North Carolina

[Coop Scoop Boogie]

Good morning folks

Rookie......pretty birds

NH....so sorry about your broodie hen.......seems
some just aren't mom material.....how the maran
is better and you lots of chicks

Matt.....thanks for all the info

Hope everyone has a real good day

 

[NewHomesteader2010]

Today is hatch day (I think anyway...LOL)!! I am almost positive that the Maran was sitting on/protecting a chick from the evil Buff last night. I am almost certain that I heard a peep from under her!!

We have 15 eggs, 3 didn't quite fit under her, but she was working on making it fit!! I am still slightly concerned with what to do with my Buff...I think I shall change her name to Maleficent (that's the mean witch from Sleeping Beauty, right?? LOL)!! She was trying to attack the older biddies, all puffed up and running around at them!! Maybe she's just frustrated because she's been sitting for almost 2 months?!? I am excited to post photos of the hatch....the Maran is going to be such a good mommy!! She is SO sweet!! She was "talking" to the new eggs I put near her (I wanted to see if she would accept them,so I didn't put them under her) and scooping them under her!!

Any ideas WHY the buff would eat her young? There was food/water right next to her (she didn't even have to get UP to reach it). Psycho?!? LOL

ETA: WE HAVE (at least) ONE CHICK!! I saw his/her little head poking out from the mama!! It was a big ball of grey fluffiness, so I did hear one last night!!

 

[BHep]

NH.... WHOOT for chicks..... and some hens just stink at being mothers. I have had a Cochin hen that ate her babies, she is gone now AND I have a EE hen that just kills them...although both would happily brood forever....just snap when the chick hatched.

And as far as being puffed up...she thinks she is still broody.

Wild... I always dry incubate. It is very simple and worry free. No water added first 18 days. I run @ 100.0*. At lock down fill your chambers...shut the lid and wait for chicks. I don't have a thermometer/humidity reader...it is nothing but one more thing to look at and worry about. I have VERY good hatches...definitely more then 50%. Relax and enjoy !

 

[LukesCityHens]

I went to get a trio and came home with a quad and an extra porcelain hen! I might need to show these birds! The guy said that the roo has won a few fairs?!?!

CSB: no one at the swap had anything good so I had to go to the feed store and save a few of their terrible birds=(

 

[Hollowoakfarm]

Good (late!) Morning, Everyone!

I was running late this morning, so didn't get time to say hello until now. I'm just in limbo on my birds, so have nothing new to report.

Rookie, I love your muscovies. I had them for a long time. They are wonderfully personable, as you know, and extremely prolific. I had one lovely lady (Katie) who sat three times one summer, walking off with 100% hatch each time, and the last clutch had 30 eggs! I ended up having to sell them all as they were taking over the place. I miss them. I would put a small shelter in the garden, with a feeder and small pool, and lodge a new mama and her young ones in there. They did little damage to the garden, but did major damage to Japanese beetles and other garden pests. And it protected the young ones from the goat and sheep hooves. Sometimes they would just get run over if they were in the pasture. Once when my Katie was in there (with the 30 young ones!), I had let the feeder get empty. She greeted me in the morning by flying out of the garden when I came out to feed, landing at my feet and chewing me out royally. I fed those babies first that day!

Memories. Sigh.

 

[Chasity]

I went to get a trio and came home with a quad and an extra porcelain hen! I might need to show these birds! The guy said that the roo has won a few fairs?!?!

CSB: no one at the swap had anything good so I had to go to the feed store and save a few of their terrible birds=(

Which swap did you go to?

 

[LukesCityHens]

Which swap did you go to?

TSC on saturday morning, I was there about 9 till like 9:45 ish but these d'uccles are from a friend

 

[wildriverswolf90]

NH.... WHOOT for chicks..... and some hens just stink at being mothers. I have had a Cochin hen that ate her babies, she is gone now AND I have a EE hen that just kills them...although both would happily brood forever....just snap when the chick hatched.

And as far as being puffed up...she thinks she is still broody.

Wild... I always dry incubate. It is very simple and worry free. No water added first 18 days. I run @ 100.0*. At lock down fill your chambers...shut the lid and wait for chicks. I don't have a thermometer/humidity reader...it is nothing but one more thing to look at and worry about. I have VERY good hatches...definitely more then 50%. Relax and enjoy !

Thanks Bhep. I do dry incubate but lock down when I feel the chambers and shut the lid, the temp plumets. I had 30 go into lockdown last month and only 4 hatched because the temps went below 95. Anything I can do to keep that temp up?

 

[ScaredOfShadows]

Thanks Bhep. I do dry incubate but lock down when I feel the chambers and shut the lid, the temp plumets. I had 30 go into lockdown last month and only 4 hatched because the temps went below 95. Anything I can do to keep that temp up?

put warm to hot water in the incubator, also try cutting the temp up a degree before you add water so you won't lose so much heat. if you are looking at a humidity gauge as long as it is around 50-60% your good to go. I've never had a temp drop that much for long, I wonder why it does that?

 

[BHep]

Thanks Bhep. I do dry incubate but lock down when I feel the chambers and shut the lid, the temp plumets. I had 30 go into lockdown last month and only 4 hatched because the temps went below 95. Anything I can do to keep that temp up?

put warm to hot water in the incubator, also try cutting the temp up a degree before you add water so you won't lose so much heat. if you are looking at a humidity gauge as long as it is around 50-60% your good to go. I've never had a temp drop that much for long, I wonder why it does that?

Hmmm.. I am wondering the same thing ???? My temps don't drop when I add water.

Does it stay at the lower temp the whole lock down or only when you open the bator to add the water? It should go right back up to temps.