She said/He said Who's right? Who's wrong? No one!

[BlackwoodHollow]

Assuming that HRIR=Heritage Rhode Island Reds...If those eggs work out for you, let me know; I might get some myself..My Red Sex-links were supposed to be RIR's; at least that's what I ordered. The feed stores/hatcheries ain't shy about substituting.

Sure thing., We are getting 2 dozen from Tennessee, so the distance they're isn't too bad, hopefully the shipping practices will be up to par. They're indirectly from Fred's Hens. We're eggcited.

 

[AmyLynn2374]

No!! It was not cursed! Look at all the beautiful babies that made it. Snuggle a chick in your bra...it will make you feel better, I swear!!
Lol...that's probably what will happen to me too! I'll be waiting till the spring! I'm going to open the nest box (boxes-should I just open 1 or more?) and put some golf balls in. I don't even know how she sees, I can't even see her eyes.
Oh, I feel so bad for you!! Try not to think about it. That's what I do...just push it out of your head. There's nothing you could have done. You didn't know the light would go out. There will be more chicks. Again, snuggle some of them. I don't know if I'm saying any of the right stuff...I just really feel for you!

Me too!

You need to move upstate! lol

My second coop after I got the first egg from them (was a banty and boy was it small) I found a plastic Easter egg and put it in the nest box to coach them to lay in there..nope, I'm up to 7 layers in the second coop now and they all lay in the same place, a nest they made beside the nest box in the straw. Last week they actually took the fake egg out of the nest box and put it in their nest....lol I about died when I saw that. Score one for the pullets. Next spring I want to redo the inside set up and make new covered nesting boxes for both coops and add a breeding pen and mini coop at one end of the run in first coop.

 

[WVduckchick]

So, so sorry my friend.  I just got home and read your news.  Brought tears to my eyes as well.

I've lost them to brooder failure. It sucks, and I there's nothing I can say to make you feel better. We've all been there.
I'm really sorry. Just tell yourself they were probably all roosters...

Not from bamy?


Congrats!  Our girls are going to join 4h this year, I think.  Getting some HRIR eggs in October.
x2 +

No!! It was not cursed! Look at all the beautiful babies that made it. Snuggle a chick in your bra...it will make you feel better, I swear!!
Lol...that's probably what will happen to me too! I'll be waiting till the spring! I'm going to open the nest box (boxes-should I just open 1 or more?) and put some golf balls in. I don't even know how she sees, I can't even see her eyes.
Oh, I feel so bad for you!! Try not to think about it. That's what I do...just push it out of your head. There's nothing you could have done. You didn't know the light would go out. There will be more chicks. Again, snuggle some of them. I don't know if I'm saying any of the right stuff...I just really feel for you!
Me too!

Ok, thanks everybody! back to you all! And it all helps more than I can say. I know everyone was in this one with me! I'm blessed to have such caring friends.

Tomorrow is a new day, and we'll just put this unfortunate day behind us. I held and cuddled every other chick, they are all doing great now. I cannot believe how long some of their flight feathers are already!! I'm thinking alot of girls left in there!! I'm trusting that fate dealt me the proper hand, and moving on from there. Thanks again.

 

[kwhites634]

Sure thing., We are getting 2 dozen from Tennessee, so the distance they're isn't too bad, hopefully the shipping practices will be up to par. They're indirectly from Fred's Hens. We're eggcited.

Indirectly? Hopefully they aren't being shipped twice!

 

[BYC910]

I just came across it today!
I'm going to try to make my own pickles next year. I grew cucumbers this year. So many I don't know what to do with them all. But they are not the right kind for pickles. What kind of seed is the best to grow your own?

look at the package it will say for pickles . but you can pickle either kind . the ones that say pickles ripen quicker and smaller so you can pickle them whole. that's the only real difference . you can pickle just about any thing. well my momma could .

 

[BlackwoodHollow]

@gachooks like one of these, just hang on fence/side of run... I recommend quart size or bigger though so it's plenty deep for them to scoop up easier...

Great idea! I'm doing this.

I hunt spring & summer. Mostly just morels, pheasant backs and I found my first set of oysters this year. I got a mushroom id book & a edible wild plants book. Not only do I hunt mushrooms but also plants. I am blessed to have a patch of ramps (wild leeks) on our property literally 30 feet from the house.

Pheasant backs? Never heard of em! The only time we ever found an oyster shroom was at a state park. It was huge and perfect--and completely off limits.

I've always wanted to get into Id-ing plants(and trees), but haven't yet. I've been into mushrooms since high school though. Don't even eat em, just love the hunt!

Drizzled all day yesterday, enough to screw up my plans. Now its starting to rain harder...
We've looked for morels before (mollymoochers 'round these parts lol) but mushrooms scare me because of so many being poisonous. I want to look for some ginseng this year.

Finally dried out here and it. is. gorgeous! We tried hunting ginseng last year, but never found any. As for poisonous mushrooms, the best thing to do is learn what the dangerous ones look like in the area you're hunting in and stay away from anything thats even close. If I ate our finds, I would never eat any little brown ones or anything from the Amanita family. Morels only have one look alike--the false mollymoocher. haha

Cross sectioning is the easiest way to steer clear of those.

YUM!!!! how is hunting in GA and I assume its one of the good fishing states, hubs says to ask around about tornado areas in the lower states?

Tell us more about TN,

How is WV to live in?

Hunting mushies is great! Anything else I wouldn't know about.

Looooooove TN! So much.

x2 for WV.

And I miss Pennsylvania. Nothing beats the dutch country at dawn.

If I could move anywhere in the lower 48, it would be Wyoming.

I've been making pickles for years with my grandma's recipe, but this year I started doing fermented pickles (cauliflower, carrots, celery, green beans, garlic, sweet peppers, and of course cucumbers). I will never go back to vinegar brined cukes!

Me too! My fav so far is cauliflower, cabbage, carrots and kale.


@OldMissionChick I'm going to try the green bean theeng next year; sounds good.

 

[BlackwoodHollow]

Indirectly? Hopefully they aren't being shipped twice!

Nooooo. The birds Ken(in TN) has are from Fred. Good lines, there. I am super stoked. HRIR have been hard to get our hands on!

 

[Sally Sunshine]

I've lived in Michigan nearly my whole life. It is a beautiful state full of forest interspersed with farms once you get out of the Metro Detroit area. The other urban areas of Michigan are rather compact, you can be in the country just a few miles from downtown. Land and houses are cheap except for a few spots (and those from other metro areas would say we are still cheap), hunting and fishing are excellent. And yes, lots of morels, in fact there is a morel festival every year. And more waterfront property than any other state, I believe, with all of our lakes and rivers and Great Lakes frontage.

If you like woods and privacy you will find them.

Thank you! Sounds like a great place for me. I wish it was closer to have a camp at first thought, I will have to check it out and see how far to drive, my guess is a long time lol

You can still shine a light on them, right? Is it recommended not to do it because you're technically picking the egg up and turning it while candling?
I just saw this and was laughing before you posted it!

Light is actually shown to help embryos, but I am not sure the specifics. I know I read about some abstracts that suggested certain light patterns actually influenced embryo strength/viability etc. But a lot of this stuff is what the big hatcheries investigate to get better hatches, realizing they set them and basically forget them until its time to remove clears and then lay for hatch, unlike us peaking and looking!! Heck I think we make stronger chicks from our nitpicking and fondling them! I try to hand turn my eggs unless I have to hatch in bulk in the big upright cooler bator.

I have never been to an auction. They sound mean.

Why keep bantams? I love a silkie bantam or a cochin bantam..I have to choose which ones I want to have around all the time, I choose the silkie bantam. But, I love having the cochin bantam around during the spring and summer..then I have to sell them because I just don't have the room. Here are a few of my babies from past, and present.

Bantam cochin








Love my LF too..for the eggs!

Love them, esp the white cochins!! <3

Lost all 6. The other 12 seem to be doing fine though.
Lost one golden sebright, 4 black tail buff Japanese, and one OEGB.

I am so sorry to read this, awww the itty bits after all that you put into them.

Our serama brooder lamp went out last year and we lost a bunch of the little things, just way too litte to loose heat, it certainly amazes me how hatcheries can ship chicks and they live. Like the 40 chicks we ordered from ideal poultry but they all made it, AND the extras!

No turning or no candling?

read comment to RubyNala

I let my chickens out for some free ranging today. Since it's super slow tonight, I'll post some pics!
These are the first two chickens I ever hatched! I know you're not supposed to breed brother to sister but I don't know if the eggs came from the same mom/dad and they are very bonded:

Look at how big my little cockerel is getting!! He still sits on my lap, though. Hoping he doesn't change to much once the hormones kick in:

Here's a question. The female was kind of squatting in front of him today. I've been hearing some of you talk about squatting. Does this mean she's ready to mate or possible lay an egg?:

They look so pretty! possibly ready for him to pounce, I hope you get an egg soon!

I was wondering if any of you could give me advice on my silkie chick who has been having trouble hatching for the past 2 almost 3 days. I have tried to help, but she is still having trouble. All the information is on this thread:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/1020393/bleeding-egg/30#post_15829426
Please help me save my little chick!

you guys did awesome helping, I think there was assistance too soon, a lot of newhatchers dont understand that it can take 24 hours plus after a pip. But the first timers frantic worrying gets the best of them, been there done it, thats why I wrote that article. To try to keep hands off and settle some nerves while learning the process a chick has to go through. that chick looks sticky doesnt he? like low temp or high humid or both. Which would cause this prolonged absorption. I hope he makes it now.

Hang in there, girl. There was nothing you could've done. It happens, unfortunately. Kinda goes with the territory, I guess. I've been through it myself, more than once...lost almost an entire litter of well-bred Red Setter pups to parvo many years ago, AFTER a vet told me it wasn't parvo.

Oh no! Parvo? my worry, may I ask how old they were at the time and what happened? As a new breeder I would really love to hear your experience if you can tell me please PM if its too much for on here. I had to deal with umbilical ruptures and a few odd things.

 

[Sally Sunshine]

Great idea! I'm doing this.

Pheasant backs? Never heard of em! The only time we ever found an oyster shroom was at a state park. It was huge and perfect--and completely off limits.

I've always wanted to get into Id-ing plants(and trees), but haven't yet. I've been into mushrooms since high school though. Don't even eat em, just love the hunt!

Finally dried out here and it. is. gorgeous! We tried hunting ginseng last year, but never found any. As for poisonous mushrooms, the best thing to do is learn what the dangerous ones look like in the area you're hunting in and stay away from anything thats even close. If I ate our finds, I would never eat any little brown ones or anything from the Amanita family. Morels only have one look alike--the false mollymoocher. haha

Cross sectioning is the easiest way to steer clear of those.






Hunting mushies is great! Anything else I wouldn't know about.

Looooooove TN! So much.

x2 for WV.

And I miss Pennsylvania. Nothing beats the dutch country at dawn.

If I could move anywhere in the lower 48, it would be Wyoming.

Me too! My fav so far is cauliflower, cabbage, carrots and kale.


@OldMissionChick I'm going to try the green bean theeng next year; sounds good.

Thats awesome, I never knew that about the stems! Thank you! At some point I would love to try to grow my own shrooms, because we are in the mnts and they grow terrific in our location. I researched one time about Morels and how they cant figure out how to actually grow them. But it would be cool to try other types!

 

[RubyNala97]

Again the computer is shutting you up!! Lol!! I don't know if I could move that far! Maybe I could do Syracuse. At least I'd be closer! That must have been something to see that egg moved! I have so much to look forward to with these chickens. I can't wait for eggs and broodys (I know, be careful what you wish for). Im just so happy I found this hobby. I now preach to everyone when they complain about life..."just find a hobby you really like"...if I say that to my mom one more time she'll smack me! My plans for spring are to get the duck houses set up. Probably have to build a run for them. (Better start saving now because I went way over budget with the chicken run). And concentrate on one color for the silkies. I've decided on paint. So unfortunately I'm going to get rid of most of them. I think I'll hatch out their eggs and see what I get, then sell them. Lots of avenues to go, I'm still just figuring it all out.

look at the package it will say for pickles . but you can pickle either kind . the ones that say pickles ripen quicker and smaller so you can pickle them whole. that's the only real difference . you can pickle just about any thing. well my momma could .

I did so good with cucumbers this year but I had my hands full with a new baby and new chicken babies. So I will read all about pickling this winter and then look for those seeds and start early in spring. Thanks!