The 7th Annual BYC Easter Hatch-A-Long!

[lacymorgan]

Quote:

 

[holm25]

I am in!! Last year things went bad for me but this year should be better!!!

 

[lacymorgan]

I am in!! Last year things went bad for me but this year should be better!!!

welcome to the hatch hope you get a good one this year

 

[Eps32]

Just got 31 chicks from the PO . Got a assortment for the heck of it lol. Got two buff laced polish I thought. But they look like golden polish not buff laced. Buff laced are yellow right? These are brown .I'll post pics later after they settle in and get there electrolytes from there long travel.

 

[aplynn]

Woke up this morning to some bloody roosters, I knew it was only a matter of time before my silkie roos decided it was time to figure out the pecking order. Well, I made the choice for them. I will be holding onto the most tame of the 2 roo's the other will be culled along with a bigger rooster this weekend. UGH my poor hens looked so devastated, I think the fight may have freaked them out.

I keep telling myself, "get enough eggs to do the easter hatch (my only silkie hatch) and the roos can go, NO MORE ROOSTER DRAMA!!!!!

My bigger roo is being culled because of a big ol hole in my shin and a chunk taken out of my arm. I have been begging hubby to get rid of him for a while but this last time he got me was the last time he will ever get.

On a happier note, I get to candle my eggs for the first time tonight to see how many little developing babies we may have. Fingers crossed that this hatch is better than the last.

 

[aplynn]

How many of you vaccinate again Merek's? And if you do Why? And if you dont Why? I have not ever done it, but I am fairly new to hatching this is only my 3rd hatch (Easter will be my 4th), and my last one was very unsuccessful only 3 chicks made it out of the bunch. I have looked on the forums and just didn't find a whole lot

 

[Razadia]

How many of you vaccinate again Merek's? And if you do Why? And if you dont Why? I have not ever done it, but I am fairly new to hatching this is only my 3rd hatch (Easter will be my 4th), and my last one was very unsuccessful only 3 chicks made it out of the bunch. I have looked on the forums and just didn't find a whole lot

I don't. The vacs only stop the tumors, not the disease itself. It's basically worthless. They can still get it. It doesn't create a resistance.

@ronott1 told me something about it last year when someone else asked, but I don't remember what was. It may have been the bit about the tumors.

 

[ronott1]

I don't. The vacs only stop the tumors, not the disease itself. It's basically worthless. They can still get it. It doesn't create a resistance.

@ronott1 told me something about it last year when someone else asked, but I don't remember what was. It may have been the bit about the tumors.

Yes! That is true for the vaccine we can get.

How many of you vaccinate again Merek's? And if you do Why? And if you dont Why? I have not ever done it, but I am fairly new to hatching this is only my 3rd hatch (Easter will be my 4th), and my last one was very unsuccessful only 3 chicks made it out of the bunch. I have looked on the forums and just didn't find a whole lot

Commercial hatcheries have access to a better vaccine that is injected into the eggs. The one we get is a much lower quality. Sadly, most of the poultry studies we read are about the commercial vaccine--even then they are not that effective.

 

[LadyCluck77]

How many of you vaccinate again Merek's? And if you do Why? And if you dont Why? I have not ever done it, but I am fairly new to hatching this is only my 3rd hatch (Easter will be my 4th), and my last one was very unsuccessful only 3 chicks made it out of the bunch. I have looked on the forums and just didn't find a whole lot

You will get some strong opinions on vaccinating birds. Many breeders specifically breed for resistance to disease, and do not vaccinate. I'm no expert, so this is all going to be anecdotal, but I believe Mereks vaccine will depend on how common it is in your area. I vaccinated my first two batches of chicks, mostly because I was doing everything exactly by the book, but later on when I got more comfortable hatching larger batches, I did not vaccinate my more recent batches. I have been fortunate that I have never had a case of Mereks in my flock. About half the current flock is unvaccinated. I'm not sure how common it is in Maine, but I've lurked on the Maine thread quite a bit and no one so far has mentioned issues with it, at least not that I have seen.
Maybe someone else will add to this?

 

[Cynthia12]

Alrighty then I am trying something new just came across it. It is a vitamin spray that goes on the eggs right before you put them in and once more before hatch. It is supposed to increase hatch on shipped eggs too. Wish me luck. It has gotten good reviews so far. I am setting bcm, fwm, ccl, welbar, Isbar, cochin, fly tie genetic hackle barred rocks and lbcm I can set up to 8 dz after shipping to others who ordered some

Catching up..again. I'm keeping my eye on this! I so hope it works well for you.