Maine

[Speed]

Haven't been on in a while. 301 unread posts lol. So I'm building another coop, 6foot x 6 foot. I have it just about done. nice creamy tan color with black stained trim. the trim isn't on it yet but hopefully this week. I just scored free insulation too. I've been working on this thing in my spare time ( seems like when I get spare time it rains LOL) so it's taking a long time. Well that and I'm being really anal about this one. The first coop came out ok, so it's just a coop. This one is going to be so much better, more details and just built better all around.

 

[Speed]

On another note. Our hatch rates have been horrible. We've run probably 40 eggs through our incubators (we have 1 with a turner and 1 with out so at day 18 we put them in the bator without the turner) and have only gotten 10 hatched and out of that 2 died. These weren't all at 1 time, a dozen here a dozen there sets. They seem to do great, we candle them at day 18 and they look great but I'm not sure if we are doing something wrong at the bator switch or not. The other thing is, when we get eggs in the mail or from another local place how long should we let them sit before they go into the incubator?

 

[klf73]

I was having horrible hatch rates as well, then I upped the humidity and have been having good results. This is with my own eggs. As far as shipped eggs, I don't do the same as others. When you get eggs they are already up to a week old. I take them and put them in a carton and set them in my bator for 3 days without turning them. I figure if they are going to settle then they might as well not lose any time getting older. This has worked well for me in the past.

 

[Speed]

I was having horrible hatch rates as well, then I upped the humidity and have been having good results. This is with my own eggs. As far as shipped eggs, I don't do the same as others. When you get eggs they are already up to a week old. I take them and put them in a carton and set them in my bator for 3 days without turning them. I figure if they are going to settle then they might as well not lose any time getting older. This has worked well for me in the past.

thats a good idea i'll try that too. i'm thinking i might break down and buy the fan kit for my little giant.

 

[klf73]

I couldn't get a fan locally for my LG so I found my homemade bator that has a fan. I now have 10 breda babies that I have NO idea what I am going to do with now

. I needed a couple more girls to go with my boys but got a better hatch than what I was having previously (set more eggs expecting poor hatch rate), at least I had only set 3 more eggs after that(that are due to hatch with my first cream legbar eggs hatching this week).....then the orps are due next week

. Going to be time to start selling these eggs so they can pay for their own food...

I might have to find time to go to a swap to downsize from these babies....

I have a wyandotte question for Hoppy, and anyone else that might know feel free to answer. Does feathering speed indicate gender with these? I have some chicks that are almost fully feathered and then I have at least one that only has feathers on it's wings and the rest is fuzz

 

[TayFray!]

I kinda want to clear out my other coop but then again that is where I am storing all of my indoor rabbit cages with rabbits in them, as well as my chicks! Haha I Dont know what to do about that, I would like to get some more chickens... I want to get a few of those rabbit hutches from that guy "tony" who sells them if anyone knows How I can contact them!! Right now I need a silver spangled hamburg rooster and some more hens, I would like some polish Hens and roosters or chicks! As well as any other kinds of chicks or adult chickens!

 

[hoppy]

feathering faster is usually not a way to tell gender in wyandottes but the cockerals combs pink up about 5 weeks of age. they can be wing sexed at 1-3 days old, after that you have to wait for the combs.

I couldn't get a fan locally for my LG so I found my homemade bator that has a fan. I now have 10 breda babies that I have NO idea what I am going to do with now

. I needed a couple more girls to go with my boys but got a better hatch than what I was having previously (set more eggs expecting poor hatch rate), at least I had only set 3 more eggs after that(that are due to hatch with my first cream legbar eggs hatching this week).....then the orps are due next week

. Going to be time to start selling these eggs so they can pay for their own food...

I might have to find time to go to a swap to downsize from these babies....

I have a wyandotte question for Hoppy, and anyone else that might know feel free to answer. Does feathering speed indicate gender with these? I have some chicks that are almost fully feathered and then I have at least one that only has feathers on it's wings and the rest is fuzz

 

[hoppy]

well, lets see, day from hell. started with the porcupine but that turned out better then expected, killed it and no dog contact this time- thats 3 in 2 weeks! went to the airport to ship birds, agent waited on hold for 30 mins and then told me the carrier was not up to standards and turned me away, came back and had to rebook, was on hold for 36 mins to rebook and I get home and the furnace isn't working, can this day suck any more!! I would like to thank dave at the home depot in s. portland for his quick fix of my carrier for $1 in eye screws. without him I would have had to drive home 1 1/2 hours and do this all again another day.

 

[PollyC]

My Little Giant incubator that I use for hatching has seen better days, it was given to me without the windows in it so I had to cover with glass from picture frames. I often wondered it the baby chicks would bump the heating element and get burned. So today I made a 4 inch riser that allows the babies to stand up without burning their little heads. I have been testing it all day to make sure it was gonna work, it is holding temps perfectly. It is the yellow portion of the bator, I have looked for a riser but have had no luck so thought I would try to make one.

 

[buckabucka]

well, lets see, day from hell. started with the porcupine but that turned out better then expected, killed it and no dog contact this time- thats 3 in 2 weeks! went to the airport to ship birds, agent waited on hold for 30 mins and then told me the carrier was not up to standards and turned me away, came back and had to rebook, was on hold for 36 mins to rebook and I get home and the furnace isn't working, can this day suck any more!! I would like to thank dave at the home depot in s. portland for his quick fix of my carrier for $1 in eye screws. without him I would have had to drive home 1 1/2 hours and do this all again another day.

The best thing about days like that, is it makes the next day seem so much easier! .

I am anxiously awaiting the results of a lung culture from my dead hen. Worried that it will be something sinister. My speckled Sussex definitely is making a weird respiratory noise (the same breed that died), but all otherwise appear healthy and are breaking egg records, so I'm not sure what to think.