November/December "Hatch-a-Long"

[Varglet]

Still nothing with Renee's three eggs, but apparently my sister put them in in the middle of the night, so technically day 21 didn't start until last night or something. Day three for Evelyn's seven eggs and all of them are developing nicely.

I get the feeling my sister killed Renee's three eggs. She keeps wanting to candle them to see if they're still moving, so I suspect she has done just that when I wasn't around... I'm going to be very upset if none of them hatch...

 

[Krischick]

Remember can take up to 23-25 days so don't lose hope...9 outta 10 are pipping today from my hatch..sitting on my hands

 

[mstricer]

I set bantam Cochin eggs on Thursday evening, before getting ready for the show. I want to candle but will wait until the weekend.

 

[sweetappleacres]

Dang!!!!!!!!!!!!
my 2 week old faverolles have been fragile since they hatched...2 had rye neck....now 2 are waning this morning
I've lost 2 Marans over this last week and an orloff ....no apparent reason!! I hate this part of hatching!

So sorry to hear Heidi! It's definitely the downside to hatching them out yourself. On another note I have a question for you. I tried to get Vet rx from the feed store and they don't carry it but she gave me some tetracycline. She said if the sickling was still with the flock it didn't matter if I separated him bc it was airborne. Anyway I've started them all on it and I haven't noticed any improvement or worsening (I just gave it to them last night). Anyway, not that roo has some white stuff on his right nostril, I'll take a pic in a sec. He's still sneezing here and there but otherwise acting fine. what could it be? I don't want him to die! He's my favorite roo!

 

[DeannaA]

Hello Neighbor!! My flock is in the process of being re-booted. I have primarily BLR Wyandottes and Welsummers in the incubator, with 4 FBC Marans and 4 silkies in the mix. Partial broody, partial incubator.

I started my first flock about a year ago, picked up several breeds from a local farmer which I figured was a good enough source. How naive I was. I have been through the ringer with hatchery stock...never again.

I didn't know at the time that hatchery birds were lesser quality with poor genes prone to health issue. They also weren't handled as chicks, so they're all extremely spacky and untrusting of humans. I have a couple mean hens who I have nursed through various health issues, so you'd think we'd have bonded by now, but no; they're forever ruined. It has been a real challenge, and at some points I didn't even want to continue raising chickens because the losses can be so devastating. I lost all my barred rocks. I still have one buff Orpington, an americana, and mostly RIRs (which are actually production reds, not *real* RIRs) & one australorp left.

Now, I know more about how important it is to find a good source. And I also wanted to make sure they were treated right from the very start; I got my last hens at 12 weeks old, so they were already pretty set by that point. I'm still learning, though, and even though I found a really good source this time, 15/15 eggs and $80 went down the drain when they didn't develop. I'm not sure if they were infertile or if it was because they were shipped...

but now I'm looking for local sources of eggs, instead of shipping. I have my eye on a couple local Faverolles breeders for next spring. Also, I found a good breeder of lavender English Orps!. The next set will depend on how many girls I get out of this hatch.

My remaining flock is still laying, partially. Partially in moult. They will become soup eventually, but I'm not sure exactly when. I'd like to keep getting eggs, but to avoid introductions, I might just remove them from the equation sooner!

..wow sorry that was a novel. Tell me about YOUR birds!

I bought 1 day chicks and raised them, they were great. I bought a 3 month old and a 4 week old, they have never been friendly. I prefer to hatch mine or buy them a couple days. I have people always pressuring me to buy older ones. It's nice to know if they are hens or roosters but not worth it to me. Takes longer to get eggs but worth the wait to have them come to let me know they just laid an egg. It is very hard to find a good quality chicken. So many people think that because they have been raising chickens for years, they know what they are doing and their chickens are great. I have found this rarely to be true. Most chickens are too inbreed or have been mixed at some point. And the people selling are not aware of the low quality they are selling. Good luck with the search.

my wheaton eggs have a pip and the blue one is rocking!

Yeah! How many made it this far?

Dang!!!!!!!!!!!!
my 2 week old faverolles have been fragile since they hatched...2 had rye neck....now 2 are waning this morning
I've lost 2 Marans over this last week and an orloff ....no apparent reason!! I hate this part of hatching!

Sorry

 

[gilcamp4]

I have hatched my own chickens this last time it took two eggs almost 30 days, very small and we kept 3 of them apart from the rest, one did not make it had a broken back or something, the other 2 are fine and back with the rest, we have to turn the eggs so I put them in a egg carton they on day 19 I took them out and layed in hatcher, one came out on day 20, the rest took time but the last one was for ever, the last picture is a cage my hubbie made we keep them in the living room for 2 mths, big mistake we found never do eggs in the winter time, we ended up we 24 peeps but I think 15 were roosters. then we sent to murry's for 15, we got all female sex licks.

 

[Ihilani Coffee]

Hello Neighbor!! My flock is in the process of being re-booted. I have primarily BLR Wyandottes and Welsummers in the incubator, with 4 FBC Marans and 4 silkies in the mix. Partial broody, partial incubator.

I started my first flock about a year ago, picked up several breeds from a local farmer which I figured was a good enough source. How naive I was. I have been through the ringer with hatchery stock...never again.

I didn't know at the time that hatchery birds were lesser quality with poor genes prone to health issue. They also weren't handled as chicks, so they're all extremely spacky and untrusting of humans. I have a couple mean hens who I have nursed through various health issues, so you'd think we'd have bonded by now, but no; they're forever ruined. It has been a real challenge, and at some points I didn't even want to continue raising chickens because the losses can be so devastating. I lost all my barred rocks. I still have one buff Orpington, an americana, and mostly RIRs (which are actually production reds, not *real* RIRs) & one australorp left.

Now, I know more about how important it is to find a good source. And I also wanted to make sure they were treated right from the very start; I got my last hens at 12 weeks old, so they were already pretty set by that point. I'm still learning, though, and even though I found a really good source this time, 15/15 eggs and $80 went down the drain when they didn't develop. I'm not sure if they were infertile or if it was because they were shipped...

but now I'm looking for local sources of eggs, instead of shipping. I have my eye on a couple local Faverolles breeders for next spring. Also, I found a good breeder of lavender English Orps!. The next set will depend on how many girls I get out of this hatch.

My remaining flock is still laying, partially. Partially in moult. They will become soup eventually, but I'm not sure exactly when. I'd like to keep getting eggs, but to avoid introductions, I might just remove them from the equation sooner!

..wow sorry that was a novel. Tell me about YOUR birds!

We have just started with BCM and BBS Marans as breeding projects. I haven't had roosters in 30 years or so, but now I sure do! There are 2 BCM cockerels and 2 blue copper cockerels (4-10 months) that I am waiting to evaluate as to who gets to stay. There are 5 BCM pullets, 2 blue copper pullets, and one pullet sold to me as blue who may be a blue copper without the copper since they are so rare. Oh, and one of the blue copper cockerels may be an OE (long story of shipped eggs and changing hands of said eggs and then the resulting birds!). We will have BBS and OE hatching eggs at some point as well as chicks/pullets for the Spring Poultry Swap in Canby.

The 2-year-old layer flock has RIR, GLW, Welsummer, and blue Wyandottes but I will sell them as soon as the new layer pullets start with the eggs. The youngsters are splash BLRW, BR, Golden Buff (sexlink), SS, white crested blue Polish, black Ameraucauna and a cute little MF d'Uccle pair. I am lucky to get 1 or 2 eggs a day from the main flock...they had the molt from hell this year and I'm still trying to get them over it. We are in between molt and new pullets starting to lay.

If you do facebook, would you do us the kindness of liking and recommending our coffee page? It would really help us spread the word: www.facebook.com/Ihilani.Coffee.Company. Mahalo nui! (ANYONE else is invited to check out the coffee page and like/recommend!

 

[Heidisgran]

Quote: well vet rx is a sort of vicks...you can actually use vicks...it'll help him breath easier and since we feel comforted when we use it I feel it comforts the chickens too...
I was hoping that you caught it right away BEFORE the other chickens might get it from him...that's why I said separate him out....but if he's still with them then she's right they may all get it!! I would keep the sick ones away from the healthy ones....but that's me!

you can give them all the medicine it won't hurt

I would add apple cider vinegar...quite a bit...to their water and the vicks rub it in his comb and on his beak I rub it on their feet too

sounds like he's got a chicken cold of some kind...there are tons so hard to say exactly what....it'll most likely run it's course in 2 or 3 weeks...try to keep him warm during the freeze coming up! as with anything or anyone it could get worse but most likely he'll recover...good luck keep

 

[rtho88]

DO THESE THINGS EVER STOP POOPING!!!!!

I've cleaned out the water bowl 100 times!! Even elevated it and they still poop in it!!!

Oh well, looks like i've got 2 guys and 2 gals out of my first hatch. 7 eggs, 4 hatched and are healthy, 2 stopped growing but were very far along, and one must not have been fertilized or never got far, still looked like a "store" egg when cracked.

Got 9 more to hatch over the next few days.

 

[sweetappleacres]

well vet rx is a sort of vicks...you can actually use vicks...it'll help him breath easier and since we feel comforted when we use it I feel it comforts the chickens too...
I was hoping that you caught it right away BEFORE the other chickens might get it from him...that's why I said separate him out....but if he's still with them then she's right they may all get it!! I would keep the sick ones away from the healthy ones....but that's me!

you can give them all the medicine it won't hurt

I would add apple cider vinegar...quite a bit...to their water and the vicks rub it in his comb and on his beak I rub it on their feet too

sounds like he's got a chicken cold of some kind...there are tons so hard to say exactly what....it'll most likely run it's course in 2 or 3 weeks...try to keep him warm during the freeze coming up! as with anything or anyone it could get worse but most likely he'll recover...good luck keep

OMG OMG OMG what is THIS? I was cleaning out the coop and stopped to see how cute the chicks looks peeping from under mom when I noticed her eyes! What is it???? HELP!