***OKIES in the BYC III ***

[lonnyandrinda]

@ashtree thanks! I took some videos of the swarm and put them on my new facebook page. https://www.facebook.com/chickenfanatics

 

[SharkmanDan]

In the continuing saga, of the redwood incubator.....
I think I likely will lose most, if not all, of my first batch of eggs. I had three different temp readings, from three different thermometers, aside from the STC1000. They each read somewhat differently, but differently enough, that if two of them were right, I probably overheated all of the eggs. I seem to have the calibration set now, but the first two days, I had temps, showing that at some point, it likely reached 104F. I now have the STC 1000 calibrated to the old school, glass bulb type of thermometer, that was in the incubator. But, I'm going to let the incubation go, for now, in hopes that it might have been wrong, in my favor. You The eggs have been in a week now. At what day, can I safely start to candle some, to look, and have an inexperienced eye, know for certain, one way, or the other? But, keeping it properly humid is also problematic. I am looking forward to buying or building, a modern fully automatic incubator & hatcher.

Next question. I guess it's more an etiquette question.
I sold a bunch of Ameracauna's to a local well known "Chicken Lady". She was impressed with the quality of my chicks. As it turned out, she had several large commercial cabinet incubators. We worked a deal, that she would hatch a bunch of my eggs, and we'd split the hatch, 50/50. A little over 3 weeks ago, I took her 139 eggs. A week later, another 60. She messaged me over the weekend, that they were hatching, and falling out, there were so many. Monday, she said that she was bringing my chicks, but that the hatch wasn't as good as she thought. She said that only 59 of the 120 that I took to her, had hatched. There was a problem, already. I took her 139, not 120. And, my hatch rate, on all previous hatches, with another hatcher, using the exact same equipment, was 96+%.

Considering that I am trying to get a good reputation, for breeding, in the area, and that she's been around here for a long time, I figure it's best not to "poke the bear" so to speak. I figure that it's best, if I simply fulfill my promises to her, and try to work on getting my own commercial type of incubator and hatcher. This Redwood one, is very nice, but needs a great deal of work, to make it furniture quality, it could use an automatic humidifier, and I really need to fit it with some Hovabator egg turners, to keep the eggs moving better.

At minimum, I'm not happy with her hatch rate, knowing the fertility rate of my eggs, is very high. At worst, she may have been deceitful, and hatched more than she said, but, to me, it's not worth the potential, of her bad-mouthing me, to raise a fuss about it. I have too much to lose, and very little to gain, if I were to make it an issue.
What sticks in my craw, though, is that, I had told her, that my niece and her husband, we're building a chicken coop, and their 2 year old son, is simply fascinated by the blue and green eggs, of my Ameracauna's. So, I wanted a bunch of them, to raise for my niece. When she showed up here, with my 30 chicks, she announced that "You know, your Easter Eggers are so nice, I just had to keep all of them. So, these are all either Rhode Island Reds, Cuckoo Marans or Australorps". I mentioned that my nephew was looking forward to some of the Ameracauna's, and she said, "Well, we'll get him some on the next hatch." Only, I don't plan, for there to be a "next hatch" with her. Either I can't trust her egg handling, or I can't trust her. Either way, I have about 120 eggs to go to incubation, in the next few days, and I'll be taking them to the person who hatched the first two rounds, at 96% & 98%. Because 50% of 96% of 120, is still better than doing business with someone who can't seem to hatch the eggs right.
Or, am I looking at it wrong? Your opinions have been great, at keeping me level headed, over this past year, of fowling around.

 

[TipihlowLadies]

In the continuing saga, of the redwood incubator.....
I think I likely will lose most, if not all, of my first batch of eggs. I had three different temp readings, from three different thermometers, aside from the STC1000. They each read somewhat differently, but differently enough, that if two of them were right, I probably overheated all of the eggs. I seem to have the calibration set now, but the first two days, I had temps, showing that at some point, it likely reached 104F. I now have the STC 1000 calibrated to the old school, glass bulb type of thermometer, that was in the incubator. But, I'm going to let the incubation go, for now, in hopes that it might have been wrong, in my favor. You The eggs have been in a week now. At what day, can I safely start to candle some, to look, and have an inexperienced eye, know for certain, one way, or the other? But, keeping it properly humid is also problematic. I am looking forward to buying or building, a modern fully automatic incubator & hatcher.

Next question. I guess it's more an etiquette question.
I sold a bunch of Ameracauna's to a local well known "Chicken Lady". She was impressed with the quality of my chicks. As it turned out, she had several large commercial cabinet incubators. We worked a deal, that she would hatch a bunch of my eggs, and we'd split the hatch, 50/50. A little over 3 weeks ago, I took her 139 eggs. A week later, another 60. She messaged me over the weekend, that they were hatching, and falling out, there were so many. Monday, she said that she was bringing my chicks, but that the hatch wasn't as good as she thought. She said that only 59 of the 120 that I took to her, had hatched. There was a problem, already. I took her 139, not 120. And, my hatch rate, on all previous hatches, with another hatcher, using the exact same equipment, was 96+%.

Considering that I am trying to get a good reputation, for breeding, in the area, and that she's been around here for a long time, I figure it's best not to "poke the bear" so to speak. I figure that it's best, if I simply fulfill my promises to her, and try to work on getting my own commercial type of incubator and hatcher. This Redwood one, is very nice, but needs a great deal of work, to make it furniture quality, it could use an automatic humidifier, and I really need to fit it with some Hovabator egg turners, to keep the eggs moving better.

At minimum, I'm not happy with her hatch rate, knowing the fertility rate of my eggs, is very high. At worst, she may have been deceitful, and hatched more than she said, but, to me, it's not worth the potential, of her bad-mouthing me, to raise a fuss about it. I have too much to lose, and very little to gain, if I were to make it an issue.
What sticks in my craw, though, is that, I had told her, that my niece and her husband, we're building a chicken coop, and their 2 year old son, is simply fascinated by the blue and green eggs, of my Ameracauna's. So, I wanted a bunch of them, to raise for my niece. When she showed up here, with my 30 chicks, she announced that "You know, your Easter Eggers are so nice, I just had to keep all of them. So, these are all either Rhode Island Reds, Cuckoo Marans or Australorps". I mentioned that my nephew was looking forward to some of the Ameracauna's, and she said, "Well, we'll get him some on the next hatch." Only, I don't plan, for there to be a "next hatch" with her. Either I can't trust her egg handling, or I can't trust her. Either way, I have about 120 eggs to go to incubation, in the next few days, and I'll be taking them to the person who hatched the first two rounds, at 96% & 98%. Because 50% of 96% of 120, is still better than doing business with someone who can't seem to hatch the eggs right.
Or, am I looking at it wrong? Your opinions have been great, at keeping me level headed, over this past year, of fowling around.

yes finish the hatch some will survive on the other problem it's a business some people just aren't trustworthy .I am a millright cabinet maker with my shop in the back yard if you supply me plan's and material I can make a cabinet battor hatcher free of charge.

 

[Okla-doodle-doo]

Sharkman that's a shame. I think most of us have went thru it at some point. Unless they are your best friend or mother it's hard to trust getting what you expect from hatching. I think your right, I would just let her go and not " have" any more eggs available for her. One angry person can ruin a lot of hard work building up your clientele. It's best to just chalk it up to experience.
We finally have a day that's not raining,well at least yet! Wish it would dry up so I could do more planting. Looking forward to next weekend, get to head back to Oklahoma for the weekend! My daughter is getting married. Of course I can t go any where without taking critters. I am taking daughter some guinea pigs and a niece some pigeons. Gee I better start
Poking on Craigslist and see what I can find to bring home! Lol

 

[Kassaundra]

I agree w/ OklaDD, I wouldn't make a fuss, but definitely not hatch w/ them again.

 

[BetsyOK]

Sharkman, I think you're being generous with your assessment. I agree with the others--don't do business with this person!

 

[kelielliott]

This is for our 4 county 4H club that was started a few months back. Please share.

 

[Kassaundra]

@miohippus , those passion fruit vine seeds I got from you last year. I direct sowed 1/2 but they didn't come up or didn't make, anyway, I saved out 1/2 just incase that happened. I have been soaking the other 1/2 in wet paper in a plastic baggie and have 2 seedlings and a couple more seeds sprouting.

I figure I'll get a lot more, since they just now started sprouting.

 

[BetsyOK]

Wish I had some to share. I particularly like for 4-H or other kids to get my birds. However, I sold mine down to just what I want for breeding. I incubated batch that were due to hatch yesterday, but nearly all died just before pipping. I can't determine why. If they need some later, I might be able to help.

 

[Kassaundra]

Wish I had some to share. I particularly like for 4-H or other kids to get my birds. However, I sold mine down to just what I want for breeding. I incubated batch that were due to hatch yesterday, but nearly all died just before pipping. I can't determine why. If they need some later, I might be able to help.

I have had more do that this spring then ever before, wonder what is up w/ that?