Ok. I've been gone like forever from here. Life luck, chicken luck, it all sucks right now. I don't even wanna go into the life stuff. Came here for a break from it.
I ended up after 35 SF/BSF eggs with 4 chicks. Yes 4. Two are roos. Two are hens. Last batch only one hatched alive. A bantam. A roo. Would like to order from Pasofino Farms but think I am about finished hatching this year.
Have a last batch in the bator. BCM's and Welsummers and a few EE's. EE's were sold as Ameracaunas with beautiful blue color eggs. So not. Green, and not even pretty at that. Pffffttt. But hey, a chick is a chick and I like them all. Just hate I paid that for them. I should have said something since I was face to face with the breeder but didn't have the heart to say these eggs were ugly. On top of that, on day 13, out of 8, most of them are looking clear, a couple quitters, and maybe one or two developing. Who knows on the BCM's?? Too dark. Maybe 5 or 6 Welsummers look good. I paid good money for these eggs. All from the same local breeder. They were not shipped. And I'm telling you, I am fairly disappointed to have so many clears.
My son bought himself a bator and is hatching a batch for a friend. She is paying him per hatched chick. He's doing well, even with a bator that is not stable at all. Those eggs are all game mix mutts and are ticking along just fine with at least 25 of 29 showing movement. What am I doing wrong? My bator is stable compared to his. I skipped the shipping and went local. And I still can't get a decent hatch.
On top of that, we've had an influx of coons/possums. They get in and get hens as fast as we can kill them. But I've lost almost everything I've hatched. I've fortified the coop till it looks like Fort Knox and I'm still down to nearly nothing. Out of all I've hatched. I swear I'm hatching chickens to support the local wildlife. My son is loving the hunting/killing them part at this point because he's so mad. Where did they all come from all of a sudden. Had chicks in the same spot for over a year. Now since March they've gotten in 4 or 5 times!!
I'm ready to quit. I can't keep the babies on my land due to restrictions. They are at my father-in-laws. He's old, can't hear well, and grumpy as can be. Now he's complaining about the noise. I have one, yes one, roo left. He's a loud mouth, I know. But he's the only one.
Sorry. I came back and unloaded, but there it is.
Somebody tell me this is worth it. Right now I'm thinking not.
