Opa, those are some really CUTE chickies. I can't believe how cute the day old chicks are or how fast they feather in and grow up.
This is my second attempt at incubating. It is 3 different setting dates of eggs. We are into the second group now about 20% hatch rate. The first attempt got me 2 or 3 chicks. (that was too long ago to remember without looking up my notes!)
So up to 6 in the brooder and this morning we have another egg pipping. I sure hope more than that go off this time! One can only hope with a foam bator. Humidity drops naturally to 65-70% overnight and in the daytime it's been running 80%. Chicks have been pretty wet and big bottomed, but by the end of hatching day are up and doing ok.
Bad storms/hail all afternoon, evening, and last night. Tornado sirens went off just once in the early evening. Hail was golf ball sized in spots, quite far apart here and nothing damaged (just the veggie garden pounded, but it will probably revive!) More storms inbound today.
Need to get over to the farm and put in the alpacas. It is 17 miles away, has full ditches, and there is a cria due soon. They should go into the barn. But first, have to run hubby to a doctor appt. So it will be noon before they can be tended to.
Did all my chicken chores. Now I have to dump the nestbox over to get the GLW out of it and get to the eggs the hens all lay in there. But got 3 yesterday and 4 today. Definitely more than I can eat.
The rooster is now 10 weeks old and really trying to crow. It is beginning to sound more like one. Still warbling a lot. He is a Gold Comet from TSC. He is pretty, Lots of White Splashed all over with red. His toes are crooked though. I pick him up and pet him and hold him tight. Gotta keep him nice!
Didn't get them out of the basement and it cleaned up for this latest tornado warning. Guess finishing up the chicken pen is a priority and planting all the flats of veggies and flowers I picked up. Right up there with removing the deep bedding and manure from the winter barn and paddock so Shearing the alpacas can begin. The flour/seed moths are flying around in the 'dog room' due to the cockatiel and parakeet in there and the seed bags that come with their eggs. That room needs a really good spring clean (dogs will shed their undercoat, too). CANNOT have them getting into the house as they will find my alpaca fleece and ruin hundreds of dollars worth of processed wool!
So instead of the basement, we have a narrow hallway next to the downstairs bathroom. It is underneath the two upstairs bathrooms. AND it has a cedar closet at the end of it. Lots of reinforcing there so I guess it is the next safest place to go, that hallway or bathroom.
Cheers all, beautiful wet green morning!
This is my second attempt at incubating. It is 3 different setting dates of eggs. We are into the second group now about 20% hatch rate. The first attempt got me 2 or 3 chicks. (that was too long ago to remember without looking up my notes!)
So up to 6 in the brooder and this morning we have another egg pipping. I sure hope more than that go off this time! One can only hope with a foam bator. Humidity drops naturally to 65-70% overnight and in the daytime it's been running 80%. Chicks have been pretty wet and big bottomed, but by the end of hatching day are up and doing ok.
Bad storms/hail all afternoon, evening, and last night. Tornado sirens went off just once in the early evening. Hail was golf ball sized in spots, quite far apart here and nothing damaged (just the veggie garden pounded, but it will probably revive!) More storms inbound today.
Need to get over to the farm and put in the alpacas. It is 17 miles away, has full ditches, and there is a cria due soon. They should go into the barn. But first, have to run hubby to a doctor appt. So it will be noon before they can be tended to.
Did all my chicken chores. Now I have to dump the nestbox over to get the GLW out of it and get to the eggs the hens all lay in there. But got 3 yesterday and 4 today. Definitely more than I can eat.
The rooster is now 10 weeks old and really trying to crow. It is beginning to sound more like one. Still warbling a lot. He is a Gold Comet from TSC. He is pretty, Lots of White Splashed all over with red. His toes are crooked though. I pick him up and pet him and hold him tight. Gotta keep him nice!
Didn't get them out of the basement and it cleaned up for this latest tornado warning. Guess finishing up the chicken pen is a priority and planting all the flats of veggies and flowers I picked up. Right up there with removing the deep bedding and manure from the winter barn and paddock so Shearing the alpacas can begin. The flour/seed moths are flying around in the 'dog room' due to the cockatiel and parakeet in there and the seed bags that come with their eggs. That room needs a really good spring clean (dogs will shed their undercoat, too). CANNOT have them getting into the house as they will find my alpaca fleece and ruin hundreds of dollars worth of processed wool!
So instead of the basement, we have a narrow hallway next to the downstairs bathroom. It is underneath the two upstairs bathrooms. AND it has a cedar closet at the end of it. Lots of reinforcing there so I guess it is the next safest place to go, that hallway or bathroom.
Cheers all, beautiful wet green morning!
