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

[ecoxley69]

I want to join! My roosters have been practicing for this!

 

[chicken pickin]

And who is Sarah? Ey?

X2 Id like to know as well. Gorgeous chicks!

 

[GitaBooks]

Plus, you've heard the mom cluck while broody, is this what she is doing? My silkie that is broody will cluck when I approach her, and right now, she doesn't have any eggs under her!

My broody hen makes a lot of different sounds. There is the "warning, I'm protecting my eggs", "leave me alone roosters, I'm not laying" and "its time to hatch babies, keep it up". She doesn't make the last one until when they start hatching. You can tell when they are going to hatch because if you cheep to her she will respond gently and softly as if to her own chicks, something she generally doesn't do before they start pipping.

Nate, babies being tiny and not really developed enough to hear has never stopped mommas from talking to their future baby. Human or chicken.

And just because chickens can't understand people doesn't stop us from talking to them either.

Yeah, that's why I mentioned that my mama is clucking away. It's just mother nature.

Or "mother's nature"

That's what I bought, just so random, evn though she lives in my room, she will just gracefully and peacefully sounding talk sweetly to the eggs. I thought they didn't respond until hatch time, but she and I can't wait... I still am wond ring how they developed in the first place, becuase she has a hard time with 2 medium eggs... She has them under her wings half way and under her body half way, it's cute but at the same time concerned.

Its so hard to be patient with momma hens! She sounds like she is doing a great job, but one of mine is messing up a bit. She keeps letting her eggs go cold and she lost one somehow or the other. I know she is a good mother, just not the best broody. However, she does try, so I have to give her credit for that.

I will be setting some Orpington eggs this time. Please count me in.

Welcome! Orpingtons are awesome, great layers and really friendly. What color?

4300+ posts already! Its scary. I also have a test hatch going to make sure all my hens were completely cleaned up before setting their pens. The hatch is due Feb 21, Will have to see whether I get pure Orps or Orp x Legbar hybrids.

I know, like a million things to try to sort out while reading!

Both would be great. I can't wait until I can get a Legbar or two.

Nate, Chicks can not "talk" until they make the internal pip. They need air to make a sound. Many hens will pull feathers from their breast and abdomen, this is not only to "line" a nest, but to expose the skin to add humidity and allow "touch". The hens can feel the movement of the chick in the eggs. That is why a hen will sometimes remove an egg from the clutch, she knows the egg in not viable and may risk the others if she doesn't remove it. The hen is talking to her chicks and they will know her voice by the time they hatch. Love my broody girls!!!

My broody hen is missing feathers on her back because she was being over-bred before she laid. My broodies often loose their tail feathers some too because of rubbing against the nest box. However, even though they may look a little raggedy, they are still such awesome mothers!

X2, I wanna know, lol.... My test hatch is going terrible...

-Banti

I'm sorry to hear that.

I only had 12/30 hatch.

but my temp went crazy at the end. Jumped up way high. I think that is what killed them.

I'm sorry to hear that. I'm glad you got some chicks out of it though, its always better then none.

Good Morning Everyone!!

All of these were hilarious! They made me laugh, especially the Batman one!

Would like to join the hatch a long for chicks, is this how I do it? Thanks & God bless!

Welcome, so glad you could join!

How many are you planning on setting?

I'm in!

Howdy! Welcome to the Hatch-a-long!

Sign me up!

Awesome!

Do you know what breed you are working with? I still haven't decided, but I think I'm going with mostly my own farm mixes.

I'm going to set chicken eggs in hopes for some Olive Eggers!

Sounds cool! Did you buy the eggs or are they from your own hens?

Count me in please!

Welcome!

I'm in. I will be setting standard and bantam chickens.

This will be my first year with the hatch-a-long, and only my second time hatching - the first batch is in now!

So cool! This is my second real incubator hatch too! And my first time in the Easter hatch-a-long. I have both bantam and standard eggs in the incubator right now. If they are raised together, the chicks get along quite well, though they tend to separate into groups as they mature.

i would like to join...i will be setting a bit early though as i have eggs something in at the end of the week. is this allowed?

It will be like a preview for all the hatching to come.

I want in. How do I sign up

Welcome! So awesome that you can join us! What breeds do you want to set?

OK, roll call time:

What are you planning on setting for the hatch (at the moment - ahz zees singz change, juno?)

I am planning on setting Iowacana project eggs (as many as I can collect), Iowa Blue eggs, some cuckoo Marans for the layer flock, and some Seramas because I tripped and fell on my keyboard and accidentally kinda bought them.

Quail currently incubating, too soon for the hatchling.

Iowa Blues are so cool! I can't wait to see yours hatch! I wish I tripped more often... maybe I'd get some seramas too.

I am in !!

Hello! Welcome to the Hatch-a-long!

I would Like to sign up How do I ?? I will be hatching seramas I will put them in the incubator march 7.

Seramas are awesome! And so very tiny! How many do you want to hatch?

We will just be hatching what I call "Mutt" chickens....... We have a variety of chickens, with a Ameracuana Roo, a Buttercup Roo & a Partridge Cochin Roo. So, we should have intersting chicks!! For our hens we have, Leghorns, Dorkings, Barred Rocks, RIR's, White Rocks and a Welsummer or two. This is my 1st hatch a long!

I love to get surprise chicks from my own barn yard mixes. I have like 30 different breeds and mixes living in my barn so I could have so many cool colors.

I want to join. I will be hatching copper marans. Ayam cemani. Showgirls. Silkies. Barninvelder and D'uncle

D'uccles are one of my favorites! And Ayam Cemanis! And Marans! And Barnevelders! Oh, yeah, I forgot, I can't choose favorites.

Best of luck!

I would love to join with my backyard chickens. I'm anxious to see the colors I get with my white americana rooster.

Cool! Is he an Ameraucana or Easter Egger? I love both, but actually, I think I like the look of Easter Eggers better (though I haven't had any pure Ameraucanas yet so maybe I would change my mind if I did). I love their muffs and/or beards.

I am ready to hatch

I hope to hatch cream brabanter, guineas and maybe peachicks. I'll know for sure by March 1

Peachicks! Yay! Are you going with beautiful natural or beautiful morphs?

I'm in!!!!!

Welcome!

my silkies from Sats hatch!
just a few, there are tons of yellow ones!

all hatched but one! look how cute!!! love saras chicks








Polish

So adorable! I love all the pictures! ( just had to save some room here). Silkie chicks are so precious.

i want to join. what info do you need from us? breed , how many eggs?

We would love to know the breed! Mine are mostly mixes, so I guess we'll see what comes out of it. I am planning on getting rid of some of my roosters, but right now I have ten of them in the flock! A lot of different fathers that could be passing on their awesome color genetics. They are a Barred Rock, a Buff Brahma (standard), Silver Sebright, two "Twilights" (Sebright x OEGB), two Easter Egger x Barred Rocks (they are still young but already crowing and trying to breed with the hens), a Hampshire mix, a Silver Duckwing OEGB, and one of my "Dalmatian" bantam roosters, Dastan. I hope to keep only four or five though, two standards and two or three bantams (one for every 8-10 hens).

Wow! Explosion of people joining in. Welcome everyone!!!!!!!

I'll be doing a staggered hatch. I have 6 mystery GFF line eggs coming in this week, 6 NN eggs coming late next week, and I'll be probably setting 12 legbar or maybe B/B/S Ameraucana eggs on the proper date with my new incubator

BTW: What's the best way to disinfect a styro bator? Just got a used hovabator and want it to be germ-free.

Most people use some sort of bleach mix I think, but since bleach and my lungs don't mix well I just wash with hot water and let it sun dry. I know that might not be the best method, but otherwise I'm afraid the chemical smell will stay in the incubator.

I am new to this, and want to try

Welcome! So glad you could join! I'm new to incubating also, though I've had a lot of hens brood chicks (and sometimes helped their eggs by placing them in the incubator) so this helps me have a bit of an idea. Maybe. Hopefully.

 

[GitaBooks]

I plan on setting a few local turkey eggs (Palm/Bourbon mixes) and chicken eggs from my own flock (Easter Eggers and Backyard mixes). I may also set button quails but still unsure.

Turkeys are so cool, especially all the neat colors they come in. Backyard mixes are some of my favorites, especially when there are so many colors that could hatch out (I like having as many breeds as possible for this reason). : )

I want to join! My roosters have been practicing for this!

I think roosters are always practicing. : )

Welcome!

 

[Lozuufy]

Tons more people joining!

OK, roll call time:

What are you planning on setting for the hatch (at the moment - ahz zees singz change, juno?)

I am planning on setting Iowacana project eggs (as many as I can collect), Iowa Blue eggs, some cuckoo Marans for the layer flock, and some Seramas because I tripped and fell on my keyboard and accidentally kinda bought them.

Quail currently incubating, too soon for the hatchling.

I'm gonna hopefully hatch BCMs, maybe CCLs, possibly some Leghorns (not sure what color yet), CHOCOLATE cuckoo orpington mixes, silver and cream coturnix quail, some mixed breed ducks... some of my quail's eggs if they start laying by then

... plus I'm sure I'll add to that list

 

[AllAboutMyGirls]

OK, roll call time:

What are you planning on setting for the hatch (at the moment - ahz zees singz change, juno?)

I am planning on setting Iowacana project eggs (as many as I can collect), Iowa Blue eggs, some cuckoo Marans for the layer flock, and some Seramas because I tripped and fell on my keyboard and accidentally kinda bought them.

Quail currently incubating, too soon for the hatchling.

I'm setting bbs, buff and mottled English Orpingtons and Ancona eggs

 

[Chickenluver106]

I would like to join

 

[draye]

I would like to join

Welcome Chickenluver106.






Making my weekly appearance on the thread.

Has anyone noticed my new 5 year badge? I only noticed it now myself, I use mostly my phone and it doesn't show on it.

 

[jwlpoultry]

Quote:
Congrats on the badge

 

[chattery41]

Welcome Chickenluver106.






Making my weekly appearance on the thread.

Has anyone noticed my new 5 year badge? I only noticed it now myself, I use mostly my phone and it doesn't show on it.

Congrats on the 5yr badge !