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

[CackleJoy]

The total number of eggs that were set for the 2014 Easter Hatch-a-long is...............

10,585!

Wow! We beat last years total by A LOT!


The member that guessed the closest was @macondon with a guess of 10,554! Congratulations!​

That's a big number! Hope for good hatches everyone - mine will be pathetic. Shipped eggs and all---

 

[Reyvaughn]

Kitten update...
Night had 8 kittens. The mackerel tabby died. She has 3 solid blacks, one black tortie, an orange that looks spotted tabby (the runt) and two tabbies (one classic and one mackerel) that may or may not be calico. They look like they have orange spots, but I really can't tell.

She had them back to back. She didn't take the time to help break sacs or clear noses. I am sure the one that died was the one I helped and was trying to clear his nose. He was in his sac the longest and I had to break it open because he wasn't able to. She did finally take care of the placentas. It took her until after 2pm. She kept resting. She's tired, hungry and dehydrated. She left them once already and I was concerned about whether or not she was going to go back to them. It took her a bit, but she did and gave me an evil look like I was trying to steal them.

ETA: The mackerel tabby that died was blue.

 

[ronott1]

I had 2 eggs that were due to hatch yesterday 1 quit awhile ago 1 quit day 16 -18....I had a feeling that they wouldn't make it, I had a turner motor die on me for several days from day 7 to 11 that I know of..i didn't notice because i would always add water etc at about the same time..i had just added water earlier the last day early and found the eggs in the same position so i checked in 2 hrs and found it died...I have one more batch of duck eggs that were in that incubator and that turner due this wends but I have seen movement in them so I figure I might have to help they may be sticky..I tossed 3 more HAL eggs yesterday 2 duck,1 turkey ..have about 7 more I gave a couple more days but think quit mostly turkey eggs that I repaired the worst one is going strong go figure ...But I did get a pleasant surprise yesterday i was expecting maybe 8 eggs from a egg swap on here TripleKFarm sent me 15...Polish and BCM's so I set those last night...some went right in a turner some did not I know there is a couple of theories some say turn right away ..I am doing both with the same eggs, same type, same age. from same person, I will see how it goes.

The no turning for shipped eggs theory says to check the air cell condition and leave the turner off based on how bad they are.

2-5 days.

I hope they hatch for you!

 

[jinks12333]

That fountain is about 50 yards away from the hive.... we also have a pool they seem to flock to... but they do have a range of 2-3+miles. I love my bees.... besides sharing their honey with me, its kinda funny watching my chickens chase the bees....

 

[Happy Chooks]

Kitten update...
Night had 8 kittens. The mackerel tabby died. She has 3 solid blacks, one black tortie, an orange that looks spotted tabby (the runt) and two tabbies (one classic and one mackerel) that may or may not be calico. They look like they have orange spots, but I really can't tell.

She had them back to back. She didn't take the time to help break sacs or clear noses. I am sure the one that died was the one I helped and was trying to clear his nose. He was in his sac the longest and I had to break it open because he wasn't able to. She did finally take care of the placentas. It took her until after 2pm. She kept resting. She's tired, hungry and dehydrated. She left them once already and I was concerned about whether or not she was going to go back to them. It took her a bit, but she did and gave me an evil look like I was trying to steal them.

ETA: The mackerel tabby that died was blue.

8 kittens is a lot for one cat. Sorry you lost one, but glad to hear that the rest are doing well.

That fountain is about 50 yards away from the hive.... we also have a pool they seem to flock to... but they do have a range of 2-3+miles. I love my bees.... besides sharing their honey with me, its kinda funny watching my chickens chase the bees....

If you have a leaky hose bib, they will drink there too.

I sat by the hive the other night at dusk. They were coming back to the hive and getting ready for the night. It was very calming to listen to them buzzing and smell the aroma of honey in the air.

Between now and when they fill up the super, I've got to figure out the process for extraction.

A friend of ours has an extractor we can borrow, but we've never done it before.

 

[TJChickens]

does anyone here have any silver sebright hatching eggs??? I relly need some! I want them for under my broody!

My kids have Silver Sebrights. The only thing is, there is a trio of buff laced in the same pen, so a few of that color may happen
We also have silkies, mille d'Uccle, white d'Uccle and Polish eggs available.
Let me know if you're interested!

 

[Quailsong]

The squirrels have a party in the attic and they somehow go in the wall of the master shower, too. Very uncomfortable feeling to hear them while showering, haha. Add to that the occasional cat "fight" (we now have 5 day old kittens) in the crawl space under the house and it can be like Grand Central!

Ugh. When I see certain wild critters (mice) indoors, I have the urge to wash my hands. Knowing unwanted critters are in the house, I'd want to take a shower. But having critters above the shower, that'd be an OCD nightmare. I can imagine how uncomfortable it is. Ugh ugh ugh.

Also, you need to get those cats in the attic!

 

[Blarneyeggs]

Beyond the turning issues, I feel like I am in incubator hell! Here is a little video I made as an update: The crappy singing incubator ------> http://www.littlecrunchy.com/?attachment_id=5204 (does the video work? Can you hear it?)

I saw it. Nice nails!

I was pretty happy this morning i was eating breakfast then i was going to check my birds, then my great uncle called( he lives closer to my birds he's right next door to my grandfather who's farm i raise my birds on). He said he saw a fox running around with something in it's mouth. My stomach dropped i ran up there with my gun and it was the biggest fox i have ever seen. He killed my tom turkey out of all things i would of rather him kill a chicken instead. Im mad and going to kill it later.

Oh no! So frustrating. I hope you get it.

 

[jinks12333]

8 kittens is a lot for one cat. Sorry you lost one, but glad to hear that the rest are doing well.

If you have a leaky hose bib, they will drink there too.

I sat by the hive the other night at dusk. They were coming back to the hive and getting ready for the night. It was very calming to listen to them buzzing and smell the aroma of honey in the air.

Between now and when they fill up the super, I've got to figure out the process for extraction.

A friend of ours has an extractor we can borrow, but we've never done it before.

We just "Slice and Dice" lol.... we take a few that are full and uncap them then usually take a knife and cut chunks of comb and all and store it that way. we do not have an extractor... if we want just the honey we set the comb and all into a strainer like thingy do hicky (that i cant remember the official name for) and just let gravity take its course. Its easy peasy stuff.

 

[WHmarans]

Ok here's my brooder. Yes it needs to not be in the garage. It gets converted to a cold frame in the early spring. When chicks are in the coop.

This and a 55 gallon aquarium with a screen top have raised enough chicks I have most definitely lost count. But on the scale of experience here I'm a beginner for sure. These have worked really well for me so far.

People who come to the house love the chicks in the aquarium but I only have them in there a week or so .. so I can stare at them (all the time) or when having coffee in the AM. I love chicks.

Did I mention I love chicks? My husband calls the breakfast table by the aquarium "the chick viewing area".