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

[AmyLynn2374]

I have 14 BCM eggs on the turner now. If I can get 10 more by Sunday I will be in my 10 day window, and will start the set. I'm not worried about pullet eggs, but this will be my first experiment with BCM, so I'm hoping it goes well. I don't have anything to lose, as I will be hopefully keeping 20 or 30 to grow out over the winter to see if I can get some good birds. If this one doesn't go well, I will just try again in 3 or 4 weeks

Good luck!!

 

[Yorkshire Coop]

I have 14 BCM eggs on the turner now. If I can get 10 more by Sunday I will be in my 10 day window, and will start the set. I'm not worried about pullet eggs, but this will be my first experiment with BCM, so I'm hoping it goes well. I don't have anything to lose, as I will be hopefully keeping 20 or 30 to grow out over the winter to see if I can get some good birds. If this one doesn't go well, I will just try again in 3 or 4 weeks

Good luck!! It's been a while hasn't it since you last incubated?

 

[WalnutHill]

Yes, you are exactly right. 50% is their hatch rate. The shells are very thick and the bigger the chick the less likely it will be in the proper position. How long do you wait after pip to assist with your turkeys? And once you trademark & build that incubator, sign me up to order one!

After losing 50% of my hatch for not being in town to touch a thing, I went the opposite extreme on the last hatch and had 100% of lockdown eggs hatch successfully.

I waited about 4 hours after pip, when the poult turned the chip into an actual hole, before opening a bigger hole higher in the air cell. I did this to ensure that if the poult was successful in chipping shell but not breaking through the outer membrane, then it would not be suffocated when it rotated. I've lost many to that as they are so tight in the shell.

Then when the time is right, blood vessels receded, if poult is not progressing I will actively unzip it.

My EE roosters are young and aggressive. The young girls are falling in line, but the older girls that were already in the pen are still at the top of the pecking order, for now. My marans roosters, Cuckoo and BC, are also very amorous. They just need more hens. The silkie rooster may as well be wearing a tuxedo. He likes to dance for them first

. His pen is also right beside the big hybrids. He will call them up to the fence, then dance for them, but that's all he can do. He has his eye on a big, black sex-link. I've thought about putting her in the pen with him, sitting down with a cold one, and enjoying the show. She's the top of the pecking order, twice his size, and I imagine she would put him in his place quickly

 

[scflock]

Good luck!! It's been a while hasn't it since you last incubated?

The big Polish set was the last one, and that was about 8 weeks ago. I had been running the incubator constantly since Christmas, and sales just died. All of my pens were full, and I didn't have room for any more chicks. I still have 13 of Damien's last batch, and I believe 9 or 10 are pullets, but they just won't sell, even cheaply. I can't believe it. Everyone here wants egg layers. I may end up having to take them to an auction just to free up the pen for the marans, but it's going to break my heart if they only sell for $2-3 apiece

 

[Yorkshire Coop]

The big Polish set was the last one, and that was about 8 weeks ago. I had been running the incubator constantly since Christmas, and sales just died. All of my pens were full, and I didn't have room for any more chicks. I still have 13 of Damien's last batch, and I believe 9 or 10 are pullets, but they just won't sell, even cheaply. I can't believe it. Everyone here wants egg layers. I may end up having to take them to an auction just to free up the pen for the marans, but it's going to break my heart if they only sell for $2-3 apiece

My sales have got no better either so i know how you feel. Our local auction is a grub hole, I would not even take my Roos there!! Would sooner they get knocked on the head and usually it ends up costing money to sell them there. Go figure. My cross ones have not gone either not even the frizzles that are usually better sellers. Could really do with the room soon as the shed ones need to come out and the broody is taking a whole run up too. $ 2-3 is not good.
I thought when you sold your breeding polands that your last batch went too with them as a job lot so to speak.

 

[scflock]

I still want to get my son a dog, but we are waiting until we know that we have found the right one. I personally would like NOT a puppy, but we will know when we find it.

The best dog I ever had was a rescue from a jobsite. Hound/lab mix, and was emaciated when I found her. Took me 2 weeks to get her close enough to let me pet her. Eventually she would be waiting for me in the parking lot when I got to the job, then follow me down the road when I left. One day it was raining, and I just couldn't take it. I called my wife and said "I'm bringing her home".
Sandy was the most loving, grateful dog I ever had. When I say grateful, I mean it. It's like she always knew that she had been rescued. I don't know how old she was when I got her, but we had her for 4 wonderful years. She eventually got kidney disease, and we had to put her down. I stayed with her while she was put to sleeep, bawling like a baby, but I was happy to know that we had given her 4 wonderful years that she would have never had.
I'm telling you all that to say this: Check the local pounds. A lot of older dogs are turned in, and sometimes they will have just what you are looking for. I am always checking for a hound/lab mix, but haven't seen the right one yet...

 

[ohiojems]

Sitting outside enjoying my coffee while the girls free range. They refused to go in their mobile run. Guess I'm going to have to build them a run for when I don't want them free ranging and so they can be out.

 

[scflock]

My sales have got no better either so i know how you feel. Our local auction is a grub hole, I would not even take my Roos there!! Would sooner they get knocked on the head and usually it ends up costing money to sell them there. Go figure. My cross ones have not gone either not even the frizzles that are usually better sellers. Could really do with the room soon as the shed ones need to come out and the broody is taking a whole run up too. $ 2-3 is not good.
I thought when you sold your breeding polands that your last batch went too with them as a job lot so to speak.

No, the kid just wanted the breeders. I was also still holding out hope that I could sell them when I could sex them, but they aren't even selling at that. I have seen the chicks that some of the guys that work for me buy at auction, and I wouldn't want to sell there either. It's just a shame that such beautiful birds won't sell. My silkie sales have even slowed down, and those usually sell as soon as the ad hits. I know it's later in the season, but I still have people calling me asking when I will have more layers available. This year was an experiment for me. It was my first year incubating and selling, and I wanted to see what worked and what didn't. What I have learned is:
1. Chicks sell before Easter
2. Pullets are always in demand (layers)
3. There is no market for ornamentals here
4. SQ doesn't sell for any more than barnyard in my area
5. Sell excess roosters at group prices and you will get meat bird customers

Looks like next year the focus will be on the marans, cuckoo and BC, and I expect the Ameraucanas to be huge

 

[sideWing]

The barring is black and white with just the slightest brown leakage on the shoulder.

I just like playing with my chicken crayons

But wait...Barred Rock roos have close, narrow barring and hens have softer, broader bars...

They only have close, narrow if they have two copies of the barring gene right? I think they look pretty close to a pullet if they only have one copy since females can only cary one copy.

It drives me nuts, and I don't understand it. I'm going to have to learn, because now I have 2 breeds that I really need to keep up with. I know what I think looks good, but Sidewing can attest, I don't know Jack

Let's see he knows Sidewing, Amy, Friday, Rossfam, WV........ it's true, he doesn't know Jack. But....

This is Jack. He's not too bright and his neck is a Little short, but he's a sweetheart. Too much white right now, but he's only 3 months so give him time. Nice yellow legs, good brow, Kind of molting so his topline looks funny.

Now you know Jack

Now you do. Cool lookin Orlof.

I'd love to take a class on this. It's all very confusing to me.

Someone needs to make a series of youtube vids specific to chickens. I don't know enough, but someone should do it.

 

[WalnutHill]

The best dog I ever had was a rescue from a jobsite. Hound/lab mix, and was emaciated when I found her. Took me 2 weeks to get her close enough to let me pet her. Eventually she would be waiting for me in the parking lot when I got to the job, then follow me down the road when I left. One day it was raining, and I just couldn't take it. I called my wife and said "I'm bringing her home".
Sandy was the most loving, grateful dog I ever had. When I say grateful, I mean it. It's like she always knew that she had been rescued. I don't know how old she was when I got her, but we had her for 4 wonderful years. She eventually got kidney disease, and we had to put her down. I stayed with her while she was put to sleeep, bawling like a baby, but I was happy to know that we had given her 4 wonderful years that she would have never had.
I'm telling you all that to say this: Check the local pounds. A lot of older dogs are turned in, and sometimes they will have just what you are looking for. I am always checking for a hound/lab mix, but haven't seen the right one yet...

We have a shelter dog now, but the sweetest dog we ever had was a dog named Charlie. He was a rangy, skinny Golden Retriever/Coonhound mix. He was a private rescue, the family's son had severe mental issues and would love then abuse the dog. They did the best thing they could, and looked for a new home for the dog.

When we went to see him, he was chained to a fence with a piece of plywood for a shelter. He was emaciated, shaking, and licking us half to death. We took him home, and found after a couple of days that they had kept him on veterinary tranquilizers as he went crazy when moved out of the house. As a result of the trauma and probably the drugs, he ended up having seizures whenever he got anxious, which was when we left the house, when fireworks went off, when any loud noise was heard...

He was three then...we had him for nearly ten years before his seizures led to what appeared to be a stroke. He could no longer walk or eat so we had to put him down. He was the most loving, happy, grateful dog that ever lived. He never needed a leash, he only wanted to be by your side. Even though he was terrified of car rides, he wanted to go just to lay between the seats.

An older shelter dog would certainly find a place in your heart. Find one that loves on you when you first meet.

Our current shelter dog was a three time loser, he's a runner and was picked up twice as a stray. Nothing short of a steel cable will keep him confined outdoors. So that's what he is on when we are home. But when we head up to our woods property, we set him free. It's hours or days before he comes back, but he comes back sore, tired, and happy. He needs to run, we want him to live, so on our busy road he has to stay on the cable run when he is outside. But he's a pampered house pet. It took almost six months before we could walk up to him and put a leash on him without him trying to escape. Now, five years later, he runs to the leash to go for his walk.