Maybe someday some will come my way. Great that you got some Red Dorkings

and some Jaers. I think I'll mosey over to the "Name That Breed" thread later and see if I can find the pics of your little cuties.

Woo-hoo - I'M IN!!!!! Going to set EE/OE, 2 turkey eggs and (hopefully) some SS!

Welcome! Belatedly, I welcome you to the Mahonri's 3rd Annual BYC Easter Hatch-a-long! Tomorrow is the setting day! Sounds like you're probably setting a few Green Eggs. Can't believe it's finally here. I think I signed up about month ago and it's been a long wait.

Hello everyone! I am official in! My OE's arrived this morning from Lark Rise in GA.

Welcome to the Hatch-a-long! Lovely egg dish. If you had two dishes like that, will they stack? I doesn't look like it to me. Does it only hold 9 eggs?

 

[Melissa Rose]

Sorry to be soooo very absent

I have been building grow out pens and putting a polycarbonate roof on my run and Wheewwwwww am I OLD

I have 100 eggs ready to go for tomorrow with three more batches due in tomorrows mail soooo ..... The post dept has done it's very best to break smash and destroy them so I bet I don't get a very good hatch rate but we will see and hope it is not the case

I am so behind in reading the posts! Are we guessing breeds set too? I have to go in tomorrow so far Lavendar Orpingtons Double Barred Lemon Cuckoo Orpingtons Marans in assorted colors Ameraucanas Bantam Frizzle Blue Polish Large Fowl Polish BCMs and an incredible assortment from Deb - Hot2Pot that I will have to go get the codes for

Be right back

 

[wolftracks]

But it is only an option for Platinum Poultry. (That's, like, 90% of why I upgraded.

)

Ah. Someone beat me to it. Okay, I'll add this:

awww nuts. I thought GF could do that too.

You're going to drive me to one of your daughters? How nice of you.

On another note....I did get my eggs from Bhep...beautiful and in perfect condition. So I've gotten 2 perfect shipments...gotta run to homedepot and try to fix these incubators to hatch these perfect eggs.

I do have my incubator lined with the silver bubble insulation stuff. I've decided it must the flexwatt...i just emailed the guys I bought it from and see what they think.

Sure I have room. You can keep me awake. Matter of fact I think I'm meeting another BYCer while I'm out there. I have OEs for her and need to find out if she wants any of the chicks from my broody.

You can also use them as ear plugs for horses

I looked for ever for the same thing lol. Sadly you have to be a Platinum member to have that option.

I also don't think Mahonri has officially stated what he was setting and how many.

I've used them for my dogs ear too.



WOW I finally figured out how to do multiple quotes. I'm on a roll.

I have lots of eggs for this hatch. I'll have to figure out just what later tonight although if they lay anything before I set I'll add those. I think I have maybe 80++??? I have to count.

 

[Arielle]

Caught up again . . .

Looks like my FBCM are slackers today. I keep them under lights to encourage good deeds!

The Buff Orpingtons were moved into a coop and pen of their own. THe rooster was very happy to see girls!! Lots of squawking and wing flapping. Such sweet birds.

Won't be setting any for a while as they all get to know each other for 4 weeks.

 

[Mom 2em All]

I had quite a scare. My seller sent me an email that she had only just mailed my eggs out yesterday,,,but today they arrived in beautiful shape!
I have them settling now for starting tomorrow!
I just had a late hatcher come out of the incubator this morning..three days after the others, lol..so I will get it cleaned up and ready to go again.

 

[LarryPQ]

Doo dooo dot dodo/

 

[gryeyes]

Nice selection! Brahmas look so huge!!

This is Bernard, also known as That Very Big Chicken.

 

[Melissa Rose]

From Deb I have Rocks Brahmas Orpingtons Polish Sussex Cochins Australorps Seabrights Buckeyes Salmon Faverolles Production Reds