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

[ChooksChick]

Oh, another one, but it's for AFTER they hatch:

Hint # # Have baby parrot formula on hand for the freshly hatched chicks. This is a powdered feed that is high in protein, contains large, easily absorbed amounts of vitamins and minerals, and pre- and pro-biotics for establishing appropriate gut flora right away. This is an essential tool to have on hand for weak chicks, and it tastes great, so it really gets them going if you sprinkle it over their feed.

A small dish of sand, an old branch of fallen wood, and a plug of garden soil with grass (roots and all) are excellent things to add to the brooder for entertainment as well as microbes and appropriate environmental exposure. If you have these and you keep your heat source in one corner so that the chicks can control their own temperature by going nearer or farther, you won't have any issues with mucky bums at all.

 

[NotAFarm]

I'm in!! Just found this thread, and very excited to join!! I have two Buff Orphington's that I will set on 10 mixed breed eggs. I plan to move them to our greenhouse that evening. My chicks will just be for eating, so I'm not to worried aobut their breed. But if these buff's don't sit well I may have to invest in some silkies. This is my first year with chickens and my first year hatching. Very excited that these buff's turned broody! One is more broody than the other, but I'm hoping by putting them together with their own eggs the one that's not so broody will take a cue from the other one and sit on her own. I'm going to use old milk crates for nesting boxes. . .will they be too big? My hens like to lay in the same box in the coop. Sometimes I have three hens trying to lay at the same time in the same box!! Crazy animals.

 

[Rottiemom]

This looks like so much fun. Do not know if I am brave enough to try this have yet to hatch anything in an incubator. I want to try but do not have any fertile eggs. Bought some from a lady they all ended up being infertile. Tempted to try this. If someone will help talk a newbie this and can find some eggs at a reasonable price. I am looking for blue Orpington eggs. , polish standards. My wyndottes are just not fertile it Simms my rooster will be a year next month.

Clarissa from the balmy South Mississippi

 

[buckabucka]

I changed myself to a flag so we could see you and moved myself a few miles south, closer to where I belong in real life.

I think we can see you now.

Ah, yes! I can see the tree and the flag. Good to get rid of that silly snowflake since it does not snow in Maine anymore! Are you working on your onions today?

 

[ChestnutRidge]

Weeeelll, I am going to pick up my nifty new brooder today. I was going over my list of what I was hatching, and I am trying to figure out what I want to hatch, keep, and sell. I realize at this point that I am going to have to sell some of my year-old birds to make room for new. That's a bit tough, since they are my first birds, but it's going to have to be done. I have an 8x8 and a 4x4, and I will not allow myself to put up any more coops. So, to work within what I have, I want to limit myself to 10-12 chickens, perhaps 16 at the most, because I want to be able to just use the 8x8 in the winter.

I want to be able to breed the EOs I will be getting for this hatch, so I would like to be able to keep all of the females and one male from the 15+ eggs I've purchased. Of course, I could end up with none, but for planning purposes, I'm hoping for 4-5 girls and one keeper boy. I also have to keep my two favorite hens, my SS and Golden Phoenix. Then, I want a variety of egg colors. EOs lay brown eggs, my SS hen lays a light pinkish-brown, and the Phoenix lays a light brown as well. So, I'll keep a Silver Ameraucana for blue and an Easter Egger for green. That leaves dark brown and white, so.....

I just ordered 6 RC Brown Leghorns and 6 Wheaten Marans hatching eggs from Gabbard.

I've been wanting these for a while, but DH has no idea. I might be in big trouble. I am definitely going to be subjected to a disapproving look or two. He probably wouldn't notice, except he is the one at home during the day whose job it is to run to the PO and pick up all of my boxes!

But I am super-excited!

So far, I've lined up:
15+ EO from Skyline
6+ March Swap mix
6+ RC Brown Leghorn
6+ Wheaten Marans

I'll probably come in around 45, so I might have to stack in my turner for the first time!

I am so excited and a bit stressed. I am trying to calm myself by reminding myself that I can bring any chicks I can't handle to the monthly poultry sale which will be April 21st or put them up in Craigslist.

I'm also going to have to sell a pair of Silver Ameraucanas, an SS rooster, and 3 EE hens. There's a sale on March 17th when we set, so I may be out and about that morning trying to make some room in my coops.

 

[featherz]

Ok ok I'm in. You've convinced me.

Going to cancel the hatchery order. SuperRX will sell me some eggs to cover my colored layer/NN fixation and I'll see what else I can find.

I really like getting those hatchery boxes filled with mostly girl babies (no roos to send to their doom) but I also hate that they have to sit in the postal system for days after hatch.. Hatching is more fun.

 

[buckabucka]

Ok ok I'm in. You've convinced me.

Going to cancel the hatchery order. SuperRX will sell me some eggs to cover my colored layer/NN fixation and I'll see what else I can find.

I really like getting those hatchery boxes filled with mostly girl babies (no roos to send to their doom) but I also hate that they have to sit in the postal system for days after hatch.. Hatching is more fun.

Woot! Welcome. Funny to read your string of posts and watch you gradually weakening. I did the same thing.

 

[BHep]

Caught up !!!

 

[buckabucka]

Quote:


So, you give them the grass clump from day 1? Is the sand enough grit for this purpose? Also, I'm wondering if all baby parrot formula is the same, or if I should seek out a specific brand. Oh, and sorry, one more question,- do you only sand the Marans eggs, or do you sand all your shipped eggs regardless of breed? Thanks for all the tips! Lots of information this hatch.

 

[featherz]

Woot! Welcome. Funny to read your string of posts and watch you gradually weakening. I did the same thing.

I'm not hard to convince. I did the NYD hatch AND the valentine's hatch so I have a lot of babies running around. Good thing there's a livestock auction near me and a few BYC'ers willing to take boys to humanely raise for freezer camp or I'd be on TV already explaining why my house is trashed and there are chickens under my bed.