NY chicken lover!!!!

[ktblue3]

Was referring to vmdanielsen's hatch!

Wow! What did you do? What was your humidity and temp? Did you rinse eggs before? Did you have to help any out?
k....

 

[vmdanielsen]

Was referring to vmdanielsen's hatch!

I have a brinsea octogon..with auto turn cradle. Great incubator! during incubation humidity at 45% temp at 99.6*F. two days before hatch I fill the reservoirs and place paper towel to wick moisture to 65%. I must attribute the hatch to great eggs, courtesy of Tabitha and Travis (tabschickenobession and admnhotel) both of this thread, and the brinsea octogon. Also, I must confess, that if I have a question or concern I post to this thread and someone responds. Kudos to everyone on this thread, the best thread on BYC!!!!!!

ktbllue, I did have 2 help outs. At the beginning of the hatch I say to myself...NO HELP OUTS!!!! But at the end of the hatch, there seems to be "slow hatchers" and my DH nags "it's peeping, how can you not do anything. Can you sit there and let it die?" First I don't sit often(mostly just to check this thread) and secondly, am really doing them a favor?
Anyway, Tuesday is my Friday( I have wed + Thur off) and I allow myself a few glasses of wine and I get to philosophical.

 

[stonykill]

Wow! What did you do? What was your humidity and temp? Did you rinse eggs before? Did you have to help any out?
k....

clean eggs as they come from the chicken. No rinsing.

 

[vmdanielsen]

Hey Ginny! Congrats on the new peepers! You arent the only one who is a dinosaur when it comes to technology.

Order is going out today for april. 15 straight run rhode island reds, 5 barred rock pullets and 5 red sexlink pullets. I am so excited. Babies should be here the first week of april. Now we really gotta work on that coop. I am still looking for blue silkie hatching eggs. No rush as I still have to build a coop but I finally found one that is simple and fits my needs. Now I am going to try and talk my dd's boyfriend into building it for me. Can you say browinie points? hehe

My cheeps are loving this weather but they are driving me crazy stalking the windows. The coop is in a spot where they can see anyone who passes by the sliders in the basement or the kitchen window upstairs. Stalkers go nuts when they see you! You would think that I never feed them or something. They hear everything as well. Sometimes I close the kitchen blind so I can eat in peace with 8 sets of beady eyes watching me. Cant block out the bawking though. Sigh. Too bad I love my girls!

When you do straight run, what do you do with the cockerels? I have not ordered from a hatchery(though I do have 4 hatchery birds....they are the reason for this addiction), I do eat my cockerals.....well my husband and son do...my daughter too. I honestly feel that if one can eat a bird that was raised in a cage, one should be able to eat one that has had a good life!!!

Nothing like incoming to get a coop built!!!!!!

I have a Rooster that comes up onto my porch and stares into the kitchen window. I know he is saying more tasty treats please.

 

[vmdanielsen]

DD's and I are going to eat lunch then go the library to see what books they have. I have plenty of room but it's time I do not have. Also, my garden must be fenced or the little critters eat everything. I tried tomatoes in buckets and the bunnies ate them to the dirt. I am going to be lettuce blend in window boxes out the kitchen window! There is some fresh salad!

Annie, Check with your library. I can go on line and research their database. Much easier than going to the library. I can then order what ever I choose(on line)! I love libraries!! Librarians are the best Too!!

 

[vmdanielsen]

clean eggs as they come from the chicken. No rinsing.

Yup, if vey dirty and you must wash, eat ASAP and don't incubate. Scrape off any poo that is excessive and pop into incubator!!!

 

[stonykill]

I have a Rooster that comes up onto my porch and stares into the kitchen window. I know he is saying more tasty treats please.

our living room windows go down to chicken level. Our Sumatra's hens and Roo's are always looking in the house. I always say they like our coop. We had one RIR a few years ago that we nursed back to health. She would sit at the front door and try to walk in the house everytime the door opened. Sometimes the Sumatra's are on the back deck and walk up to the sliding glass door to see what is going on. Until the cats go to the slider. Sumatra's DO NOT like cats.

 

[vmdanielsen]

Glass - sorry about the chick. It's happened more than once here. I now just put the nest on the floor of my crate and leave it at that.
If you decide to give her fertile eggs sometime, I'm not far from the regional market and can meet you there with 3 or 4.

vndaniel - I'm glad you had a good hatch. Lockdown here was yesterday and I'm down to 25. Tossed two and I do think there is a CR egg that may have quit, but I left it just in case.

Can't wait to see pics of your peeps.

Best wishes rancher!


AND Stoneykill!!!!

 

[vmdanielsen]

Thank you, Rancher. I went back to the coop to check yet again and another little one was down in the nest on the floor cheeping loudly. I grabbed the hen and other chick and put them down there, and food and water, but the other girls were way too interested in the whole process and wanted tastes of the chick starter...so I brought the broody bunch in to the basement.
I was raised nicely, and people used to say in distain "Were you raised in a barn..." those people would now be justified in their distain...chickens in the basement, dogs on the furniture, and going out in my pajamas. My Mother is probably looking down and shaking her head, or perhaps spinning...but I'm thinking some of you may understand.
Have to make a dog crate tiny chick proof.

Glass, because you were nicely raised you turned into a compassionate animal lover....Your mother is probably looking down and saying "I did a really good job on raising a person who is decent and kind to creatures in her care" Well, I would be saying that about my kids!!!! Besides what is a little dog hair compared to the way an animal loves you?

 

[Cass]

Anyone plant their gardens in raised beds? I think I am going to try them this year, our soil is so rocky I never get any root crops. Does anyone know where I can find a planting diagram of what to plant next to what to maximize space and minimize weeding?

There is a book called "Square Foot Gardening". It's great. Try the Library cuz you really don't need to own it once you read it.