March 2017! Hatch with us!

[yeye5]

How's it going? Any sign of the little one? I agree with wvduckchick - check inside mama's feathers. I have a friend who kept taking chicks out of their mama's feathers, until I think, he counted 8 or 9 - and it was almost impossible to tell they were in there, she just looked 'winter puffed out." I prayed!
So, you may have gathered, I'm not much of a broody expert, but if they're like any chickens I know, they really hate change, so moving the nest might actually cause more harm than letting mama try to keep them warm outside (chickens are like little ovens - have you ever slid a hand up under their wing while they're sitting in a nesting box? Nice and toasty!)

It was in a tiny crevice behind the nest box, just posted that it was dead. Likely froze not being able to find its way back in to the nest box. Itsy the little yellow 3-1 peep was in Mima's feathers and tumbled out rather ungracefully when I picked her up looking.

 

[yeye5]

How's it going? Any sign of the little one? I agree with wvduckchick - check inside mama's feathers. I have a friend who kept taking chicks out of their mama's feathers, until I think, he counted 8 or 9 - and it was almost impossible to tell they were in there, she just looked 'winter puffed out." I prayed!
So, you may have gathered, I'm not much of a broody expert, but if they're like any chickens I know, they really hate change, so moving the nest might actually cause more harm than letting mama try to keep them warm outside (chickens are like little ovens - have you ever slid a hand up under their wing while they're sitting in a nesting box? Nice and toasty!)

Yes, that's the decision I came to. I posted a super-long rant about it, but in short I changed the nest box to a smaller one without handle holes. I won't drag you thru the already posted description of the new and improved nest box suited for winter during the spring. So, little Itsy from 3-1 (2 big weeks old already!) is the sole survivor of this madness. I love little Itsy and s/he will probably get a buddy or two purchased from the feed store. They have Buff Orps and Light Brahmsa right now and chicks of they-don't-recall what breed coming next week.
Can anyone tell me a bit about Brahmas plz?

 

[yeye5]

Update emergency intervention from 11 ice cold eggs I have now 3 chicks and 2 pips I had to assist one that zipped this morning and had stoped for a few hours thought it was a goner but after I opened up the end a little bit it jumped into the light and scared me!! All was well membrane was all absorbed and it's running around now wobbly but around number 3 I checked the pip and didn't hear any signs of life so I opened the pip the little pieces of egg shell at the poke and set it back inside well in about 8 minutes it's zipped and out fast zip like the first one I'm not sure about the other two I'll wait I did open up the pip so it could breath I'll keep a close close eye on them but my hatch rescue has blessed me with for now 3 more than if I didn't do anything!

This is wonderful news so far! 3 hatched from 11, leaves 8. What are the 8 doing? Any pips or rocking or peeping yet?

 

[coloradowildflower]

Oh, get the Brahmas, yeye! They are the most wonderful birds! We had Buff Brahamas and every one was sweet, loving, hardy, and a great egg layer. They have feathered feet, so the cold didn't seem to bother ours. They lay big, beautiful light brown eggs. We just loved their gentle souls. I recommend them heartily! If you have any other specific questions, let me know. I love to talk about them.

 

[yeye5]

I'm no eggspert (haha), but here's my opinions.

1) I'd personally clean out the nesting area and use new eggs. You can rinse with plain warm water and it shouldn't mess them up.

2) I'm not sure. When my showgirl was deciding if she wanted to go broody, she'd sit for a day or two and then get up for a few days and then sit for a while. I just let her sit on whatever eggs she wanted because mine are fertile. When she really hunkered down, she was on a good 15 eggs. I'd say give it 4 or 5 days before giving her special eggs.

3) I just have the styrofoam one from tractor supply, so I can't give advice on small ones.

4) I highly doubt the microwave affects eggs. I store my eggs in the fridge until I'm ready to set. They've been good that way and developed.

Isn't it bizarre how I've been told several things by different ppl that I'm finding are not the case.
When you say "use new eggs" for what? Stocking the nest to encourage a broody? (I use fakes for that). Do you mean I should do the encourage with egg "trick" with freshly laid eggs? They'd be old eggs in no time. Sorry I'm dense today.
I have "clean the chicken houses" on the things to do list. Today got away from me but the weather should break tomorrow and I agree it needs doing.
For these eggs I'll rinse with warm water and the ones I can get clean, I'll store for the "in-case-of-broody" cupboard. The ones that are icky, I'll discard.
I was also told (by a person who thinks he knows everything) that once you put a fertilized egg in the fridge, it will no longer be viable, that even the "bull's eye" will disappear. That is obviously untrue. Thank you for clearing that up for me.
The microwave-egg concern, yes, is a touch extreme. Thanks for your thoughts on it...which do serve as a reality check.
Thanks for replying patiently to all of these questions.

 

[yeye5]

Oh, get the Brahmas, yeye! They are the most wonderful birds! We had Buff Brahamas and every one was sweet, loving, hardy, and a great egg layer. They have feathered feet, so the cold didn't seem to bother ours. They lay big, beautiful light brown eggs. We just loved their gentle souls. I recommend them heartily! If you have any other specific questions, let me know. I love to talk about them.

Thanks! Good deal! I do already have a buff orp pullet that's started being romantic with the roo, another of grandmother chicken age and what looks like a buff orp mix pullet so I was thinking about the Brahmas if they still have them when I go (tomorrow or next day). I'm hoping to get close in age with the one/s I purchase so little Itsy has a playmate/cohort. It's so difficult when they only sell straight runs bcs I want to make sure--to the extent I can--that I get both genders. That becomes either a craps shoot or a larger investment than I was wanting/able to make.
Yes it sounds goofy bcs they aren't so expensive...but from where I stand in ability to purchase, 2 chicks=1 bag of layena pellet or crumbles. I think my choice will be limited to the # they actually have. It sounded like this group is already running low, they said they only have 2 or 3 Orps and didn't comment on how many Brahmas.
I have a standard vet appt tomorrow for one of my dogs who takes Rx medicine...in the opposite direction of course. But the pharmacy I go to get his med filled does double back past my house and passes the feed store. While I don't Need to fill his Rx tomorrow, I may do it anyway so I can take a peek at the Brahmas, perhaps come home with one or more.
This weather had better break bcs I'm planning on asking Mima (mama hen and Itsy's mom) to adopt them. She has happily adopted nd hatched eggs from a variety of standard size chickens and Itsy is in fact probably not her daughter/son, but her Grand-daughter or -son. I'll be so much more comfortable having her adjust to newly adopted peeps in the warm weather. I just need to reduce drama right now, by lots. In an unlikely event that she isn't at one with my parental planning on her behalf, I do have a heating pad and a friend who built a brooder last year in the style where the chicks get under the semi-circle of heat as they would get under a hen. That friend can walk me thru creating a temporary version of it while I negotiate with Mima.

Thanks for the great encouragement on the new to me breed of Brahmas.
Can I PM you in a while? I have to bring in plants that I'll have to get up a ladder to retrieve from where I put them hanging in a tree only 3 days ago. Silly weather! Yes I'd love to get more info from you. Thanks!

 

[Mylied]

Isn't it bizarre how I've been told several things by different ppl that I'm finding are not the case.
When you say "use new eggs" for what? Stocking the nest to encourage a broody? (I use fakes for that). Do you mean I should do the encourage with egg "trick" with freshly laid eggs? They'd be old eggs in no time. Sorry I'm dense today.
I have "clean the chicken houses" on the things to do list. Today got away from me but the weather should break tomorrow and I agree it needs doing.
For these eggs I'll rinse with warm water and the ones I can get clean, I'll store for the "in-case-of-broody" cupboard. The ones that are icky, I'll discard.
I was also told (by a person who thinks he knows everything) that once you put a fertilized egg in the fridge, it will no longer be viable, that even the "bull's eye" will disappear. That is obviously untrue. Thank you for clearing that up for me.
The microwave-egg concern, yes, is a touch extreme. Thanks for your thoughts on it...which do serve as a reality check.
Thanks for replying patiently to all of these questions.

Oh, yeah. Pretty much anything animal related (or kid related) you'll hear 10 different ways. They aren't necessarily wrong, just different. But sometimes you'll hear crazy things.

I forgot you use a broody, I was talking about new eggs for the incubator. Like, wait until fresh, clean eggs are laid and then incubate those. But your method of setting aside for your broody works too. I just toss too dirty of eggs to my pigs, I don't bother cleaning them. I get enough fertile eggs for my needs that I don't have to worry about it. If you don't, then warm water should do the trick.

 

[Birdydeb]

Great! Congratulations!!! It's happening!  Woohoo!
I always forget the BR genetics. A female BR can pass the BR gene only to male offspring (I believe). A male BR can do...? what?? Is it a dominant trait? Can't be bcs it would then make every offspring of a BR a BR as well. Do you know? What types and colors are the offspring you get? That will help answer the question.
And...Have FUN!

I had a RIR roo and was going for black sex links and just RIR chicks but he was one mean ornery snothead. He and my BR roo grew up together. Anyway, Big Red went in my friend's soup pot.

At the moment I have two black chicks and two yellow. More pipping I read that a hatchery ISA covered by a BR roo would likely have 50% black and 50% yellow chicks. Their adult plumage is gonna be iffy. Yellow chicks of course will be white with red and/or black spots of color. Black ones some type of barring no doubt. BR over the RIR will produce Barred chickens with some red bleed through...or none. I am anxious to see too! This is what I read anyway. 4 out, 15 more to go.

Wanted to add: none of them will be sex linked except a slight chance for the BR/BR ones that is something like 80% accurate. Not sure.

 

[lilwildrabbit]

Come on now...any more zips? Can yopu plz say more about the breed of your "dutchie". I'd thought that was her given name until you told me her name is Squirrel. I'd like to hear about the dutch breed part if you will.

She is a light brown Dutch bantam that I know at first I couldn't figure her out I doubt that she is over 2 lbs so small a bird. I got her at TSC last year along with many others but she seemed like she wasn't growing as fast so I worried then when I got my buff chicks she was left in the brooder with them they out grew her a beautiful little plane Jane bird so I researched thought at first she was English bantam they look so similar but the white around her eyes was quite different then I saw a pic that looked just like her that's when I found out just what she was. And her temperament is amazing if I'm outside and don't talk to her she will come up and flap her wings squalling funny until I talk to her she has always been calm around me and actually flew up on my knee once or twice on her own.

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[orrpeople]

Great! Congratulations!!! It's happening!  Woohoo!
I always forget the BR genetics. A female BR can pass the BR gene only to male offspring (I believe). A male BR can do...? what?? Is it a dominant trait? Can't be bcs it would then make every offspring of a BR a BR as well. Do you know? What types and colors are the offspring you get? That will help answer the question.
And...Have FUN!

The barring trait is passed through the mother to the son, and only will be visible if the father is dark enough for the trait to show through. So if I bred a BR female with a white Leghorn, I wouldn't be able to see the white barring. So typically, a barred rock hen is crossed with a New Hampshire or Rhode Island to make a black sexlink chick. I've used my BCM rooster and BR hens with the same results - as long as daddy is dark enough for the barring to show up. I don't know the technical reason this doesn't work in reverse, but I do know that two BRs give both male and female the head dot (barring). I would love to take a genetics class to learn more!