Peeps in Europe!

[chickengr]

@BDutch about the incubator... Remember I told you my Dutch friends are elderly people who are not chickeners. And asking them to buy me some eggs was a bit too much so I don't even want to try with incubator. Also, a small box of eggs won't cost anything to put on the truck. If I try to ship a larger incubator OEZ my ask me to pay for transport (which I would understand and don't mind if it is reasonable). But the main problem is I have nobody abroad (Netherlands, UK, Germany, etc) who would buy and ship it for me (obviously I will pay for it).

@chickengr I am putting some chocolate bar with peanuts in the trap today. So does poison work for you? I can't do poison, as my neighbor's cats may catch the mice and die. Also my chicken catch mice...

My Silky is due to hatch tonight! ..and the Cochins from the incubator too.

BTW marking eggs with pencil on a broody hen does not work - tried twice, she erases the pencil when sitting on the eggs.

rats still eat poison, day 3. I hope it will work. chickens can eat rat poison, no harm, but any fured animal (dogs, cats, etc.) will get poisoned.

 

[Maiahr]

I made mistake and got one. stay away from it.

I have 3 of them... Yes, they have issues, but nothing better here. I am close to Alexandropolis, about 2 hours drive. Any chance to find a good incubator there? If I know where to buy fromz I would drive to Greece (well, at reasonable distance).

 

[chickengr]

I have 3 of them... Yes, they have issues, but nothing better here. I am close to Alexandropolis, about 2 hours drive. Any chance to find a good incubator there? If I know where to buy fromz I would drive to Greece (well, at reasonable distance).

I will check some sites. you don't need to drive, they can ship.

 

[Maiahr]

Silky - 2 out of 4 eggs hatched. Don't know what is happening with the other 2 eggs. And I just took out one chick from the incubator and put it under the Silky, all happy. Will transfer another chick in about an hour..

 

[Maiahr]

OK, I transferred another chick from the incubator to mama Silky, no problems, but the other 2 eggs under her are not even peeping. There is snow outside, she hasn't been out for 3 days now... where would she poop?

 

[abpatchy]

OK, I transferred another chick from the incubator to mama Silky, no problems, but the other 2 eggs under her are not even peeping. There is snow outside, she hasn't been out for 3 days now... where would she poop?

clear some space for her... put down some straw or hey or wood chips... something like that... she can poop and scratch there... put feed and water there for her... and take her off the nest and put her in the cleared space.

 

[BDutch]

Good advice @abpatchy

@Maiahr
Maybe you can make a small area attached to the nesting cabin that is covered (old table, multiplex roof or an old window under an angle to block wind and snow ) ?

You took a risk to transfer the chick under the Silkie. Did you realise that?
1 she might not have accepted the chick.
2 the eggs may have a delay in hatching because of the cold and mamma Silkie might leave the nest before the eggs hatch now she has a chick

Did you listen if you hear a chick inside the eggs?

If she abandons the eggs and you see that within an hour or so, you can use the incubator (keep it warm).

 

[Maiahr]

Ah... About transferring chicks from the incubator to under mama - I've done this at least 10 times so far, different hens. It is a common practice here. Never had issues. In this case - mama Silky is inside the house, so she is warm. I waited until she hatches 2 of her own chicks and then I transferred 2 others, already hatched chicks, from the incubator (they were still in the incubator, I took them out of the incubator and put them under mama). I didn't transfer eggs, apologies if I didn't write it clear. Mama Silky accepted the incubated chicks without a problem.
Last summer we did the same with an old man's hen, she hatched 8 eggs and we added another 13 chicks from the incubator, so she ended up raising maaaany chicks, she was happy, though.

 

[BDutch]

On the way back home on the ferry over the Rhine.

I picked up the eggs today. But I was very surprised that the color of the eggs was a very light brown. Some have just a crème colour.
I thought the Red Island eggs should be really brown. Research specific for the bantam says light brown. Where the big Reds egg colour says brown or even dark brown. Now I now that this is the right colour I’m quit happy with it. It makes it easier to candle the eggs and pick out the bad ones in about 10 days

The eggs packed in toilet paper for the bumpy roads.

I definitely have 2 broodies now. 2 black Dutch sisters together in one nest. Tonight I’m going to change the fakes for real ones. Big surprise in the morning when they wake up.

Black was not amused that I opened the lid.

 

[abpatchy]

View attachment 2604959On the way back home on the ferry over the Rhine.

I picked up the eggs today. But I was very surprised that the color of the eggs was a very light brown. Some have just a crème colour.
I thought the Red Island eggs should be really brown. Research specific for the bantam says light brown. Where the big Reds egg colour says brown or even dark brown. Now I now that this is the right colour I’m quit happy with it. It makes it easier to candle the eggs and pick out the bad ones in about 10 days

View attachment 2604966
The eggs packed in toilet paper for the bumpy roads.

I definitely have 2 broodies now. 2 black Dutch sisters together in one nest. Tonight I’m going to change the fakes for real ones. Big surprise in the morning when they wake up.

View attachment 2604983
Black was not amused that I opened the lid.

Good luck!!! Hopefully it will turn out right for you and you will get many many little chicks!!
Some breeds egg color has changed due to breeders who just worry about the birds and not the egg. Also the amount of eggs a chicken lays has changed. One reason I am keeping that in mind as well.