The 5th Annual BYC Easter Hatch-a-long!

[Arielle]

Thanks to Sally I finally built a cabinet style cooler bator, my first one ever! Im so excited I never thought I would actually do it but her "how to" thread and all the helpful people that are posting on that thread I finally got it up and running and tweaked it enough that Im pretty certain the temps are even through out. I just put 9 barnyard mixes in it for my test run. The only adjustment I need to make is to add 4 hardware cloth shelves framed in wood. The pic shows one metal rack shelf with harware cloth, I didnt like these shelves so I will change it out after my test run. Here are some pics

I remember building my Henny Penny: challenging and yet very rewarding when It works!!! Looks great! Congrats.

 

[chicken pickin]

I remember building my Henny Penny: challenging and yet very rewarding when It works!!! Looks great! Congrats.

Thanks!

Whats a Henny Penny?

 

[ronott1]

Where do you see 25?

The spreadsheet says 55
Sueg4332

78​

55​

Yes, the digest is not official. Check the first post for numbers!

Remember to post hatch totals here in the thread.

 

[Sally Sunshine]

Quote: I thought so too, did you buy frosted? did you take off the plastic film that comes on them?

 

[chicken pickin]

I thought so too, did you buy frosted? did you take off the plastic film that comes on them?

I bought what they had for the 8x10 sheets. I didn't even look to see if they came in frosted or clear. And yep I took the plastic film off of both sides.

I think I just need to buy new plexi and actually read the package this time lol.

 

[Cynthia12]

Good wonderful Wednesday morning !!!!
Have a great day all

 

[czoellner]

Quote:
This is something I think I'm gonna need to do too. Our rooster is a barred rock and very aggressive. He was fine, our 6 year old would always go with us to collect eggs and feed the chickens. Then one day the rooster just took off after our son. Jumped on his back and started flapping and kicking. My 6' 6" husband grabbed that rooster, threw it to the ground, then side kicked him into the side of the coop. It all happened so fast, I grabbed our son and put him behind me, the rooster jumped back up and stood there glaring at my husband. The rooster limped for a couple days and I thought he might have a broken leg, but after about 3 days, no limp. Ever since then he hasn't messed with my honey, but still wants to go after my son. So, I'm always there in between them and keeping him at bay. A few weeks back, we were on our way out of the coop when the rooster jumped at me and tried to take out my legs! I turned and missed him by ~~ this ~~ much! Now I carry a rake, broom, anything with a long handle that I can poke him with.

Guess I'm gonna need to wear 3 pants, boots, long sleeves and thick coat and kick his feathery butt until he quits! We just put 21 mixed age (4-7 weeks old) out in the ajoined coop, but he can't get to them through the fence. I'm really starting to wonder how he's going to be once I let everyone together. The 5 older ones were out there with some of the year old hens (which are actually their mothers) the barred rock is their father, and seemed to do very well. But, we had to move 16 of the younger ones out there too, and we had to move the rooster, so all the youngsters are on one side and all the adults back on the other side.... They are doing their normal "pecking" order thing, nothing bad. But, I'm concerned with that rooster. He seems to REALLY watch them in an almost hungry fashion. I have no idea of the sex of the young ones. I'm thinking mostly pullets but not really sure.. I'm not an expert on chick sexing.

So, any help in both areas would be great! Otherwise he's off to the stew pot!

 

[Cynthia12]

So I waited a few days a one chick out of thirty two hatched. Absolutely my worst hatch ever.

Oh man! Someone else with a wort hatch ever. I had 4 out of 36 hatch. Not a good feeling ey? Next time, you will be back to hatching chicks one after another..that's what I'm telling myself!

 

[angelobutter]

so i just skipped about 150 posts, so I'm sorry if someone already asked this but
how does everyone pick what to charge for chicks when they sell them?
my plan was to keep track of how much i paid for eggs, and then divide that by how many hatched and just ask a little more than that to attempt to make up for feed costs and that was my original plan, but on my araucana eggs for example, that won't work because i bought 25 and the box got so smashed up only 4 hatched, so there is no way I can sell them using my first plan. so I am at a loss of how much I should be asking. I have someone coming today for chicks so any advice would be awesome.
the breeds for sale are:
(5 week old) barnyard mix
egyptian fayomis
wheaton marans
frizzles
chocolate old english bantam
silver duckwing bantam
bielefelder possible mix (though they look pure still selling as a mix until they have been separated longer)
ameraucanas
black copper marans
frizzle cochin mix
(there were more breeds but i lost track of who was who so I am just holding onto them for now)
anyways any advice on prices to ask would be awesome

 

[Cynthia12]

Soo cute!

I love love HRIR's.

Having said that...my little cockerel, that crowed yesterday, went after my little dachshund when he was trying to go potty. We've been watching him because he always goes near Brody, our dog..but today, he actually pecked his butt.

My poor little guy yelped, and ran to us at the door. We had to go out and put him somewhere away from the roo..the roo won't come near me.
My HRIR hens have been great. I heard that the roosters were usually nice.