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

[scflock]

Think they are eager beavers

I usually get one or two on day 20, but never even a pip on day 19

 

[WalnutHill]

http://www.gutenberg.org/files/29555/29555-h/29555-h.htm

Figure 21, cow barn ventilation. Imagine it with just one chimney.

 

[AmyLynn2374]

About $800-900/ month, unless you are from NY. Then they start around 800 bajillion/ week

Left the last 5 in the bator, no pips as of this morning, so we shall see in a bit, when I go home. Candled them last night when I transferred the last polish to the brooder. Blobby's air cell was somewhat enlarged, but I'm guessing it quit around day 20. Another had a nicely enlarged air cell, and looked like an internal pip. I thought I saw a little movement, but its so black, I can't be sure if it was just wishful thinking! So I left them all for one more day. At least I got over 50% when the last polish hatched last night!

Hope you get a surprise.

Finally caught up! I swear you have to check this every 30 mins to not get behind!

So @scflock what are you doing to keep your chickies cool during these freaking dog days of summer? Mine are dying outside right now. They have plenty of water and also placed frozen jugs of water in the coop for them to cool off by. Its funny watching them peck at it.

Oh btw chickens love the color yellow. I found that out the hard way today. I had painted two fingernails on each hand yellow and the rest a seafoam green. When I was in there to pet them and spend some time they attacked my yellow nails! Trying to rip them off and pecked me really hard! I had to hide my those fingernails in order for them to calm down. It was really funny. So now I taunt them with my fingers.

I make ice blocks with corn and peas in them for the hot days.

You guys have me so intrigued with this rooster talk. I didn't know any of this stuff. Is there anything you can suggest I read to prepare me for caring for roosters. Why should you not let them mate infront of you? Also, I read holding them a lot when they are younger is bad. Why? I hold my chickens all the time but I won't know for awhile which sex they are because they are silkies. Also, why cover the nest boxes??

That's a new one for me too. They are always jumping the girls when I am out there. lol

Mine peck my fingernails unpolished!! And my rings! The other day I let them out and had sandals on... they love my purple toenails too!!!

I was going to say that!! Not the toenail thing, I don't polish my nails...lol

I have a pip

Bit early day 19 but this seems to be the norm for my polish eggs. I knew I could hear peeping earlier

YAY!! Let the games begin!

Hi!

I don't remember how I stumbled onto this thread but you all are hard to keep up with!

I'm sure the info is here somewhere but I don't have the time to read everything!

what advice can you all give me to improve my hatch rate? I have an LG with a fan and automatic turner. I dry incubate at about 30% humidity. I've only done a few hatches but I've consistently had a 50% hatch rate no matter what I've tried. It seems once chicks start hatching the eggs that aren't quite there yet give up. Ideas?

Which LG are you using? Have you checked your thermometers/hygrometers for accurcy? Do you monitor your air cells to confirm your humidity is accurate for you? I'm geographically challenged, you're not in a high elevation right? What is your temps? What breeds are you hatching?

Got the boys lining up

LOL

Yep, you're team red. Amy will be back round 5. She's the LG queen

Really, it sounds like your incubation humidity is close to hers. Are these your own eggs, or shipped?

An hour early...lol

Typically half mine, half I pick up locally (30 min car ride) my flock does slightly better typically.

Mine doesn't have black skin but darker than a normal chicken,she's a cross so doesn't have all the silkie traits.
Yay! My polish didn't even pip till day 21 and 22!

My polish mixes all came out with the 5 toes, but the yellow skin...lol

 

[scflock]

 

[scflock]

LOL
An hour early...lol

 

[WalnutHill]

I just pulled the kielbasa out of the smoker...I will NEVER eat store bought kielbasa again. EVER.

 

[lazy gardener]

I have had EEs go both ways. Some are very flighty, but some are very sweet. I had one that was a prettier bird with a full beard, but the one that looks like yours will stand there and let me pet him. He's just starting to mount the girls, so I'm curious to see what he throws. Mine seriously is colored exactly like your, with the black streaking on the head, the red body, and the green sheen tail. Very pretty

Are you going to use him for a breeder? As I recall, you are breeding Polish, and EE. anything else?

You guys have me so intrigued with this rooster talk. I didn't know any of this stuff. Is there anything you can suggest I read to prepare me for caring for roosters. Why should you not let them mate infront of you? Also, I read holding them a lot when they are younger is bad. Why? I hold my chickens all the time but I won't know for awhile which sex they are because they are silkies. Also, why cover the nest boxes??

Some folks don't let their rooster mate in front of them as part of the "dominant" human theory. In rooster speak, the dominant roo has breeding rights. Any other roo who breeds when he's around gets his butt kicked to the moon and back. When I know that a chick is a male, I immediately do a hands off approach with him. I'll handle the pullets, give them facial massages, and generally love on them a bit... occasionally. But roos: I want them to have a healthy respect for me. I've never had to seriously discipline a rooster since the first year when I had some nasty RIR boys. But, I teach roos early on that they need to get out of my way. Usually, I only need to do some serious training with one, b/c the rest have gone to freezer camp. The roo that gets to stay: he tidbits the girls, (and his chicks). He gives warning calls for all perceived threats. He is never allowed to dance for me. He is never allowed to give me the stink eye. He must stay at least arms length away from me at all times. When I take out treats, and sometimes when I feed the girls, I make him stand back until they are done. I do allow him to mate the girls when I am in the pen. But, if he gets overly H***y, it's time for both of us to get some exercise. I like to use a thin fiberglass post with a reflector on it. But, really, I don't need anything. We just take a few jogs around the coop. Where ever he goes to get away from me, there I am. I can move pretty fast for an old biddy. One afternoon, I chased him into the coop, shut us both in there, then chased him into a broody pen. I let him cool his jets overnight b/c he'd been a bit too amorous. He was the perfect gentleman the next morning.Other discipline methods include pecking a young roo with your finger, chest bumping him with your hand, grabbing him by the hackles and pinning his head to the ground until he submits, holding him and pushing his head down until he willingly keeps it down. I use these methods with feisty hens. Beware of the poster who recommends letting the roo flog you as a way to "get it out of his system, and come to the conclusion that there is no purpose to be served in flogging you". While that may condition the roo to not flog you, it won't train him that all humans are off limits.

IMO, if you spend some time training a roo, and he continues to demonstrate unacceptable behavior with humans or hens or chicks, it's time to replace him. There are so many roosters who are good roos that need a good home. Don't waste a lot of time on a roo who is aggressive. Those tendencies can be passed on to the next generation. Better to cull the mean ones, and breed gentle roos into your flock.

 

[Kraftcrazychick]

I plan on making a "shutter" or door for it, later on. But he thinks it should be sealed tight and insulated. I keep telling him you have to have the ventalation, especially if I am using teh deep litter method. I just packed his **** in his truck and told him thank you for the help, you can go, I'll finish it myself. Honestly, I'd rather do it myself. He doesn't do anything by plan, he cobb jobs EVERYTHING. He uses no logic. Do you know how many times we had to redo something and do it the way I told him to do it in the first place??? I'm happy to be rid of him, just ticked that he thought he was going to give me the ultimatium that if I didn't do it his way he wasn't helping.

Amy: Just let him go. Wave and give him a %$# eating grin. You don't need that frustration or incompetence. If I could teleport I'd grab my tools and come over to play.

Got a project, sign me up. I'm not happy unless I'm working on something.

Re: Sue. If he doesn't shape up, you might invite him to dinner. Nasty roosters are a liability and suck the pleasure out of keeping chickens. Do you routinely move him around the coop and yard with a light stick? I keep Jack (and he's a very nice roo) on his toes by reaching out to grab his tail when ever he's close enough. If he's showing too much interest in the girls when I'm around, I chase him around for a bit until he forgets that he was h...y. The other day, he spent the afternoon and night in solitary. Normally, he's very good, but there are some pubescent cockrels, and I'm sure he feels the need to express his virility. He's very good with the youngsters, and tid-bits them, hangs out with them, even if they are on their side of the fence. BeeKissed has her roo trained to leave the coop on command. She'll look at him, and say OUT! And he goes!

I'd take down the nest box covers when your girls start showing signs that laying is imminent. Combs and wattles will be much redder, look fuller. They will squat if you hover your hand over their back. They may come up to you and squat and stomp their feet. (they're inviting you to play rooster) And they may sing the egg song before the appearance of eggs. You'll also see them exploring nooks and crannies for possible nesting sites. If Sue is a good roo, he'll help them find the perfect nest site, and will even try it out! During this time, IMO, it's important to have those boxes available, and looking oh so inviting. Bait them with a fake egg, or a golf ball. They like to "play house" and will be in and out of the boxes a 100 times/day, flinging straw around and squirming around to make the perfect "nest". The only down side is that you should not let them into the boxes to sleep at night. When I'm training new pullets, I like to put up a cover when I'm assured that the last egg has been laid for the day, then open the boxes up early the next morning. It's a pain, but may save you a lot of work down the road.

Oddly enough, my family is vegetarian. My chickens are for eggs, entertainment and project fodder (see above). If he doesn't shape up he'll be given a new home as we wouldn't eat him. I wanted him so I could have breed my own chickens instead of having to buy them.

Sue better shape up or I'll put a harness on him and treat him like a Chihuahua, drag his *** around, put ridiculous costumes on him and carry him in a purse. Do you think they make chicken chinos?

 

[caesargirl]

So, @AmyLynn2374, duck eggs set May 31, afternoon in a styro. (Not naming brand, don't want any of you to laugh yourselves out of your chairs!) low humidity, great air cells, lots of movement. More eggs in bator set ten days later and more after that seven days later. Help a hatcher out on lockdown date and humidity level, please! Also, the eggs are on cardboard tube rings, all of them, take them out for hatch? All of em? Oh yea, no second bator.... Soooo, um, help?

 

[scflock]

Are you going to use him for a breeder? As I recall, you are breeding Polish, and EE. anything else?

I'm currently breeding (use that term loosely) Polish, silkies, d'uccle (mixed colors/ nonSQ), cuckoo marans, and BCM. My first BCM project should start producing chicks soon, but I'm not so sure about the quality of my breeders. It's all going to depend on the pullets egg color. If they are light, I will scrap the whole lot and try again. If the eggs are dark, then I will try and breed out faults. I have had EE hens for years, but this year I split a hatch with a friend to get a rooster. I kept the pretty bearded one, and the non bearded that looks like yours. If they can't get along, I will keep the non bearded.
The only chickens that I even cull from are the Polish. I plan to cull the BCM, I just hope these are even worth culling from. I'm not selling show chickens. My customers want layers or pets. My d'uccle are so far from SOP that I don't even call them d'uccle. The silkies are non-bearded, but they still sell really well. The majority of my sales come from heavy layers of pretty eggs