Should I buy eggs or wait it out?

[cheeka]

ya lindz, sorry about the little chick, but it's most likely for the best

 

[mortie]

It's actually day 21 today but with the landslide of chicks that came yesterday and not so much as a pip since then I'm kind of losing hope for them.

If I've sexed the red chicks right, I have 6 boys and 2 girls. Dangit!

 

[showbarnmom]

Well my total is 14. Bought 18 shipped hatching eggs. 12 hatched, I had to help 2 that were stuck. 1 was not done absorbing and did not make it. 1 pipped but didn't finish, 1 didn't hatch, and 1 wasn't fertile. Not bad at all for shipped eggs. Most don't make 50% hatch.

 

[SullyD]

Hi Everyone! Welcome to the new posters, the new puppies, and the new chicks!

It has taken me 3 days to catch up with this thread! Thanks for all the info and mostly the laughs! I had surgery 2 1/2 weeks ago and I can finally get out to do all my farm chores (horses, chickens and goats) by myself! I am so lucky to have someone I can count on to help with the critters! My middle daughter also came to stay with me for the first week and ended up staying an extra week (My dad died suddenly right after I had the surgery). Thank goodness for great kids.

I put a dozen blue eggs in the incubator a week ago, and I think they are all duds. I was saving them for my pool guy, that I have corrupted with chicken math, but my helper put them in the carton point side up while she was getting enough for him and I think that messed them up. I will candle them again this week to see. What a bummer if none of them are viable!

I got an interesting egg this week. No shell! Very cool, but obviously someone needs more calcium!




I too went to TSC about 3 weeks ago and HAD to buy some EE's (that were advertised as Ameraucana's) But you know just looking at the chicks they are EE's. So, anyone know how to sex them before they feather out? They were straight runs so I picked 3 of each. Dark chipmunks and light chipmunks. With my luck, they will still be all boys! I guess I didn't take any pictures of them. I will try to do that tomorrow. Oopsie!

I have this weird chick (from my own eggs that I hatched) that seems to have no neck and is all body. It is hard to see in my photo, but it looks almost like a vulture

It always looks like this. Never has its head up higher. We will see what it grows up to be.



And lastly, I have some chickens that are in a covered run for most of the day, while there are at least a dozen running free with two roosters. I have been lucky with the predation so far. I have good coverage for those that do free range all day. But, she was sitting on a fence in my 'hood last weekend with her mate, dining on a dead armadillo. Good thing they haven't seen my chickens yet! Beautiful birds though! There was a seemingly small by comparison, red shouldered hawk swooping at them, during the photo op, which is why her mouth is open!

 

[mortie]

That's not bad for shipped eggs. Mine weren't shipped and they still only hit 50%....but the barnyard mystery birds were 8 for 9.

Oh well, 15 baaaaabies!

 

[SullyD]

Oh yeah, I am up to about 21 eggs (out of 30 layers) a day. Don't know where the other slackers are laying or if they are laying. It is like an easter egg hunt here, daily.

 

[mortie]

Sully - thanks for the pics! Gorgeous eagle but I hope they don't get a taste for your chickens!

 

[chickenlindz]

Sully- good to hear from you! Seems like you've had a busy time of it! Condolences to you and your family on the passing of your dad.

 

[lindz8504]

I got 13 today! One of the Comet girls laid an egg with lots of rough deposits on the sides... Wondering if it isn't the one that hasn't been laying in the past week or so.... We'll see what happens over the next few days. The babies still seem to be doing well! I changed the light so that it is lower and points into the corner, where they seem to like to huddle up. Its been rainy and yucky today, but everyone still came out and was all over the yard. They were ready to come in for some scratch a little bit ago though! Wet chickens STINK!

 

[mortie]

I don't remember who's picture this was but what kind of chicks were these?