***OKIES in the BYC III ***

[delawaregirl09]

@SharkmanDan my broody brought hers out right away

 

[kelielliott]

So my broody had 3 eggs. One hatched about 24 hrs ago. I candled mostly bc I just had to know what's going on. One was still moving and not sure on the third. Still no pip. Could it be a full day behind? I am hoping by tomorrow we will have at least 1 more chick. She is small so sometimes the eggs get out from under her. I wonder if that could have caused one to develope more quickly? The new baby is really curious and out from under mom a lot. I guess she will go back when she gets cold?

 

[kelielliott]

My second incubator hatch in a couple of years was also largely a failure. The first one had 15 viable eggs, 3 hatched on their own, and I helped two that were in bad shape and later died.  All the rest died at various stages--I also open mine to try to determine what to do better next time  Because it appeared the humidity was too high and several of you have reported success with dry hatches, I decided to try it.

This second batch had 10 viable guineas and 2 very doubtful silkies.  I confused myself about the day to stop turning (because of the difference in chickens and guineas) and stopped them a week early--for only two days.  I did add some water at that time because when I candled them, I could see there were 10 guineas alive, but their air pockets were already very large--almost half the egg, which made me think they were too dry.  I put them back in the incubator and added a bit more water.  I think that actually may have been what saved the two that made it.

When I candled them at the actual time I should have stopped turning them, I could hear one peepng and could see movement in another, but the others looked very much too small and were not moving.  Hatch day came and I could hear two peeping.  One managed to pip, and I helped it out after 8 hours.  It was very badly shrink wrapped, but very vocal.  The other hadn't pipped, and when I tried to help it part way, it was also very shrink wrapped, very weak, and died soon after.  I left them another night and partial day, and when I checked, a third one had actually managed to hatch by itself.  Both it and the shrink wrapped one are very active, but the right wing on the sw one was rigidly held by a bit of "wrapping I'd missed.  After removing that, I think it'll be OK.  I had put two eggs in a day after the others, and feel sure these are the ones that survived.  The two silkies' development stopped very early on. 

I added a bit more water to the dry 'bator and have left the remaining eggs in it for another day "just in case".  Tomorrow will actually be day 29 for the first 10 and day 28 for the others. 

I think it must be different for guinea fowl, maybe partly because their shells are so hard; but I won't try dry incubating with guineas again. 

It is so crazy how tons of people have had problems these last couple of months with hatching!

 

[artsyrobin]

Well, long story short, lost my things and chicken house in the SE OKC tornado. I need some help moving my chickens to my grandparents, or perhaps I can borrow some cages or boxes?

did you get some help on moving?? we aren't down there, but some okies here are

 

[SharkmanDan]

Well, long story short, lost my things and chicken house in the SE OKC tornado. I need some help moving my chickens to my grandparents, or perhaps I can borrow some cages or boxes?

I wish I were in a position to help. I would happily help, but just can't make the trip to OKC area, until I have better income. I NEED to come out that way, to work on the door for my Redwood incubator, but, I simply can't justify the fuel expense, just yet.

@SharkmanDan my broody brought hers out right away

I guess I need to build that ramp, today, then. She should be hatching, any time now.

 

[mjgigax]

It is so crazy how tons of people have had problems these last couple of months with hatching!

Yes. Wonder if the extra humidity this Spring has caused it? Jack's hatches have been good. His incubators and hatcher are in his game room in his house.
Mine are in my garage. It is insulated but there is a cat door and of course the temperature and humidity is affected when I drive my car in and out. I have not had great hatch rates in my first 3 batches but my last hatch was better; only 3 out of 33 fertile eggs did not hatch.

With all this humidity we need to be extra cautious about Coxcidiosis. I read an article by a woman that raises chickens and grows herbs that recommends fresh oregano to fight Coxcidiosis. I have a large plant and I have been putting leaves in my brooders and in their water. I don't know if it is working to fight Cox. but they sure do like the leaves. I put chick grit in their feed to help with pasty butt and because I am giving them greens so early.

Last month I bought some expensive Blue Laced Red Wyandottes at an auction. I have been trying so hard not to get more breeds but I am such a sucker for colorful birds and I had Birthday money burning a hole in my pocket. I think I am regretting my impulse buy less and less. They are growing beautifully and are so calm and friendly. It now looks like they are all girls but one. I have never had Wyandottes before except my little Bantam Lemon Blue.

 

[SharkmanDan]

Yes. Wonder if the extra humidity this Spring has caused it?

In my case, it was the extra stupidity, that caused the extra humidity.

I need to pull 10 turkey, and 3 guinea eggs, from my antique incubator, today. They are all on day 31.
But, I now have the temp and humidity, under control, unlike when I started this incubation. I was fortunate to get one healthy baby out of the bunch.
With five drawers, I think I can separate them in a logical manner, and have one to two breeds, per drawer. But, I'm sitting on 203 eggs, right now, that need to get in the incubator, and my home brew, ice chest, incubator, is still nearly a week away from hatching. Tuesday is day 18. Many of these eggs, just won't keep, until next Friday.

 

[NanaKat]

Well, long story short, lost my things and chicken house in the SE OKC tornado. I need some help moving my chickens to my grandparents, or perhaps I can borrow some cages or boxes?

I wish I were in a position to help. I would happily help, but just can't make the trip to OKC area, until I have better income. I NEED to come out that way, to work on the door for my Redwood incubator, but, I simply can't justify the fuel expense, just yet.

@SharkmanDan my broody brought hers out right away

I guess I need to build that ramp, today, then. She should be hatching, any time now.

I built a small ramp with hooks that I could use to securely hang it from the roost...until I could permanently attach it. Might work for you.

It is so crazy how tons of people have had problems these last couple of months with hatching!

Yes. Wonder if the extra humidity this Spring has caused it? Jack's hatches have been good. His incubators and hatcher are in his game room in his house.
Mine are in my garage. It is insulated but there is a cat door and of course the temperature and humidity is affected when I drive my car in and out. I have not had great hatch rates in my first 3 batches but my last hatch was better; only 3 out of 33 fertile eggs did not hatch.

With all this humidity we need to be extra cautious about Coxcidiosis. I read an article by a woman that raises chickens and grows herbs that recommends fresh oregano to fight Coxcidiosis. I have a large plant and I have been putting leaves in my brooders and in their water. I don't know if it is working to fight Cox. but they sure do like the leaves. I put chick grit in their feed to help with pasty butt and because I am giving them greens so early.

Last month I bought some expensive Blue Laced Red Wyandottes at an auction. I have been trying so hard not to get more breeds but I am such a sucker for colorful birds and I had Birthday money burning a hole in my pocket. I think I am regretting my impulse buy less and less. They are growing beautifully and are so calm and friendly. It now looks like they are all girls but one. I have never had Wyandottes before except my little Bantam Lemon Blue.

I love my Wyandotte. They are personable, good layers and make great mothers.

I have three incubators going in the back bedroom while I was on my trip. All are dry hatches.
I will move 18 to the hatcher Monday.
Then 9 go into lockdown on the 14th The Buckeye eggs have not been fertile so that accounts for the low number for that hatch.
The remaining were candled this morning and there are Wyandotte and Bantam....a total of 75 are developing with hatch date of May 22.
I add water in little tuna cans filled with coiled paper towels to bring the humidity up to about. 60% for lockdown. Then I let the hatching eggs provide the humidity during hatching.

 

[greenbeetle]

Yes. Wonder if the extra humidity this Spring has caused it? Jack's hatches have been good. His incubators and hatcher are in his game room in his house.
Mine are in my garage. It is insulated but there is a cat door and of course the temperature and humidity is affected when I drive my car in and out. I have not had great hatch rates in my first 3 batches but my last hatch was better; only 3 out of 33 fertile eggs did not hatch.

With all this humidity we need to be extra cautious about Coxcidiosis. I read an article by a woman that raises chickens and grows herbs that recommends fresh oregano to fight Coxcidiosis. I have a large plant and I have been putting leaves in my brooders and in their water. I don't know if it is working to fight Cox. but they sure do like the leaves. I put chick grit in their feed to help with pasty butt and because I am giving them greens so early.

Last month I bought some expensive Blue Laced Red Wyandottes at an auction. I have been trying so hard not to get more breeds but I am such a sucker for colorful birds and I had Birthday money burning a hole in my pocket. I think I am regretting my impulse buy less and less. They are growing beautifully and are so calm and friendly. It now looks like they are all girls but one. I have never had Wyandottes before except my little Bantam Lemon Blue.

I have 5 BLRW hens and they are beautiful, big fluffy girls. They are not real friendly, they don't let me pet them or anything, but they are sure nice to look at.

 

[lonnyandrinda]

Hope everyone is staying safe and dry. We have never seen our pond this full. It's crazy! The creek you can normally hop across, and in the summer drive the mower across. Based on debris in the trees it was about 8 feet deep last night.