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

[Poka Doodle]

the hatches that I have had in the last 5 years, 4 chicks died in egg for the first, and for the second, they were all Naked Necks. Both were natural broodies,the second was oddly from my Buttercup

 

[scflock]

I will hope for you, but would be wise to be prepared...

It will happen. If you keep hatching, it will happen eventually.
The other thing I found out this year is if you are breeding a lot, you'd better have a plan for the roosters. I wish they would hatch in the proportion we need them to, 15 hens for every rooster

 

[silkiecuddles]

I will hope for you, but would be wise to be prepared...

Hm. Scissors? Check. Sharp kitchen knife? Check. Tree? Plenty. Check. Hands? I think so, check.

 

[lazy gardener]

Hi there everyone. I am fairly new to BYC and raising our first flock. We have 8 pullets that half are just starting to lay eggs and 7 ducks, 3 hens (all are laying) & 4 drakes. We got them as day old babies hatched 5/2/15. I want to hatch some duck eggs before it starts getting cold here in Northern Michigan. I recently stopped collecting eggs in hopes they would be sat on. But that hasn't happened yet. There are now 20 eggs in the nesting box and no one seems to have any interest in sitting on. So should I go buy an incubator or continue to wait? Decisions, decisions and I dont know what to do. I dont want the eggs to go bad.

I agree, get or make an incubator. The make is a good long afternoon project after supplies are bought. If you can wire a lamp, you can make a good incubator with help from excellent tutorials offered by Rush Lane Poultry. Thermostats run less than $20 from Amazon. Used computer fan, couple of light sockets, 12V AC to DC converter, and other incidentals, and you're good to go! Also, before doing the heat lamp thing, please look at Blooie's thread re: heating pad brooding. I'll NEVAH use a heat lamp again, unless I'm brooding more than 25 chicks at a time.

that's not bad ! you went straight from chicken to bator with no waiting for egg size to increase two things your forgetting Amy's chickens are all hybrids and their will to survive will surpass a pure breeds any time. study after study has proven this over the years. Plus Amy's will is stronger than the chicken's and to get any closer to those eggs she would have to have both cups full and then some.

Excellent hatch, SC. And you now have a great start on your breeding project! BYC... you're not talking about coffee cups, are you? Such scandal!

Walnut!!!
Welcome home

Too easy. I had one mistake from WV, so I had to dual with her all day. If I did that with you, it would just look like I was hitting the center word over and over again

It takes dual combatants to duel.

I'm a big guy with a strong arm. There's a large oak tree in the back yard...

Almost TMI. I'd miss the tree.

 

[silkiecuddles]

It will happen. If you keep hatching, it will happen eventually.
The other thing I found out this year is if you are breeding a lot, you'd better have a plan for the roosters. I wish they would hatch in the proportion we need them to, 15 hens for every rooster

Third hatch (which was in a LG) had one that needed culling. We just let it die on its own. It wasn't my chick, so it wasn't my choice. It was either die on to own or live, or meet Mr. Shovel


Pity that chickens don't hatch in that ratio. I've got some young roosters now from my first hatch, that's why j asked for the backyard butchering info that Ravyn kindly provided.

 

[WVduckchick]

I'm a big guy with a strong arm. There's a large oak tree in the back yard...

You should use your other arm sometimes too...

I thought I'd lost the first post. sidewings gearing up to go to the show .can't wait to hear all about that first trip SW keep us posted . we have a newbie who shows on thread What I read said call her POlK or was IT POKE and then a new DUCKLING but I can't remember what to call her .the ponds getting bigger Ducks are all over the place WV I know your loving it .almost forgot my Neighbor Hi. Rayvn have you read the whole thread yet don't hold it against us if you have. off to work .

Desiree is hatching ducks... I wonder how her little pipper is this morning!

Ironically, this isn't giving as nasty a visual as scaly leg or Blob did.

WV, you remember Blob?

Oh, yes, I remember Blob....

It will happen. If you keep hatching, it will happen eventually.
The other thing I found out this year is if you are breeding a lot, you'd better have a plan for the roosters. I wish they would hatch in the proportion we need them to, 15 hens for every rooster

I had hubby cull my last chick, but I think I would have used scissors, if he hadn't agreed to do it for me.
I did, however, take care of a nasty raccoon myself.. It was eating my duck feed!!

 

[Ravynscroft]

It will happen. If you keep hatching, it will happen eventually.
The other thing I found out this year is if you are breeding a lot, you'd better have a plan for the roosters. I wish they would hatch in the proportion we need them to, 15 hens for every rooster

My luck is 15 roosters for every hen, lol...

Third hatch (which was in a LG) had one that needed culling. We just let it die on its own. It wasn't my chick, so it wasn't my choice. It was either die on to own or live, or meet Mr. Shovel


Pity that chickens don't hatch in that ratio. I've got some young roosters now from my first hatch, that's why j asked for the backyard butchering info that Ravyn kindly provided.

I used that thread for my own... just butchered out a Sulmtaler... have more Meatballs growing up too...

 

[sjturner79]

Yeah, although I think I can easily set up a deal to swap live 13 week old roosters for frozen chicken soup.

 

[WVduckchick]

My luck is 15 roosters for every hen, lol...

Same here!! I'm beginning to think my 3 polish are 2 male/1 female... figures!

 

[sjturner79]

Yeah, although I think I can easily set up a deal to swap live 13 week old roosters for frozen chicken soup.

That's me with to roosters not the soup.