Setting Thursday March 25.. Anyone want to join me??

[Ga Grain]

Update on mine. I put 24 in 10 days ago. The temp has held steady at 101 in a still air styrofoam baitor with auto turner. I haven't messed with them at all. Just check the temp occasionally. I thought about candling some but I think I'll pass on it for now, I don't want to mess anything up. Hopefully they all do well, I guess I'd smell them if they weren't. I really only have room for about 4-5 more in the coop. I put 24 in because I wasn't sure what to expect as far as hatch rate.

The big news is that one of my hens has went broody. She hatched 4 last year on her own before she was given to me. So I guess she should do alright. I don't know how many she had under her but when I went to get the eggs this evening she was hanging out in the box. So I took the 9 or so other eggs and put in the box next to her. She pecked at me pretty good when I reached in to put them there, so I guess that means she was protecting her nest (another sign of broody?). When I went back about 30 minutes later she had already tucked everything under her. I'll mark today on the calendar and see what happens. Wifey wasn't as impressed as I was. She is wondering what I'm gonna do with all these chicks if they hatch. I still don't have a good answer for her or me yet.

Better get to work on a brooder set up I reckon.

 

[gckiddhouse]

Quote:
Yay!! I

broodies!!! (did I already say that?)

So, not all the eggs are going to hatch (even great hatch rates are not 100%) and you are going to have about 50-60% roosters, and there may be one or two that don't make it. There will be some that you don't like cause they are mean or have a picking habit, or there will be some other reason that you don't want a bird or two. So out of your 33 eggs, you will get about 5 that you want to keep. So, you're good!

 

[GreenGoddess]

Quote:
I would love if one of my girls went broody!! I would put her in the brooder and pen that I am making for my eggs that are now in the incubator! As for what you should do with them, You could always pick the ones you want to keep put an ad on your local craigslist and sell them for a few buck a piece.. See what others in your area are charging for day old chicks and then you will know how much to charge.. Make sure that you keep your favorites separate from those you want to sell because your favorites will also be everyone elses!

Goddess

 

[KDbeads]

Well I have a silkie that has decided to be broody this week.... why she waited this long I have no idea but I'm thinking about giving her a few of the ones from this hatch so we don't have to go through the whole thing again.... that is unless I sell all the chicks, then I'll let her have an egg or 2.

Though I'm looking to keep the silkie/ee mix chick, one or 2 of my green egg chicks, possibly one or 2 of the blue egg chicks and a couple or 3 of the silkies. If one of the green or blue egg chicks are male they will definitely be staying because that was an awesome roo that spawned them. If Ezzy's look good and there's a roo in there he'll also stay so I can have a wide range to choose from. Ezzy makes good boys, she laid the roo the mutts are coming from.

 

[MrsCluck]

HI all I candled yesterdday Day 13- 1 was clear so took that out, 1 there was veins but not a lot of movement so questioning that but put back in to check later. So 22/23 out of 24 so far. have just ordered new coop for mine as we want to keep in total about 30 birds. I notice a lot of you sell chicks and the ones you dont want - can I ask do you have to vaccinate to sell them? I am in the UK and some do some dont but wasnt sure if there are any rules on it. I have some upsetting news from yesterday my daughter bought a jersey giant back in Jan and havent had an egg from her yet - only yesterday we heard her cockle doodle do! We already have a cockrel and so does my neighbour - who do free range together but think they put up with each other and sharing the hens as they have their own homes to go back to each night. I dont think I can keep the giant as think that would be pushing my luck and also he would be soooooo big for my hens think he would do them more damage than good. What do you all think? The guy who sold her/him will exchange today but feel sad doing so but have to think of the rest of the flock. If I do have to exchange will go for a poland or silkie as we dont have one of those.

 

[GreenGoddess]

Ok.. Here's the latest update... This is what I started with..

12 Americana

9 Barred Rock x Production red

8 Delaware

6 Production red

1 Buckeye


Today is day 13 or tonight is the start of day 1, depending how you look at it so i went ahead and candled.. I had to get rid of 5 eggs.. Two of them had blood rings and the other three looked clear but I know they all had development in them the last time i candled them.. Sure enough, When i cracked them all to figure out what stage they died at, it seemed as though it was the day I candled or within a day or so from it.. Two of the embryos were stuck to the air cell and one of the embryos seemed to explode.. It was strange and I can't honestly explain it... Luckily it didn't make a mess or anything being so small i guess.. But, I was glad I did candle because I would have most likely had an egg explode during lockdown because they were already starting to break down in the egg... Two of the eggs i couldn't even find the embryo because it had broken down so much.. But again, I know they were in there on day 7... So with that, here is where I am at now...


8 Americana

8 Barred Rock x Production red

7 Delaware

3 Production red

0 Buckeye

Total loss = 10 eggs


There are 26 eggs total that will be going into lockdown in just a few days.. All of the eggs that I put back are looking really good and a few of them i suspect to hatch possibly a little early because the dark mass was pretty large (about 1/2 the egg) and we even got to see a foot on one egg and a beak in another.. I want to candle everyday but I made that mistake last year and I don't want to lose these! The only problem I see is one of them, the aircell was growing more on the side than on the top so I will have to keep that one in a carton cup but because i have 26 eggs now, I will need to put the others on their sides because i just don't have enough room for all of them after they hatch if i keep them in cartons.. I don't want the little things to hurt themselves after getting this far... I am so looking forward to fuzzy butts, both hatched and bought all next week!!!

Goddess

 

[GreenGoddess]

Quote:
Sorry to hear about the roo.. I think we've all been there at least once.. As for the chicks we sell, I believe each state has their own rules.. Some states require NPIP certification to sell eggs and chicks.. Not sure about vaccinations.. But here in NC, as long as they are sold out of your own yard, there are no restrictions that I have found.. I do not have vaccinated chickens and don't vaccinate those I will sell either...

Goddess

 

[momiphouph]

We candled today (day 15)... we got rid of 6 eggs. All 6 were clear and when we cracked them open they were scrambled. Only 1 actually stunk.

Not one of them had developed at all. We are a bit sad because out of the 6 silkies we bought... looks like only 1 may hatch...

we still have 3 in there but two of them are questionable. In one I couldnt see the airsack at all and did not find any movement but most of the egg was dark. We decided to leave it just in case, but Im not counting on it. The other looks mostly clear but does have a dark middle... doesnt look like the rest... so I am just giving it a few more days before I toss it. I think the rest must have scrambled in shipping. They were wrapped REALLY well but looks like it was just to much for the little fellows!

But on the bright side, I knew several of our backyard eggs would not do well due to being to old to hatch... we only had 3 of those. Less than I thought!!!

The rest are doing really well! We could even see a little chickie toe! Lots of them have movement so we are really excited! Only 3 more days till lock down!!!!! We cant wait!!!

 

[KDbeads]

Have 5 pips in the cooler bator with the silkies. I have to go into town for a few things, can't put it off! Let's hope most of them are zipped or hatched when I get back!

 

[GreenGoddess]

Quote:
OOOOHH!!! FUZZY BUTTS!!!! Post pics when you get back!!!!!! GO CHICKIES!!!!

Goddess