***OKIES in the BYC III ***

[bardies]

Ksane,

No, no more hatches - just the two chicks now, and the barred rock is a 'non thriver'. The only normal chick thing it seems to do is a little preening. Meanwhile the other chick is running, jumping (often onto the little rock), scratching, exploring... The rock seemed to have trouble balancing well, doing a lot of that drunken stumbling - even after it was well dried and should have figured everything out. I started to treat with a drop of baytril once a day. We are on day four now. One more to go. It just has not seemed to have woken up now (4 days later?) Has done a lot of tongue licking....I've never seen this before. This was even before we started the meds. It cant really seem to focus (or care) long enough to figure out the water source. The thriving chick has flight feathers an inch or so long already. The not so good one - cant really see any wing feathers. I have added some vitamins to the water. Tried tempting with egg. Not sure what else to do.

Kyz,
Did both of your make it? My healthy guy is going to be pretty miserable if he ends up by himself.

I have 5 eggs under a broody that are supposed to hatch tomorrow. I might do a trade if any of them hatch, just so I don't end up with a single chick somewhere.

 

[bardies]

Proof that chickens are INDEED a 'gateway livestock'!

This heifer was calved Wednesday morning - the coldest so far (way to go mom....NOT!)
But the mom, a first timer, did a great job - no complaints!

I just candled my silkie eggs due to hatch 21/22st. It was amazing with the light colored shell the details you can see. 23 of the original 30 will make it into the hatcher. One even snapped its little beak at me! Since my hatch rates have been dismal lately... I am so very thankful for Ksane's offer of her extras. With any luck, I will need to make a speed run to Walmart for more brooding tubs!

 

[lonnyandrinda]

I decided to assist, due to the air cell issues, so I chipped away a zipline and moistened what looked to be a very tight and dry membrane. I put it back in the bator and went to bed, praying for the best. An explosion of peeping woke me a little after 3:00. I have a living Isbar chick! Isn't it precious?! I didn't expect any of these Isbar eggs to make it, so I'm pretty darned amazed.

Congrats! I see from later posts the chick is doing well now. Glad you were able to get it on it's feet. IMO it was the vitamins that did it. I see a lot of my Isbar chicks hatching with that symptom- they sit on their butt and spin in a circle while kicking their legs- and 90% of the time one or two doses of baby vitamins completely heals them. Something with the breed I guess. Another oddity- my Isbar eggs are ALWAYS the last to hatch of all my breeds. So no need to worry that this one seemed "late!"

I definitely won't be able to keep but one or two. I actually have 6 more eggs in the incubator from a different breeder cause I didn't think these would make it due to the PO being so rough with them.. chicken math!

I may be interested in some SFH chicks. I bought 4 on a whim with the big batch of BBS double laced barnevelder chicks I bought and would like to try a small pen of them, but we will see what M/F ratio I get. They are almost old enough to tell, I think they are about 5 weeks old now.

One question about incubating. Should the temp read 99.5 on top of the eggs or on top of the egg turner? It's a still air but it has a fan... so I guess technically it's a forced air.

Someone asked if I let the eggs rest for 24-48 hrs... Yes and no. They sat on a table at the post office for 24 hrs until my husband picked them up. Then they sat for about 8 hrs here at the house until I made sure the incubator was all set.
Should I rotate them inside the incubator since there are hot and cold spots? How often if so?

The directions with my styrofoam still air bator says to lay the thermometer on top of the eggs. No don't rotate them within the bator. If the air cells float around as you turn the egg or are split up into several "bubbles" that's when you want to let them rest, and/or incubate for the first few days without turning so the cells have a chance to heal. Otherwise I do try to rest at least for a few hours but it's not a huge deal if you don't.

That auction is in Coweta, about 25 miles east/southeast of Tulsa. It's the third Friday of the month at the Wagoner County Fairgrounds. If you're in this area you should go with us.

I was really sad Cathie Sue didn't get to go with us. I picked up a dozen so-called Americauna eggs that are getting ready to go in the bator to see if we can hatch her a colored egger or two. I also picked up another roo I have to post a picture of. I snagged him with Cathie Sue in mind, but I really like the guy. Which is a big problem, because I have a roo invasion going on at my place right now.

I missed it this time with moving all the chicken stuff- but heck I LIVE in Coweta now, so I just HAVE to make this a priority in my social schedule, right?

Thanks for the information. I appreciate it.

I also wondered how long an egg can set on the counter and be viable for incubating.

For optimum hatchability you would set before they are 10 days old, but by 2 weeks for sure. After that the hatch rate will start to drop. I would never set anything older than 3 weeks unless I was desperate.

 

[TRUE5]

My favorite aprons are from the Ebay seller at http://www.ebay.com/usr/louisescountrycloset
The eleastic on her's hold out the best. But like Robin said-there's patterns everywhere, just do a google search. I'd love it if someone on this board made them so I could buy from an Okie member.
My poor molting Brahma girl lost pretty much the rest of her feathers. The others were picking on her and chasing her all over, I guess they thought she looked odd. So she's on the enclosed heated deck in a cage and blankets. It makes me feel really bad, my Brahma girls are so pretty otherwise.

Nana, I dearly love your Cochins. They're huge and beautiful and heavily feathered.
The tornado footage is shocking. And so odd to be seeing it from another state.
Garrett, your game pair is really pretty. I had never even heard of that breed before you. These Asil chicks I had been going to place with someone this month will be staying. They're so people-curious and friendly, I *really* like them. Is that how your Tuzo are?

Kim, did you get any more hatches?

I'm trying the BYC on my phone since I'm already in bed... At 1 in the morning. I'm going to need coffee in the morning!
Thank you for that link! I showed my daughter and she already is planning patterns for which chicken. I can't wait to make my hens all cozy with all the feather loss then cold weather!

Lonnieandrinda it's so good to see you!!! You have been missing in action on here!

It won't let me multiquote

 

[TRUE5]

I really hate using my phone for this. I was going to say it won't let me multiquote and there are no smile options.

I love your calf Bardies! Such a sweet baby! I keep telling Hubby we need to get one. Someday.

Today is day 2 of the incubating. Yay! What an adventure! I broke a thermometer so Hubby got me an oral thermometer. It is AWESOME! Now I have a new problem. I smell a musty left-wet-towels-in -the-wash-machine-too-long smell. It's only when I open the windows. I'm going to get another gray hair from this! Now im paranoid that the smell will kill my eggs. Anyone have a thought about the musty sour towel smell?

 

[shelbydog]

I got my processing lesson from PocoPollo yesterday. Greatly appreciated. I didn't feel any guilt or grossed out by the process. Got 8 of the 10 cockerels done. I feel confident to do the other 2 by myself on another weekend. And had a great time talking with her.

And the bantam Favorelles I got from artsyrobin are too stinking cute. And got 5 new pullets from PocoPollo.

 

[Kyzmette]

Bardies, both of my chickies seem to be doing well. The Isbar is a little standoffish, but will come around. The Dorking already hops up in my hand to eat crumble from my palm.

Rinda, yes. Yes, you will! December is coming soon!

True5 is the smell coming from your bator? A bator full of good eggs should smell kind of salty, and not bad. I sniff my bator every day. If you're smelling something bad, smell each egg individually. Seriously, llift them to your nose and give each one a whiff. If you have a stinker, you'll know it. Get rid of bad smelling eggs immediately, and NOT in your trashcan. Growing bacteria can make a bad egg explode.

 

[artsyrobin]

you don't want an exploding egg!

on the nonthriving chick, give him some vitamins, and also an egg yolk, that may give him what he needs

Shelby! Glad you like them, they are so fun to watch! and become cuddle bugs fast!

 

[lonnyandrinda]

I really hate using my phone for this. I was going to say it won't let me multiquote and there are no smile options.

I love your calf Bardies! Such a sweet baby! I keep telling Hubby we need to get one. Someday.

Today is day 2 of the incubating. Yay! What an adventure! I broke a thermometer so Hubby got me an oral thermometer. It is AWESOME! Now I have a new problem. I smell a musty left-wet-towels-in -the-wash-machine-too-long smell. It's only when I open the windows. I'm going to get another gray hair from this! Now im paranoid that the smell will kill my eggs. Anyone have a thought about the musty sour towel smell?

Are you saying this smell is coming from outdoors when you open the window or from the bator? If from outdoors, no it won't harm the eggs. If from the bator- yes sniff each egg until you find the culprit. However I've never had an egg smell off already by day 2. Usually it is at least day 10.

Rinda

 

[TRUE5]

Are you saying this smell is coming from outdoors when you open the window or from
the bator?  If from outdoors, no it won't harm the eggs.  If from the bator- yes sniff each
egg until you find the culprit.  However I've
never had an egg smell off already by day 2.
  Usually it is at  least day 10.


When I open the bator window. Haha! Nah, if it were outside I wouldn't be worried about it. Hehe! I read that after I posted and wondered if you all would think I meant house window. But yes. Bator window and it isn't so bad when the humidity is down but I can smell it when I sniff in there. It's not a rising out but a put your nose in smell. I have no idea why my nose was that close in the first place! Weird. I found a thread that related but no one could relate or know what it was. I'm sure if it's a bad egg I will find out! Eww.

Rinda