North Carolina

[rbaker0345]

It seems silly not to allow people to at least have a couple of hens. Heck, a neighbors cat has more potential for being a nuisance than a couple of hens in a run and who would dream of telling their neighbor that they can't have a cat?

 

[Banriona]

and who would dream of telling their neighbor that they can't have a cat?

I would. I have fantasized about just that many many times. Especially when I'm planting things in flowerbeds....

 

[imtrying]

Sigh, I think I may need a new incubator, seems like I keep having humidity issues. Or may need to position different on lockdown. Hatching in egg cartons seems like it would be harder to get out of the egg, but some people do that so maybe I'll give it a try.

It looks like it's fine....
I don't add water until they go into lockdown.
It seems like a positioning issues maybe? Going from the automatic turner to just laying in there at lockdown?

I had 10 eggs go in, looking great. Only 4 hatched yesterday. Today was day 21 so I left them in there, but the chirping and rocking stopped. Finally checked and the last 6 were fully developed, almost all the yolk absorbed, and just dead in the shell in an odd position. Never used to happen before seems like it keeps happening the last couple times....

sounds like humidity to me. also, hatching in egg cartons is great. works like a charm. it really helps to keep the hatched chicks from knocking the unhatched chicks around.

back to the issue: i say pay attention to your humidity the last three days.

and a question: are you opening your incubator during that time?

 

[BHep]

Sigh, I think I may need a new incubator, seems like I keep having humidity issues. Or may need to position different on lockdown. Hatching in egg cartons seems like it would be harder to get out of the egg, but some people do that so maybe I'll give it a try.

It looks like it's fine....
I don't add water until they go into lockdown.
It seems like a positioning issues maybe? Going from the automatic turner to just laying in there at lockdown?

I had 10 eggs go in, looking great. Only 4 hatched yesterday. Today was day 21 so I left them in there, but the chirping and rocking stopped. Finally checked and the last 6 were fully developed, almost all the yolk absorbed, and just dead in the shell in an odd position. Never used to happen before seems like it keeps happening the last couple times....

SHIPPED EGGS SUCK.....Sorry if that offends anyone, but I have had TERRIBLE hatch rates this year with shipped eggs. Never had such bad results all around. My own eggs, local eggs and hand delivered eggs are hatching like popcorn. Not sure what has changed this year with the postal service. I have spent and lost wayyyy too much money this year on hatching eggs. NEVER had this before.

I will hush now.......

 

[Regin]

SHIPPED EGGS SUCK.....Sorry if that offends anyone, but I have had TERRIBLE hatch rates this year with shipped eggs. Never had such bad results all around. My own eggs, local eggs and hand delivered eggs are hatching like popcorn. Not sure what has changed this year with the postal service. I have spent and lost wayyyy too much money this year on hatching eggs. NEVER had this before.

I will hush now.......

NO do not hush up.
Marginal rough handling maybe you can't tell, but if your package arrives visibly damaged;
FILE A COMPLAINT WITH THE POSTAL SERVICE.
There are people that do a good job then there are slackers like any other line of work.

 

[Hollowoakfarm]

Quote:
You are right. I'm done with ordering eggs. If I can't get it within driving distance (and that's a good ways!) I don't need it!

 

[dutchbunny83]

SHIPPED EGGS SUCK.....Sorry if that offends anyone, but I have had TERRIBLE hatch rates this year with shipped eggs. Never had such bad results all around. My own eggs, local eggs and hand delivered eggs are hatching like popcorn. Not sure what has changed this year with the postal service. I have spent and lost wayyyy too much money this year on hatching eggs. NEVER had this before.

I will hush now.......

I'm with you on spending way too much!!! I've noticed the ones I ordered earlier in the year had much better hatch rates than recently. Wasn't sure if it was weather related with a temp change, but I'd think shipping them in cooler weather would be better than hot weather, but not the case for mine.

I wish I didn't have to get mail order eggs, but some of the breeds I wanted-- Isbars, Exchequer leghorns, Blue Breda, then the whole batch I lost of Blue Favorelles, Rhodebars, Legbars, Isbars, & Maradunna Basques I couldn't find eggs for anywhere around here had to order them.
I try to order eggs from states pretty close by when I have to go to ebay, but ironically the best hatch I've had this fall were on my Blue Breda (6 out of 8 hatched) and they were all the way from California! So who knows.

Question-- I thought mail order eggs being xrayed or scrambled around would effect the development altogether. Do you think it cause a lingering problem where the chicks will develop all the way and then die in the shell at the end? When I open it my chicks are in some wacky positions. But I know there were alive because I could hear the chirping they just never get out. I think in addition maybe moving from the upright position of the the egg turner to being on their side in the bator floor on lockdown they may not be able to get into position in time?

I don't know!

sounds like humidity to me. also, hatching in egg cartons is great. works like a charm. it really helps to keep the hatched chicks from knocking the unhatched chicks around.

back to the issue: i say pay attention to your humidity the last three days.

and a question: are you opening your incubator during that time?

No, I leave it closed. Though once the one chicks were out of their shells about 24 hours I opened it real quick to grab them out and go in the brooder, but not like opening it a couple times a day checking the eggs or anything.
The humidity looks good, but I don't know my (can't think of the right word-- humidity monitor thing) could be wrong, just using the one on the bator.

 

[dutchbunny83]

Good morning everyone!

It is COLD and WET here!!!
My silly turkeys won't go in their shelter thing I built last week, so they're just cold & soaking wet. I tried to lure them in with treats. I don't know why they insist on doing this, they look miserable, but I don't know what else to do!

Looking forward to a day of football by the fire wrapping Christmas presents when we get back from church.

ONE MORE WEEK TIL MY HUSBAND COMES HOME!!!

Anyone ever seen a dark brahma/ marans mix? I am so curious what it will look like, but searching the internet I have yet to come across one. I think the dark brahma pattern is so pretty and love marans eggs so hopefully it has those two qualities. I was given one egg of a dark brahma hen with a blue copper marans roo as the dad. Fortunately it was one of the ones that hatched. Now I have my fingers crossed it's a girl because I can't keep a rooster....

 

[BHep]

Dutch.... I have Rhodebars & Legbars
DoubleA has Basque & Legbars
And I bet I could find you Isbars....

I had Exchequer legs... I sold the flock....I was VERY disappointed in the egg size and laying. Do not recommend them. Breda neither. They are not hardy at all..

Plenty of what you want is right here in NC.

P.S. My birds are all free ranging together for the winter...I will re-coup them up around Feb...... I

 

[imtrying]

Weather, season, postal service, etc. can all impact eggs - but I suspect your issue is something else as they're developing just not hatching.

Opening the incubator once is all it takes, at that stage of incubation, to shrink wrap a chick. If that happens, they'll not be able to get out - they become effectively stuck in place. If they haven't pipped they can drown or simply run out of air. If they have pipped they can still drown but more likely just exhaust themselves.

Using the egg cartons could help with the positioning - they'll stay upright the entire time.