Maine

[superchemicalgirl]

I'm between augusta and waterville. I have 3 types of guineas - the large french one, and the smaller ones that are grey and purple. I have no idea who is a boy and who is a girl, but I can tell the eggs from the larger french fowl from the smaller fowl if you had a preference.

 

[Namrag]

I'm between augusta and waterville. I have 3 types of guineas - the large french one, and the smaller ones that are grey and purple. I have no idea who is a boy and who is a girl, but I can tell the eggs from the larger french fowl from the smaller fowl if you had a preference.

Hmm, eggs are nice but their job is to protect my two hens and tick control. Purple is my favorite color but quality job performance is more important. What is your recommendation? is one louder than the other?

 

[lazy gardener]

Got some advice about early hatches. Thinking all 7 of mine were early hatches. 3 of them were having a difficult time hatching. I know your not supposed to help out but I'd not seen a lot of progress in many hours so I gently helped a little bit so that they could get the top off.
Of the Last 4 I tried to candle and could se a clear air sack on one but couldn't see anything at all in the other 3.
Not sure what to do at this point. Hatch day I was pretty sure was supposed to be tomorrow or Thursday. Guess I will at least wait until Thursday and possibly try and candle again at that point. Looking a bit grim for those 4 but happy with the 7 I did managae to hatch and they are healthy and doing fine.
About to move them over to my brooder pen in the basement instead of the cadrboard box with heat pad they're in now.

Next time you incubate, you might want to turn your bator down a degree. Did you calibrate your thermometers? I calibrate to 100* by using a medical grade digital or old fashioned mercury thermometer in a cup of water at 100*. Then, based on that, I can pretty much tell how far off my other thermometers are. I am in the camp where I will assist with the occasional hatch. IMO, incubation is a substitute for a broody hen, and there is no way that I can be as successful. Sometimes, even if all incubator parameters are spot on, the chick can't make it out of the shell through no fault of her own. She may be so big that she can't get into position, If she can't get her head tucked under the correct wing (I believe it's the left) or if she can't get turned around so that she pips the correct end of the egg, then there's no way she can make it out of that shell. I've done assists where the poor chick had her head stuck between her legs, also where the chick was just too big.

New Hampshire here Do you have any guinea breeders up that way? Apparently there aren't any down here. Thank in advance.

I can't help you, but welcome to Maine, the way life should be!!!

 

[JDisme]

Anyone have a silkie or a hen that like to go broody for sale? I think my bator is broken it wont keep a constant temp. Almost new..ugh! I prefer broodies anyhow...

 

[DwayneNLiz]

I'm between augusta and waterville. I have 3 types of guineas - the large french one, and the smaller ones that are grey and purple. I have no idea who is a boy and who is a girl, but I can tell the eggs from the larger french fowl from the smaller fowl if you had a preference.

if you post a couple head shots of them i can try to help you detemine gender

Next time you incubate, you might want to turn your bator down a degree. Did you calibrate your thermometers? I calibrate to 100* by using a medical grade digital or old fashioned mercury thermometer in a cup of water at 100*. Then, based on that, I can pretty much tell how far off my other thermometers are. I am in the camp where I will assist with the occasional hatch. IMO, incubation is a substitute for a broody hen, and there is no way that I can be as successful. Sometimes, even if all incubator parameters are spot on, the chick can't make it out of the shell through no fault of her own. She may be so big that she can't get into position, If she can't get her head tucked under the correct wing (I believe it's the left) or if she can't get turned around so that she pips the correct end of the egg, then there's no way she can make it out of that shell. I've done assists where the poor chick had her head stuck between her legs, also where the chick was just too big.

I can't help you, but welcome to Maine, the way life should be!!!

and rotating the eggs around the incubator helps too, because there can be cool/warm spots causing varying development during incubation

Anyone have a silkie or a hen that like to go broody for sale? I think my bator is broken it wont keep a constant temp. Almost new..ugh! I prefer broodies anyhow...

i have an OEGB/silkie cross that wont let me break her, she has flat feathers not silkied, not sure how many eggs she can cover but if you want her she's yours! i am in central NH though

 

[DwayneNLiz]

Anyone have a silkie or a hen that like to go broody for sale? I think my bator is broken it wont keep a constant temp. Almost new..ugh! I prefer broodies anyhow...

do you have any heat sinks in it? they can help to stabilize it and reduce fluctuations a great deal

 

[lazy gardener]

and rotating the eggs around the incubator helps too, because there can be cool/warm spots causing varying development during incubation

do you have any heat sinks in it? they can help to stabilize it and reduce fluctuations a great deal

Excellent points. My bators are red neck affairs. But, when I take the time to calibrate thermometers (I often have 3 or more thermometers in the bator!) Add heat sinks, and rotate the eggs through the bator, I usually have a 95% hatch rate. (after removing the clears.) I turn eggs by hand, usually keeping them in a carton through day 14, then lay them flat through day 18 and lock down.

 

[JDisme]

I have 2 hova bators and one flucates by 20-30 deg just sitting there while the other is stable.
@DwayneNLiz i would love to have her but i am too busy for a day trip these days...life..ya know

 

[DwayneNLiz]

I have 2 hova bators and one flucates by 20-30 deg just sitting there while the other is stable.
@DwayneNLiz i would love to have her but i am too busy for a day trip these days...life..ya know

hovabators are good little machines, so i find it strange, what models?
still air or forced?
is it the wafer thermo or digital?

and she isnt going anywhere anytime soon if you change your mind

 

[combatfuzzball]

Well i'm down to 6 baby chicks now. Came home to one dead and opened up the non-hatchers in the incubator. Fully developed chicks that just failed to make it. THinking they may have inherited the Aracauna gene since other than their greenish legs they are pretty spot on appearance wise to Aracuana's.
Not sure if I have enough time for another hatch but really don't want to have a basement full of chickens all winter. So guess I'll hold off until next year.
Was fun hatching them out and the incubator I have did awesome. I don't think I can blame the non-hatch eggs on it.