The 4th Annual BYC Easter Hatch-a-long

[Arielle]

Well, we did it. And it wasn't even accidental. My sister was hoping for a discount on some Indian Runners, so she called TSC this morning (our local Lapeer store had received its first shipment of chicks & ducklings last week). The nice lady told her that yes, they had ducklings left, and they were on Special today!!!

Holding her breath, she asked how much? Hoping for perhaps a 50% discount from the original $4.70 price, or maybe even down to $1 each!

The TSC lady asked someone, and then answered.....$0.50 cents each!!!!!!!

My sister was THRILLED and we rushed off to the store before anyone else could buy up the last ducklings...

Arriving at TSC we followed the peeping to the back and saw two bins FULL of little Runner and Pekin ducklings!!! Most of the chick bins were empty, but these two were literally SWARMING with ducklings! Another employee walked by asking anyone around "Do you want some ducklings? Special sale today - Buy 2 get 2 free!"

We looked at each other in amazement and delight!

I don't know HOW we managed to keep to the original plan and walk out of there with only 6 little Runner ducklings - for only $0.25 each!!!!

The March Madness has begun...

Good for you!! I would have bought them all!!

 

[TheH Klan of 10]

Brook havens .... I have a question for you I think you are the one that told me about using the horse pellets in the brooder box !
Do you wet them for the brooder boxes?

 

[mlm Mike]

Well, we did it. And it wasn't even accidental. My sister was hoping for a discount on some Indian Runners, so she called TSC this morning (our local Lapeer store had received its first shipment of chicks & ducklings last week). The nice lady told her that yes, they had ducklings left, and they were on Special today!!!

Holding her breath, she asked how much? Hoping for perhaps a 50% discount from the original $4.70 price, or maybe even down to $1 each!

The TSC lady asked someone, and then answered.....$0.50 cents each!!!!!!!

My sister was THRILLED and we rushed off to the store before anyone else could buy up the last ducklings...

Arriving at TSC we followed the peeping to the back and saw two bins FULL of little Runner and Pekin ducklings!!! Most of the chick bins were empty, but these two were literally SWARMING with ducklings! Another employee walked by asking anyone around "Do you want some ducklings? Special sale today - Buy 2 get 2 free!"

We looked at each other in amazement and delight!

I don't know HOW we managed to keep to the original plan and walk out of there with only 6 little Runner ducklings - for only $0.25 each!!!!

The March Madness has begun...

What a great bargain! I'm jealous our TSC has only had Mallards so far.

 

[Time-Out]

Good for you!! I would have bought them all!!

Ditto! How you came back with only 6, I have no idea.

I admire your self-control.

This was my worry. Although I suppose naturally this would happen anyway when hatching out of the bator.

Not so much. Don't forget the hen is sat on them. They may get nudged, but won't be sent rolling around like in a bator.

 

[Happy Chooks]

Morning Peeps!

I have a question (or three.) I have recently acquired a second bator that I intend to use as a hatcher. My thought was that I can keep the cooker-bator cleaner and have plenty fo time to sterilize the hatcher between batches. I have never had a separate hatcher so I am testing new water here.

Tell me your thoughts on hatching on their sides vs in a carton, humidity levels you use for hatching only, what you line your hatcher with (if anything) and any other tips and tricks you use to have a successful hatch!

I always hatch in cartons. The eggs don't get kicked around and it contains some of the mess. I still use the rubber kitchen liner though for the chicks to rest on when they are done hatching. I use paper cartons and you have to work a bit more to get the humidity up. I've had much better hatch rates after switching to carton hatching.

Well, we did it. And it wasn't even accidental. My sister was hoping for a discount on some Indian Runners, so she called TSC this morning (our local Lapeer store had received its first shipment of chicks & ducklings last week). The nice lady told her that yes, they had ducklings left, and they were on Special today!!!

Holding her breath, she asked how much? Hoping for perhaps a 50% discount from the original $4.70 price, or maybe even down to $1 each!

The TSC lady asked someone, and then answered.....$0.50 cents each!!!!!!!

My sister was THRILLED and we rushed off to the store before anyone else could buy up the last ducklings...

Arriving at TSC we followed the peeping to the back and saw two bins FULL of little Runner and Pekin ducklings!!! Most of the chick bins were empty, but these two were literally SWARMING with ducklings! Another employee walked by asking anyone around "Do you want some ducklings? Special sale today - Buy 2 get 2 free!"

We looked at each other in amazement and delight!

I don't know HOW we managed to keep to the original plan and walk out of there with only 6 little Runner ducklings - for only $0.25 each!!!!

The March Madness has begun...

Fantastic buy! I want ducks, but I keep telling myself they are too messy. And they have to go in at night by themselves, we go out of town some weekends in the summer, and we live in critterville. They wouldn't stand a chance if they don't go inside.

 

[CherokeeFlats]

Pastel Call Duckling hatched March 3rd.



Blue Fawn Call Ducklings. Hatched Feb 23 and March 1st.

Have a couple more ducklings to hatch this week and several EE eggs. So excited!!!!!!

 

[wolftracks]

Arielle I thought I'd post this pic for you. Don't know how much you can see, but last summer the neighbors called Makayla to their house. Kayla is in my ID pic. She was then and pretty small. So she comes home with this old beat up, smashed Pepsi carton. Inside was one of my Games on 15 eggs. I think 10 of them hatched. But just goes to show, they can hatch under any condition. It was 115 in the shade, she was in this carton on a garbage heap and she had chicks hatch. Lots of them! LOL




Not the greatest pic, but I didn't want her disturbed any more than she was. I was shocked that the eggs and her didn't fall right through during Makayla's moving them.

 

[JoyfulPromise]

Pastel Call Duckling hatched March 3rd.



Blue Fawn Call Ducklings. Hatched Feb 23 and March 1st.

Have a couple more ducklings to hatch this week and several EE eggs. So excited!!!!!!

Aww, those are ADORABLE! Congrats!

Hmm,I am really thinking about whether to use the egg carton or laying down method of hatching. The one(and only) time we hatched before, it was several years ago, it was our first time ever hatching, we borrowed an LG with turner from a friend. We put in about 2 dozen eggs from our new, first ever flock of chickens which we had got the previous fall from Cackle Hatchery. I think 2 or 3 were duds. We put the rest on their sides on the bare wire bottom for lockdown. Amazingly, we had 18 chicks hatch with only two dead in shell!! I know we were worried about the already hatched chicks playing soccer with the rest of the eggs, and that is why I am considering the egg cartons, but it just seems like the flat method is more natural?

This hatch my eggs are all from our backyard flock, they will be in the LG turner for the first part of the hatch, so what do you all think? Will the cartons or laying them flat give me the best chance of a good hatch?

 

[EnnisLakeFarm]

I would like to join in if I may.
I will be setting 6 silkie eggs

Angie
Butte, MT

 

[chickenpooplady]

If the air cells are dislodged, incubate them in the egg carton fat side up. Then just tip the carton by wedging something under one side. Tip an odd number of times per day.

Thank you! I have them sitting in my closet (because it is cooler in there) in an egg carton and I have been turning them three times a day. I just candled them again last night and it looks like the air cells are back in place!

My homemade turner is made out of an egg carton, so hopefully that will help keep the air cells in the right place once I put them in the incubator.