Pipd's Peeps!

[drumstick diva]

AW it won't be Easter without the Easter Hatch Along

 

[pipdzipdnreadytogo]

I don't know if you saw it or not, DD, but the EHAL is on! https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/11th-annual-easter-hatch-a-long-2020.1350863/



I wasn't going to post until they got here and I could assess how well they handled shipping, but I'm super excited and not sure how much longer I can hold it in!! So, just as a small note here, I do have a little special something coming a bit early for the HAL! They're scheduled to arrive on Thursday, so more details to come then... Or, at least, I'll try to contain myself until then.

 

[pipdzipdnreadytogo]

And... Here they are!

These are--are you ready for this?--Silkied Cochin eggs!! I almost couldn't believe it when someone mentioned getting them on the EHAL thread! Unfortunately, the air cells are looking iffy from shipping, but I'm staying optimistic that I'll get at least a few chicks from this! They're resting at the moment while the incubator warms up, and I haven't decided if I want to set them right away or not.

 

[pipdzipdnreadytogo]

Okay, they're in! I marked the air cells as accurately as possible and set them air cell up. They won't be turned until... Sunday, I think? I'll figure it out before then. Anyway, fingers crossed for these little eggies!

...And, I'm exhausted, so I'm turning in for the night.

 

[ronott1]

Okay, they're in! I marked the air cells as accurately as possible and set them air cell up. They won't be turned until... Sunday, I think? I'll figure it out before then. Anyway, fingers crossed for these little eggies!

...And, I'm exhausted, so I'm turning in for the night.

I am hoping for the best!

 

[drumstick diva]

ron if you are having the hatchalong, I have some prizes you can offer. Let me know

 

[ronott1]

ron if you are having the hatchalong, I have some prizes you can offer. Let me know

Thanks Diva!
Please send me a private message

 

[drumstick diva]

Will do I'll see if someone will put up the photos for me. Otherwise have to wait till Sunday when my son calls and get him to do it for me.

 

[pipdzipdnreadytogo]

The air cells on most of the eggs are looking a bit more stable as of checking them last night. Some seem to have reattached, and the rest at least aren't moving as much. I couldn't find the air cell at all on the one egg that had a fully detached cell, but it's not rotting or anything (yet?) so I left it be. Turning began last night, roughly 48 hours after they were set. Hoping for the best still. Obviously, there wasn't any development to be seen last night.



In other news... With the whole coronavirus scare going on, I'm not sure if people around here are also stocking up on feed or if the store was just out of stock coincidentally, but on my last feed run the chicken feed aisle was very picked over and all flock was sold out. I had to make do with buying layer and gamebird starter and mixing those together for the girls. I got 2 bags of layer and 1 bag gamebird to mix, so they should be on ~2.8-3.3% calcium and 20% protein right now as opposed to 1.4-1.9 calcium and 18 protein on their usual feed. It was the best I could do. We're hoping they're back in stock this week so that my girls can be fed appropriately. I don't know if it's just that they're free-ranging daily now or if they really don't like this new mix, but the feed seems to be going down slowly compared to usual, and I hate to think that they're going hungry.


And, sadly, it looks like Echo is going to be leaving us very soon. A while back, she developed a lump behind her right eye, which I wrote off as a pecking injury because she seemed totally fine otherwise. The lump grew a bit, then receded a bit, and things seemed to go back to normal other than that she was holding that eye shut and acting a bit iffy. As of the past few days, she's unable to stand steadily or walk very well. Her head is tilted to the right and her comb has gone very pale. She's having trouble eating and drinking on her own. I'm not sure if the bump behind her eye is related or not, but I do think that she's beyond the point of return now, and so if she makes it through to this afternoon, we'll be putting her out of her misery. A hard task to do, but one that must be done.

 

[ronott1]

The air cells on most of the eggs are looking a bit more stable as of checking them last night. Some seem to have reattached, and the rest at least aren't moving as much. I couldn't find the air cell at all on the one egg that had a fully detached cell, but it's not rotting or anything (yet?) so I left it be. Turning began last night, roughly 48 hours after they were set. Hoping for the best still. Obviously, there wasn't any development to be seen last night.



In other news... With the whole coronavirus scare going on, I'm not sure if people around here are also stocking up on feed or if the store was just out of stock coincidentally, but on my last feed run the chicken feed aisle was very picked over and all flock was sold out. I had to make do with buying layer and gamebird starter and mixing those together for the girls. I got 2 bags of layer and 1 bag gamebird to mix, so they should be on ~2.8-3.3% calcium and 20% protein right now as opposed to 1.4-1.9 calcium and 18 protein on their usual feed. It was the best I could do. We're hoping they're back in stock this week so that my girls can be fed appropriately. I don't know if it's just that they're free-ranging daily now or if they really don't like this new mix, but the feed seems to be going down slowly compared to usual, and I hate to think that they're going hungry.


And, sadly, it looks like Echo is going to be leaving us very soon. A while back, she developed a lump behind her right eye, which I wrote off as a pecking injury because she seemed totally fine otherwise. The lump grew a bit, then receded a bit, and things seemed to go back to normal other than that she was holding that eye shut and acting a bit iffy. As of the past few days, she's unable to stand steadily or walk very well. Her head is tilted to the right and her comb has gone very pale. She's having trouble eating and drinking on her own. I'm not sure if the bump behind her eye is related or not, but I do think that she's beyond the point of return now, and so if she makes it through to this afternoon, we'll be putting her out of her misery. A hard task to do, but one that must be done.

the one with the detached air cell that you cannot find will be a problem! The chick will have a hard time figuring out where to pip.

I am sorry that Echo is having problems!