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

[Sally Sunshine]

I wonder if one can by exotic bird eggs, like those big parrots and such?
HarmonyAnn asked for a bird for in the house and I think it would be fun to hatch one, and I am home and can care for one, I think it would be fun to try.

 

[Sally Sunshine]

I wanted to share this link with everyone again, since many are tossing clears, have a look and break them out, a clear is NOT ALWAYS infertile!

This is a great guide with images!
http://animalscience.ucdavis.edu/avian/pfs32.htm

 

[Book]

The singing incubator from hell strikes again, I just found it at 93 degrees for the last 6 hours.... are the last 4 eggs done for? Say it isn't so? No death song on the contraption.....

 

[JDchicks]

Is this a HAL egg? When was it set? There is no discoloration on the outside? They dont move at all.
Bacteria will stink at some point, if its not in too long put back and keep an eye and smell on it and candle it again in a day or two.
I would think you could see life like the other eggs you have in there by now if its for the HAL.

Yep, it was set with the other HAL eggs which are very much developing. No discoloration on the outside. I have not tried to see if they move. I will see tonight when I get home.

 

[LadyCluck77]

I wonder if one can by exotic bird eggs, like those big parrots and such?
HarmonyAnn asked for a bird for in the house and I think it would be fun to hatch one, and I am home and can care for one, I think it would be fun to try.

There are indeed places that sell them. I think a chicken incubator could work for them too. My Brinsea came with special directions for Parrot eggs but it sounded very intimidating. You also may have luck with local parrot breeders who are looking for help with incubating. If anybody can incubate a parrot egg, it's you Sally

http://www.farmingo.com/wild__amp__exotic_birds

 

[Pozees]

Sally I would think you should be able to find hookbill eggs, although they are likely very pricey. Many breeders have the hens hatch their own, then remove the first chick(s) that hatch from most of the larger parrots to ensure all hatched chicks live - cockatoos are notorious for hatching two and raising one, or at least that was the last I knew many years ago when I had parrots. They take a LOT more raising, but are so neat. If I was ever going to have parrots again, I'd get African Greys, Goffins Cockatoos, or one of the smaller Macaws. Greys are so smart, and usually pretty quiet as parrots go, Goffins are quieter than other Cockatoos and smaller as well, so easier to manage, and while I only ever had the larger Macaws I had a friend with a pair of ... cannot remember, Severes maybe? that were smaller than my Green Wings and Blue and Golds, and they seemed much calmer and quieter than my birds. ChickenCanoe can tell you LOTS more about Macaws than I can, though.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Love those stacking containers! What a bummer about the buckwheat, I had read elsewhere it was something bees appreciated and was going to look for some seed this spring - probably will still try it, but in a mix.

I, too, am in awe of those who can run these threads and keep current. I cannot.

Use them where they won't be in sun? Don't know - I bought a couple of plastic trash cans last year, they work pretty well, but this year we are looking at a small storage building for the cans - placed outside they still let the food freeze and get very hot. Still protect from rodents, but I need better than that I think.

I love them too. You can scoop almost all the food out of any of them without moving them. I don't know if they can go 4 high but 3 isn't a problem. Each will hold almost 2 bags of feed.

I think the buckwheat may have been too close. They rarely visit flowers around the hives. Honeybees go for large masses of flowers, unlike native pollinators. I also plant buckwheat where the chickens pasture. There's a 4 acre field right next to me that's covered with white clover so that's a big attraction for them.
All my feed is stored in one of the coops so it's out of the sun. I have a breezeway between some of the breeder units and that's where I store all the seeds for feed and pasture. They're in 5 gallon buckets stacked 2 high. There's wheat, oats, barley, buckwheat, winter peas, flax, BOSS and stripe. I fill the buckets and then work out of the bag till it's empty and then I still have 30-40 lbs. in each bucket.

 

[Gardeningmama]

Quote:
Ain't that the truth!

 

[Pozees]

Oh yeah, speaking of not tossing, when in doubt, don't! I moved eggs to the hatcher Monday morning. There were 4 I was going to toss, and then for reasons I cannot explain decided I would just put them in the hatcher and see what happened. 2 of them were the first to hatch - just about 24 hours early - Silkies.

 

[Quailsong]

I've been lucky with the squirrels. The place is crawling with them and they don't get into the garden, the feed or the house.

I think you have defective squirrels.

@Sally Sunshine, from what I've been seeing on this board, you must have a twin you're not telling us about. With all the stress (good & bad) you're going through this week & you're still plugging away like nobody's business - is admirable & inspiring, to say the least.

Folks, I'm down to 5 of my original 10 set. I had 4 clears & one early quitter. That's about the same as last hatch, where I suspected one of my hens isn't laying fertile eggs. Not sure why, going to check her tail feathers again & maybe have her spend some 'quality time' with the roo alone.

As for my 6 chicks (all BSLW) that hatched last weekend, I'm a bit confused. Anyone know why they would be standing still most of the time? When I hatched my quail they were all over the brooder. I have the same heat lamp over the brooder as in the past, and it's WARM in there with the lid on. No panting, not bunched enough to show cold. No loud chirps of complaint.

Everything else looks great; they're eating fine, chest bunting, and I swear the other day one tried to mount another...they just seem to like spending their time standing still. Even toys/treats don't stir them much.