Maine

[quailtrail]

1 pipped and zipped in 10 min. A rush to go no where fast!!! The 1st to pip has worked away a gd portion of the shell and is resting. The other 2 pipped are quiet...and 2 rocking right now!!!!! Woohoo!!!

 

[quailtrail]

3 hatched - only 1 being the original first few to pip. The other 2 are "resting" I hope!!! The other 2 busted out like no tomorrow. Lol!!! 3others are mow pipped. ..and only day #20

 

[buckabucka]

3 hatched - only 1 being the original first few to pip. The other 2 are "resting" I hope!!! The other 2 busted out like no tomorrow. Lol!!! 3others are mow pipped. ..and only day #20

So glad to hear this quailtrail! Is this a different incubator you are using? I was convinced your incubator was somehow dooming your hatches...

 

[quailtrail]

So glad to hear this quailtrail! Is this a different incubator you are using? I was convinced your incubator was somehow dooming your hatches...

I was convinced as well!!!! Did a few adjustments, and they were local eggs. The farm we got them from said they have never had issues with polish eggs even with temp spikes of 104...so hoping my adjustments was the key not hardy eggs

 

[Jazor]

I've got a silkie that I think is going broody. I will have to take a closer look this weekend, but each time I go into the coop I find her nestled under the ramp (that leads out into their run) packed in a pile of shavings sitting on her precious tiny egg. She's not aggressive, let's me pick her up, take the egg, put her outside/on a roost. Then later I find her in the same spot, sitting on ... no egg. I think the signs are strong enough.

I have some 3-4 week old chicklets downstairs in the brooder. Does anyone suppose she'd adopt them as her own? That could certainly make life easier...

 

[lazy gardener]

Doubtful as the chicks need to be young enough to imprint on the Mama. It's a 2 way street. But, you could give her a couple of day old chicks after she has been broody for about a week. Is she staying on the nest at night?

Q.T. What wonderful news. Hardy eggs are certainly one side of the equation. If you start with a junk egg, no amount of excellent care will make it hatch. Not saying that the previous eggs were junk, but they were at a disadvantage, having been shipped. The other side is getting the temp and humidity correct. IMO, most incubation failures are due to faulty thermometers.

 

[CoopChick719]

So much to do...so little time to do it! BUSY BUSY BUSY! Meat birds go to be processed next Wed. which will give the 8 week olds their own run. Was going to build new brooder (carboard box) in the garage to clean out the old one which fell apart on me when I tried to move it. Decided that's it...putting the chicks in the big coop in enclosure vacated by meaties. Not a lot of real estate but they do have 2 roosts since I sectioned off the big roost. Big girls are interested but haven't seen anyone trying any funny business through the fencing.

$6 for Nite Guards?! I only saw them for $20! Will have to check out Amazon again.

Funny yet not, Ash, on your skunk problem! Pepe Le Peu hasn't visited my coop lately. I'm hoping he's become to fat to fit through the chainlink. The same day I moved the chicks, I saw Rocky or Rachel Raccoon (very large) eating the bread the neighbor throws out on his lawn. We eyed each other carefully--it was about dusk. I had the meaties & big girls out free ranging and the babies in a dog crate out near the coop. Lured everyone back into their pens with goodies & locked them down. He/She wandered off in the opposite direction of my house. Haven't seen any tracks or such but keeping a closer eye on free ranging & lock down times.

I have 3 girls who think they're broody! I have no rooster & I steal all their eggs when I take them out of the nesting boxes so it's all in vain...for now. I'm thinking I'll try hatching eggs in the coop next year if my broodys cooperate. DH & I agree on inside brooding--
P & U...mostly from the meaties.

Have a great & productive weekend everyone! Good weather has arrived!

 

[lazy gardener]

I plan to dedicate tomorrow to getting the rest of the garden planted. Also have a lot of flowers to plant. Kids going away for part of the weekend, so, that should free up some time. Still looking for a face to face encounter with Rocky. Nervous about letting the big girls range... but hoping that Rocky is a sound day time sleeper.

 

[ducklucky]

I will double check on where I got the night guards, it may not have been Amazon, ordered a mess of stuff, so will have to check. Just know they were super cheap, got 4 for like $25 dollars, will let y'all know....

 

[quailtrail]

6 out now...3 others pipped! !!! One has a leg issue - it is is completely twisted up and lays behind it