NY chicken lover!!!!

[off-grid hen]

Hello! I will be visiting my sister in Cazenovia the week of the 14-18th before Easter. I'm looking for BCM chicks and other chicks. I know hatches and weather have been nuts. Will marquisella and rancher hicks have chicks then? PM me please, I will pick them up. I want 4 Marans of any variety if possible. Maybe some Orps or Delawares.

 

[Lynzi777]

Now to other news.

Lost a chick last night. Got up cuz the furnace is acting up and found the little guy at deaths door. It didn't make it.

Now the furnace is by Charles Heating and only just over a year but past the warranty. Of course! I told the girl on the phone I was not happy that I never get reminders of service, nor did I remember getting a notice that my service agreement was up. She says I did and I honestly don't remember. Still the furnace is just over a year old.

The old one was much older and It would quit every winter when it got cold so we had a new one put in. Fat lot of good that did. This one is working but was making a funny noise and I think the blower or whatever wasn't pushing the heat up.

Ducklings are doing okay but more work since they're so messy. Not sure I made the right decision.

sorry to hear about the lost chick Rancher, and your furnace troubles. What is your current set up for your ducks? I know you have 5 and of course that amount IS going to be much messier than my 2 but I have mine in a large rectangular Rubbermaid bin. We buy those larger containers of laundry detergent so I cut one of the empty ones in half and filled it with water for them. This way they can use it as a "pool" if they want and trust me they do! But I find this way is less messier than the way I had things set up for the KCs last year. I find the brooder stays cleaner with the tub in there rather than a dish of water for them. Find something large enough for them to swim in that they can still get in and out of. When they drink the water they'll drink while they swim rather than shaking their heads all over the brooder when they drink out of a dish.

 

[rancher hicks]

Hello! I will be visiting my sister in Cazenovia the week of the 14-18th before Easter. I'm looking for BCM chicks and other chicks. I know hatches and weather have been nuts. Will marquisella and rancher hicks have chicks then? PM me please, I will pick them up. I want 4 Marans of any variety if possible. Maybe some Orps or Delawares.

Well if you are off the Grid you need to be here more and share what it is you're doing and how. Inquiring minds want to know. You're more important than you think.

I'm debating on another hatch. I hatched out 13 Dels this time and Marans are not easy. I'd like to do some more EE's since they came out very nice this time round. BUT I have paid for Columbian rock eggs. I wonder whether the weather will be decent enough to have them shipped now. Then too I have to go south and do I want to entrust the chicks to family to keep the alive til I return. So many things to think about. It's no wonder I've been getting head aches lately.

Anyone have advice as to whether now would be okay to have those eggs shipped? I've 6 weeks before I plan to go to TX.

 

[rancher hicks]

sorry to hear about the lost chick Rancher, and your furnace troubles. What is your current set up for your ducks? I know you have 5 and of course that amount IS going to be much messier than my 2 but I have mine in a large rectangular Rubbermaid bin. We buy those larger containers of laundry detergent so I cut one of the empty ones in half and filled it with water for them. This way they can use it as a "pool" if they want and trust me they do! But I find this way is less messier than the way I had things set up for the KCs last year. I find the brooder stays cleaner with the tub in there rather than a dish of water for them. Find something large enough for them to swim in that they can still get in and out of. When they drink the water they'll drink while they swim rather than shaking their heads all over the brooder when they drink out of a dish.

I have them in a plastic clear bin from Walmart. I tried mixing their feed with water to make mush but they still made a mess. They have the basic chick waterer for water and go through alot I think. I have three chickens in the bigger pool right now and if I could find some one to take them I'd be glad.

Two roosters and a BR pullet from last hatch. I hate to drive to the West Winfield auction. It's just so far and not worth the gas to get there.

 

[LuvMyChicks1491]

Now to other news.

Lost a chick last night. Got up cuz the furnace is acting up and found the little guy at deaths door. It didn't make it.

Now the furnace is by Charles Heating and only just over a year but past the warranty. Of course! I told the girl on the phone I was not happy that I never get reminders of service, nor did I remember getting a notice that my service agreement was up. She says I did and I honestly don't remember. Still the furnace is just over a year old.

The old one was much older and It would quit every winter when it got cold so we had a new one put in. Fat lot of good that did. This one is working but was making a funny noise and I think the blower or whatever wasn't pushing the heat up.

Ducklings are doing okay but more work since they're so messy. Not sure I made the right decision.

It'll get better, at least that is what I keep telling my self! They are so cute and that is their saving grace. I do wet their food down and have a small cake pan that I use for their water. They do make a big mess. I'm going to let them take a bath this afternoon in the sink. They are dirty. I have to put a deeper tub of water in there. I feel bad for the 2 chicks that I have in with them. I put the food down in the morning and they go nuts the chicks climb up on top of the food and end up getting a bath in the wet food as the ducks make a mess. I think that they may need a bath too. I need to find my big plastic container or buy one. I looked while I was shopping yesterday but I didn't find one that I liked, so what I have will have to do.

 

[Lynzi777]

It'll get better, at least that is what I keep telling my self! They are so cute and that is their saving grace. I do wet their food down and have a small cake pan that I use for their water. They do make a big mess. I'm going to let them take a bath this afternoon in the sink. They are dirty. I have to put a deeper tub of water in there. I feel bad for the 2 chicks that I have in with them. I put the food down in the morning and they go nuts the chicks climb up on top of the food and end up getting a bath in the wet food as the ducks make a mess. I think that they may need a bath too. I need to find my big plastic container or buy one. I looked while I was shopping yesterday but I didn't find one that I liked, so what I have will have to do.

I recently put my chicks in with the ducks since they are getting bigger, that was a mistake! The chicks make a bigger mess than the two ducks. As soon as I put food in there they hop up on the little dish and scratch it around everywhere. I think I'm going to put them back in their own brooder. Poor ducks go looking for their food in the dish and it's all kicked out.

 

[JWEBB]

well nicer day today!!! can we please have some milder weather now? Rancher so happy to hear about your chicks hatching. Well I got all the new eggs in the bator. I had to toss quite a few eggs I had in already some developed part way then quit and prob half of what I thru out was clear and never developed. Thank goodness I have some good ones growing so I can see whats going on now.. I'm not sure what happened other than they were shipped eggs. .
Put the eggs in a baggie and cracked em open to see what was going on and they just did not develop most of them. some quit part way it looked like, Well I know what a blood ring looks like now.
Probably 50% of my eggs I put in Feb did not go. None of the Auburn Java were good dang it

.. I only had 3 of those I suppose they were doomed.

I read on one of our incubation threads a guide on BYC, it says to of course leave the eggs for 24 hours room temp as with any then it said for shipped eggs, once you put in the incubator to not turn them for 18 to 36 hours. So I did that with these new ones. I opted for no turning for 24 hours. Hope these do better. I also made a few more air hole in my cooler bator so they don't carbon dioxide to death and took out the 2 air plugs in the hova.

7 of my 12 royal palm eggs are doing well if they can just make it 8 or 9 more days and hatch!!! None of the Blue Slate eggs were good.. never developed, poop! some of the silkies and Bresse look pretty good to so far.

After this big group is done end of March I'll rethink my hatching shipping eggs strategy. The 2 incubators are full so I'll just wait and see what I end up with, I want some chicks darn it LOL. I wish now I had not gotten so many eggs and just bought chicks, **sigh** I'm learning. Hindsight.

DH says he will take me up to Natureberry today I'm going to pick up some Mottled Java and Brabanter, they are so cute !

Grammachick, I'm having a lot of fun on ebay once I figured it all out.. and really getting some junk dispersed lol. boy I made some terrible mistakes on shipping my first week or so.

 

[PhoredaBurds]

Well if you are off the Grid you need to be here more and share what it is you're doing and how.  Inquiring minds want to know.  You're more important than you think. 

I'm debating on another hatch. I hatched out 13 Dels this time and Marans are not easy.  I'd like to do some more EE's since they came out very nice this time round.  BUT I have paid for Columbian rock eggs. I wonder whether the weather will be decent enough to have them shipped now. Then too I have to go south and do I want to entrust the chicks to family to keep the alive til I return.   So many things to think about.  It's no wonder I've been getting head aches lately.  

Anyone have advice as to whether now would be okay to have those eggs shipped?  I've 6 weeks before I plan to go to TX.  

I was wondering the same about safe temps to have eggs shipped. Weather.com is saying 15 & 10 for low temps late next week. Seems a little cold but idk. Interested in others opinions & experience w shipped eggs.

That being said, one of my persistent broodies is at it again. She started yesterday. Gave her breakfast in bed (nest) this morning. Seems like I just convinced her off the nest, but that was mid-January. I didn't expect her to go back to work till April. I don't currently have any Roos & am waiting for the geese to finish their molt before I give them their nest back so no fertile eggs here.

I'm wondering if anyone has eggs available for pickup (w/in an hour or so of Watkins) this weekend. Not that I "need" anymore birds, but I have been looking to add some blue to my flock. Sounds like the maran eggs could use a broody. And she's so determined, I would like to give her something.

LMK what's available out there & if u will want any of the grown chicks back once she's done brooding. She's a good sized Wyandotte so she could probably take 10-12 eggs.

 

[rancher hicks]

well nicer day today!!! can we please have some milder weather now? Rancher so happy to hear about your chicks hatching. Well I got all the new eggs in the bator. I had to toss quite a few eggs I had in already some developed part way then quit and prob half of what I thru out was clear and never developed. Thank goodness I have some good ones growing so I can see whats going on now.. I'm not sure what happened other than they were shipped eggs. .
Put the eggs in a baggie and cracked em open to see what was going on and they just did not develop most of them. some quit part way it looked like, Well I know what a blood ring looks like now.
Probably 50% of my eggs I put in Feb did not go. None of the Auburn Java were good dang it

.. I only had 3 of those I suppose they were doomed.

I read on one of our incubation threads a guide on BYC, it says to of course leave the eggs for 24 hours room temp as with any then it said for shipped eggs, once you put in the incubator to not turn them for 18 to 36 hours. So I did that with these new ones. I opted for no turning for 24 hours. Hope these do better. I also made a few more air hole in my cooler bator so they don't carbon dioxide to death and took out the 2 air plugs in the hova.

7 of my 12 royal palm eggs are doing well if they can just make it 8 or 9 more days and hatch!!! None of the Blue Slate eggs were good.. never developed, poop! some of the silkies and Bresse look pretty good to so far.

After this big group is done end of March I'll rethink my hatching shipping eggs strategy. The 2 incubators are full so I'll just wait and see what I end up with, I want some chicks darn it LOL. I wish now I had not gotten so many eggs and just bought chicks, **sigh** I'm learning. Hindsight.

DH says he will take me up to Natureberry today I'm going to pick up some Mottled Java and Brabanter, they are so cute !

Grammachick, I'm having a lot of fun on ebay once I figured it all out.. and really getting some junk dispersed lol. boy I made some terrible mistakes on shipping my first week or so.

Don't be too hard on yourself. We've all been there. You just need to find your grove. You'll make mistakes just like a all. Too there are lots of OP's on how to hatch eggs. PM me your email and I'll send you a copy of an article from Practical Poultry magazine that helped me.

The funny thing about that is I have a new issue with a new article and it contradicts the article I have.

Shipped eggs are always a risk. You don't know how old the eggs are , how healthy the chickens that laid them are. Some folks just want chickens to sell eggs. Not really caring if you have a good hatch or not and of course it's always the PO's fault.

Take care and don't give up,

Rancher

 

[JWEBB]

Thanks Rancher! would love to see the article. Yes I noticed some of the guides I've read do contradict each other. I won't give up but geeez ! lol. The eggs (Royal Palm turkey) that I'm having luck with were not shipped eggs, I picked them up in Ithaca... so thats telling me something. Maybe shipping eggs in milder weather would help too I'll exlore that later in April or May maybe.
You are right. It will take a little while to get my method down. Thanks for the encouragement. One person I bought eggs from told me, "don't feel bad if nothing happens" LOL in my mind I thought
" they know nothing is gonna happen" ..they were right... nothing happened.... back to the drawing board!