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

[TeaChick]

Try hard to not candle during the first 7 days. Your hatch rates will go up.

The spinning Tea Pot makes me want to go to Disneyland!

Thanks. I'll try!!! It's hard, but hatch rate increase is incentive enough.

Yeah, that was my favorite ride when I was little. When I had kids, they liked it, but I didn't so much. lol

 

[Gardeningmama]

Thought you would think this pic was funny... Worked my rear off today too, and made a huge mess while doing it. Gutted every coop, then took a leaf blower to it to get in every crack. Dumped a pile of Sevin dust in each coop, closed doors and blew the heck out of it with the leaf blower. THEN went back in and doused each coop with DE. Dusted every bird. I am ashamed at what I found on some of my birds vents. I really would encourage everyone to turn your girls upside down and inspect the vent. EVEN if they appear fluffy and beautiful. New shavings. Next Saturday I'll dose with Ivermectin. Please no yelling at me for my over use of chemicals...this case of mites was extreme (I definitely won't be eating the eggs for a looong time). I wish we'd had time to start on tearing down the half torn down dilapidated runs, but the mites took precedence. Next weekend I'll start on tear down/rebuild. Did I mention the 3 inches of mud that had to be tromped through for 5 hours while doing this?? My legs got a workout! I did wear my mask though Sally, lol. I'm exhausted but I feel accomplished, A Good Day!

I learned last year that lice/mites aren't the only thing you need to look for around their vents. Last year I had 2 hens in separate coops that got maggots in their butt. The first had been trimmed and the 2nd never had a poopy butt. I'm wondering if they had something going on internally that attracted the flies. It was totally disgusting.

It amazed me how some of them had absolutely nothing anywhere on them, and the next one would be infested. My BCM sisters, both very fat and healthy, joined at the hip, and always roost together at night. One had them, the other was crystal clear.

Oh yeah, that's a boy! And that other one is a huge girl!! I do have a pullet..pretty sure it's a pullet, LF cochin out there. Interesting coloring. I've been trying to get a splash anything..can't seem to happen for me. These two are beautiful.

cuties!! but omg mud Mich!!! ha ha ha
I swear the other 3/4 of the run is grass (well, that day it was snow) but now they have actual grass. Wait till your snow melts...Eeeeewwwww, AND it STINKS!

Quote: Beatufiul image!
You should put Ben Franklin in The Most Striking Male Fowl contest...Even though as soon as someone enters a Mandarin or Lady Amherst, no roos gonna win, lol! But he's certainly a striking boy IMO!

Off to church. Can't imagine how many posts there will be by the time I get back. Have a great morning!

I came home from church to 45 posts..

LadyCluck77, Congratulations!

x2 Congrats!!!!

I actually got mine by accident, I ordered 6 blue breda chicks from green fire farms and they accidentally shipped me bielefelders !! when i told them they said to keep them and then they sent me my bredas too. I sold off the other 3 and kept a trio for myself.

I remember that when it was going on. Which hatch-a-long was that? Lord, they are all blurring together now, lol!

 

[TeaChick]

Done that already.... Its no fun when you think you cooked your babies..: ( Although it sure is nice to find out that they are all fine.

Yeah. =)
I'm terrible for checking in on babies; chicks, my own, puppies, it doesn't matter, I'll go check to make sure this one's breathing or that one has been eating enough or not getting beat up on too much, etc.

Oh my, totally empathize.

Thanks. We'll have to start a support thread for candling addiction.

 

[ronott1]

Thanks. I'll try!!! It's hard, but hatch rate increase is incentive enough.

Yeah, that was my favorite ride when I was little. When I had kids, they liked it, but I didn't so much. lol

You just reminded me! It is candling day!

 

[Blarneyeggs]

I actually got mine by accident, I ordered 6 blue breda chicks from green fire farms and they accidentally shipped me bielefelders !! when i told them they said to keep them and then they sent me my bredas too. I sold off the other 3 and kept a trio for myself. 

How lucky is this?! Wow!!

 

[chicken pickin]

You just reminded me! It is candling day!

LOL

 

[Happy Chooks]

First, I just HAVE to ask chicken pickin what was with the orange balloons in the photo of the hens... I can't believe nobody else asked!

Second, a friend and I went to opening day at Daffodil Hill, just outside of Volcano (California).






Those are just a couple of blossom photos I took with my cell phone. We got there as the place opened, beautiful in the early morning light.

Beautiful! I've lived here all my life and have never been to Daffodil Hill.

How do you best answer the "how many chickens do you have now?" question?

I have been avoiding exact numbers with "not enough" and "look, over there!"

Anyone turn an entire barn into a coop? I may need to do that the way chicken math is headed!

Easy.............don't count them.

I wish I had a barn to turn into a coop.

 

[TeaChick]

I have some of these in my bator on day 12

I am so excited for them to hatch.

I would be too!!! =D

 

[TeaChick]

You just reminded me! It is candling day!

Me too!!!
I'm the little dancing bunny! =)

 

[arcountrychick]

Due to my addition to hatching, I put some eggs under a broody hen this morning. This is the first time I've tried this, but thought my daughter would enjoy the experience. It was so cute...I placed the eggs under her and she just wiggled her fluffiness around them and settled right in.