Michigan Thread - all are welcome!

[RaZ]

I've been absent for several days. Sorry about that. Just haven't felt up to snuff.
I called in on Saturday so I could watch the annual truck parade. It's an awesome thing to see...all those customized semis. Wow! Air horns and train horns blasting loud enough to wake the dead. If it's too loud then you are too old.

This is how I looked watching the parade. My new cap for car show season.

First selfie ever.

 

[RaZ]

Forgot to mention. MDARD has lifted the ban on poultry shows and swaps. That means we can have birds at Chicken Stock. Call MDARD if you have any questions. 800-292-3939.

 

[aart]

Yes, they look like the fertile one but I eat them,lol. I had 2 eggs from her sister from the 10th and the 11th of June, so I went and took the ceramic out and found another one from today from her sister and put them under her. She will not give up being broody and things being so expensive lately, I decided to let her do her thing. It takes 24 days, right? If no peeps I guess I will trash them after that. I have a set up for peeps. Closed but next to papa and real mama. Would that be ok?

Well, of course there's no chance to incubate the ones you break open,
but it indicates the boy(s) are getting the job done so most eggs should also be fertile.

You should mark the eggs under the broody and remove any additional ones daily.
Takes approximately 21 days for chicken eggs to hatch.

 

[1muttsfan]

You can't tell if an egg is fertile without cracking it open or incubating it. You can check on your roosters overall fertility by looking at the eggs you do crack open for the blastoderm.

Hens incubate eggs for 21 days, sometimes slightly longer sometimes slightly less. You can candle them at around 7 to 10 days and see if they are developing.

Here is a link to the broody hen article
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/guide-to-letting-broody-hens-hatch-and-raise-chicks.65989/

 

[Dreamzchaser]

Thank you @aart and @1muttsfan Roo is about a year old or so and he does mates with both, especially with the broody one. But she has not laid an egg in a few weeks. I do have from her sister and I put 3 on her this morning. Funny, it was about to rain and I had some old clean vienna sasauges little cans and I washed them. I put water and food inside the nest box right next to her. She was finally drinking water. Then Pitbull sat on the other nesting box while baby mama was standing at the edge,lol It looked so funny but could not take pictures.
Gpoing to read up oin candle them because I am pretty sure it has nothing to do with a candle and hub might try it,

@RaZ love your Gatsby cap!

 

[aart]

I put water and food inside the nest box right next to her.

Don't feed her on the nest, she'll poop in it.
She needs to get up to eat and drink and poop.

 

[Sally PB]

@Dreamzchaser, read some of the hatching threads for lots (tons) of information about hatching eggs. I haven't hatched any eggs (yet!), but I know I'll need a few things before hand. Mostly "plan B" stuff.

Like, if the hen gives up 14 days into it, I'll need an incubator to finish the job. If she doesn't "know how to mom," I'll have to take care of little chicks myself. And, of course, what to do with the cockerels that hatch?

 

[Dreamzchaser]

Don't feed her on the nest, she'll poop in it.
She needs to get up to eat and drink and poop.

Out to remove that ASAP

 

[saysfaa]

The movers are done. We didn't move; just emptied the storage unit. It went really well (the movers were wonderftul) but I am a wreck. Headache, nauseous, etc. The only functional room in the house is the bathroom. I used to like moving - relatively speaking. This move has been so miserable and dragged on so long, it is just....awful.

I hope a nap helps. Then I will try to get the bare basics back to functional.

 

[Folly's place]

Our chickens are out for the first time in months! YAHOO!!! May it be safe out there...
I took pictures, not great, but it was still fun for all.
Mary