Ended Official 2020 BYC Halloween Hatch-Along

[ShannonsChimkens]

Just got pictures today.... I am so excited about these babies I have more piped.❤♥View attachment 2396556View attachment 2396557View attachment 2396559View attachment 2396562View attachment 2396563View attachment 2396565View attachment 2396566

In love with your babies!

 

[jolenesdad]

More so comfort for the birds. They have a lot of space, but it seems only 1/3 is actually used constantly. I’ll see them foraging throughout the day, but not constantly used.

Their housing is working out great so far with 50+ birds currently. Large hen house with sand floor and another coop that houses 30 birds, sand as well. The turkeys hang out on the roosts in the covered run.

Emus on the other hand use it all. Zoomies every morning. Have a feeling they will have to go down to 2 acre field during breeding season. I’ll see how it goes and make a decision from there.

Definitely have to be honest here... I have a problem! Maybe some intervention is needed?

Mine also only use a section fairly regularly. They will spread out at certain times of day, but in general mine don't go much more than 30-50 feet from their house, and I have never seen them further than 200 feet. I do have a fair amount of hawk pressure, and they're really smart about them, so that's got a lot to do with it here I am sure.

I did a lot of research on manure loads for grass and pastured broilers and that (80/acre) seems to be a number that free range egg laying folks use on an annual basis that are moving and spreading manure around the fields. Meat producers use a 500 birds/acre per year number because the meat birds are only on the grass for a certain amount of time, about 1/6 of the year.

 

[alknoll]

Just got pictures today.... I am so excited about these babies I have more piped.❤♥View attachment 2396556View attachment 2396557View attachment 2396559View attachment 2396562View attachment 2396563View attachment 2396565View attachment 2396566

OMG SO cute!! Breeds please

 

[Pensmaster]

The Pita Pintas certainly taking their time hatching as their parents did. 2 of 5 out 1 almost out and has been pipped since this hatch started for me. One more pipped. And one hasn’t started. All due yesterday.

 

[Pensmaster]

He’s out and the other one has pipped.

so 3 of 5 out. Also had to change incubator due to better one not holding temps.
The Pitas eggs were also refrigerated.

 

[aliciaplus3]

so we ended up with 4 quail and 12 chicks??? funny thing is I have been noticing more buff colored ones in these last couple hatches... i put it off as the buff coming from the red broiler mamas.... was looking last night and some have feathered feet!!! ok so the bantam buff brahma was taking care of business

 

[Love my chickens 25]

In love with your babies!

I’m in love with my babies too!!

 

[Love my chickens 25]

This naked neck surprised me I knew it was an assortment but still.

 

[smfarman]

They to young

They are worth the trouble when you get them established. Wife prefers them over all other breeds we’ve had. Of the ones hatched do you have a pair? Or are they too young yet.

2 are about 4 weeks old, 1 is about 7 weeks old and the blue bresse are 2 days old. I haven't been able to tell yet.

 

[smfarman]

If I were using an egg carton, I would either take them out earlier or later than day 7... I’d either want the chick larger or smaller to have such a change in conditions.

@SnapdragonQ am I losing my mind or did you work with how to keep your eggs turning while upright in a NR360 this year?

I personally no longer do not turn shipped eggs from day 1. I used to rest inside the incubator and my shipped egg hatch rates have increased exponentially. I’ve read too many scientific articles that say the most important days to turn are the first three. Interestingly I believe the studies also say more eggs will quit if you don’t turn for three days and start turning than if you turn for three days and then never turn again.

Earlier this year I had a Farm Innovator 4250, but it took a power surge and fried the controller so I got a 2nd NR360 and have had around an 80 to 85% hatch rate on everything else that I hatched, but the White Bresse.
For Halloween hatch I hand turned the eggs 4 times a day for 7 days before placing them in the turner.
The other NR360 I just placed the eggs in the turner and will candle tomorrow.