Pennsylvania!! Unite!!

[dheltzel]

Congrats on the good hatch! Sounds like you are getting back up to speed for spring already.

Still have poor fertility on a few breeds, but the ones making it to lockdown are hatching better. Just in time too, Agway wants a few chicks this week.

I swapped out my 2 silver ameraucana roo for one that was out free ranging. He seems lighter than the ones that were in confinement, perhaps because he has to hussle for his calories. I hope he avails himself of this great opportunity (13 pullets, all for him) and fathers some chicks. I really like the temperment of the silvers, they should be very nice for backyard flocks, and a color that is unusual. They also seem to lay the bluest colored eggs of all the Ams, maybe even a truer blue then the Legbars. Hoping he will make some babies.

In other news, I'm now getting 2 eggs a day from the Welsh Harlequin ducks, so a second one has started. 4 ducks total, hoping the 3 drakes in there are going to be ok, I really don't want to give any away, they are so pretty and love being together as a flock.

 

[Chicken Egg 17]

Nothing yet.

I found out she doesn't ship anymore sorry

 

[AnneInTheBurbs]

Quote: I'm getting very excited for eggs! I have 3 from my midget white turkey so far... Momma broody has not wavered in her stubbornness. She did move back to a different nest when I gently tossed her out the other day. She went to a nest with more eggs, but other than that she has been resolute.

Quote:
Thanks D, I'll try that on the ones who are not laying perhaps, and dust only the layers so I don't have to do a withdraw period.

Quote:
Oh sure, now you tell me...

I'd like to say yes, but I have to stick with my order of the Sandhill chicks for now.

Last week I hatched 1 pair of Bielefelders, this week I have a trio out already, and a few more pipped.
2016 I had such a hard time even getting fertile eggs, but this year they have been doing better than the Welbars and even the Legbars (on a "per pullet" basis).

I love my Biele, Helga. She is so submissive I saw a Silkie chase her away from something, haha! She is so big and beautiful too!

It's such a beautiful day out today! It's miss 50's here with the sun shining. Kids are outside playing and having a good time, the flock is everywhere, enjoying the day and chasing the thawed bugs around.

Ana's eggs are peeping under her. I checked them earlier when she was off the nest for breakfast and 3 of 4 are internally pipped and making noise

Guess we'll see what we have tomorrow. I think that if any are pure, I MAY kidnap (or chicknap) them to raise inside and make sure nothing happens to them. I need more silkies!

And speaking of silkies, I should have some lavender bearded silkie hatching eggs coming this week

That's awesome you had sunshine. We have had fog and clouds and rain here for what feels like an eternity. Still better than below freezing!

Quote: I think I may have asked you before, but I forget. What do you do with all of your chicks? Males for meat? Females for eggs? I guess I'm surprised you keep your numbers contained, since you always have broodys! What age do you slaughter the males, if they are mixes and not hybrid meat chickens?

Quote: yay!!

 

[fisherlady]

@AnneInTheBurbs

We have tried only hatching eggs of particular importance or size, with intent to get chicks of either decent size or egging ability (sell girls and butcher boys we can't sell) or particular breed so they can be sold as purebred ( the SPR in particular)
Controlling #s isn't easy, but has to be done as a practicality. Over the past few years we are getting better about being picky on what we set. Being able to butcher our own and pressure can the meat no matter what age of bird makes it more practical, we can allow some roosters to get older than before to see how well they fill out or feather.

 

[AnneInTheBurbs]

That makes sense. Guess I'm going to learn as I go...

Got my blue tub delivered yesterday. Such a deal! They are still selling these at TSC for $350, I paid a lot less. Right now, it will be a chicken shelter for snow/ rain. It may be a large chick brooder in the spring. It may be a pool for me in the Summer. It doesn't look real big, but its 8' by 2'.

 

[fisherlady]

That makes sense. Guess I'm going to learn as I go... Got my blue tub delivered yesterday. Such a deal! They are still selling these at TSC for $350, I paid a lot less. Right now, it will be a chicken shelter for snow/ rain. It may be a large chick brooder in the spring. It may be a pool for me in the Summer. It doesn't look real big, but its 8' by 2'.

Looks great but tie it down. If wind catches under it right it will flip it over in a second. 2 ropes cross crossed over it and tied to cement blocks on the ground should work.

 

[OneMountainAcres]

I made the decision to steal Ana's two babies. She still has two eggs yet to hatch and I gave her one that I had in the bator on lockdown that's due in another day or two. Her first two babies look like pure, blue silkies and I need more blues lol so I'm raising these ones in here to try make sure nothing happens to them. She's a good mama but, just in case. I'll get some pictures here in a few

 

[OneMountainAcres]

What do you guys think? Do they look like pure silkie babies to you? Both have 5 toes, dark and feathered feet/legs and black beaks.

 

[fisherlady]

Our silkies always seem to hatch early, day 19 or 20. We don't mix them with large fowl eggs anymore for that exact reason.

We just found out yesterday that Patches is a rooster....I suspected very strongly for over a month but he finally crowed.

 

[fisherlady]

What do you guys think? Do they look like pure silkie babies to you? Both have 5 toes, dark and feathered feet/legs and black beaks. They are adorable and love the color...but not noticing a head poof? We haven't hatched very many pure but most of ours had a bit of a poofy feather fluff on their heads, some weren't as noticeable though.