*** OKIES in the BYC ***

[Sooner]

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Welcome!!! Good to have you! Seems you were told right on you new birds! When are you due to hatch???

 

[babyrnlc]

They are due the 3rd. We did not think we were going to get any because one day we came in the morning and something happened with the incubator and it was up to 120!! We do not know how long it was. Last week I tried to candle them (I had candled cockatiels and thought I knew what I was doing, but apparently not, it was just dark), but when I was doing it, they moved!!!

WE were told tomorrow we need to stop the turning and put a hot towel in the bottom and put the eggs on it (I hope that is right.)

We have 14 eggs, not sure how many are good still. I know two are, because they moved lol. And the incubator has stayed steady since, so I guess we will see, We want 2-4 hens out of it, the rest we are giving back to the guy that let us borrow the incubator, if we get any.

 

[Sooner]

That is great! HOpefully you will get a nice number of chicks! Do you have your brooder already set up? I can't give you any tips on the incubation, every bator is different but it sounds like you have someone that knows what they are doing! Glad you have already learned to post pictures!!!!!

I am off to get ready for work~ be back later!

 

[banjoejoe4783]

mornin OKIES looks like you broke the new thread in right lasst night

AL- i know you are mad at me but i still love that home made okie stile bator

it is way cool

OKIE MOSSES -did we set a date for poos yet today is my dead line for puting leeve for work

i i would love to got and help felow okies get some coro susexs at a unbeetable price

donnie you 3 girls are big and nice and laying and i could not resest picking up another tio of pure coros and all thes birds came strate of TOM DEANS farm

i need to help break in the new okie thread whith a pic of his royal hiness king coro

sorry guys a cant stop posting pics of him he is just to pritty

 

[Mortos]

What is everyone doing to prepare for the snowpacolypse? My bantam cochin rooster got some frostbite on his comb during the last cold spell. I am going to winterize my coop and I think I will add a light so their water doesn't freeze. Any other suggestions?

 

[poultryand bees]

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In addition to regular feed, I will be offering them some cracked corn and sprinkling red pepper flakes on their feed, to help them increase their internal temperature.

 

[babyrnlc]

Ok, so with this cold coming, do you move the water and feed to inside the coop? Here is our coop and the water and food is in the run under it

Also we planned on putting a tarp over the coop to keep out drafts, is there anything else we should do?

I pray the electric does not go out. We have eggs due to hatch thursday.

 

[poultryand bees]

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I usually move the water inside the coop so it doesn't freeze as fast - the feed is already inside the coop so it stays dry. Consider getting a rubberized bowl for water, so you can easily dump it out as it freezes and refill.

If the electricity goes out, you can retain the heat inside the incubator for awhile with a blanket - and of course hens get off the nest for about 20 minutes once a day to eat and drink, so a short cool down is natural. Some folks have put small candles into their incubator (inside a holder) during a power outage to help retain heat.

 

[BetsyOK]

I also have eggs I'm hatching for a friend due to hatch Thursday. We're west of Tulsa and primarily raise Silkies. Glad to have you on board. Sounds like you're doing all the right things, and your coop and pen are darling.

 

[poultryand bees]

Babyrnic - I read back where you have 14 eggs and are not sure how many might still be viable. You might candle them as you remove them from the turner and mark those you are not sure are still viable. Then, if the power goes out you can give consideration to removing the eggs you are fairly certain are viable and carry them around under your clothing, next to your skin, to keep them at the right temperature. Obviously, this wouldn't work well for a lot of eggs, but I recall a thread a year or two about a woman who incubated 4-5 eggs in her bra for 3 weeks (yeah, sort of unusual

) Maybe you can figure out how to put them into a paper egg carton and tie it around your waist under your shirt ???? I don't know how well they would actually hatch inside an egg carton - but think you could keep them warm enough that way up until the point of hatching.