The 8th Annual BYC Easter Hatch-a-long!!!!

[kraftyladies]

Susan! Hi!

Hi Mary!!

 

[Happy Chooks]

Quote:

Hi, Kelly! I'm hoping she, or one or more of the others, go broody in time for the March 25 set date...if so, I'm in!

Bobcats got most of my experienced broodies.

So it's the incubator for me this year.

Well, my lil baby died. I was so heartbroken, I really thought she was on the uphill side. She'd come so far. I found her dead in her cup this morning and I flat out bawled. But I had a 93% hatch rate, 1% better then last time. Here's to 100% for Easter!

I'm going out of town tomorrow, so I'll be back Sunday, bit probably won't come back to BYC till Monday.

I'm sorry.

 

[casportpony]

Quote: Thanks!

 

[NotAFarm]

Quote:

Bobcats got most of my experienced broodies.

So it's the incubator for me this year.

I saw you lost a bunch when you posted at Stella's. I'm glad bobcats aren't making homes around me!
Last year, I had my neighbor start eggs in his cabinet incubator at the beginning of the Easter Hatchalong since no one here was broody yet. Easter was earlier last year. I then moved the eggs that were developing when I had a couple that went broody. I haven't checked to see if he has his 'bator up and running yet....he usually waits until later to set eggs and started it early last year for me. We are having a cold spell now, but we've had some warmer than usual February weather and our 10 day forecast looks good. I'm hoping my girls don't let me down!

 

[casportpony]

Well, my lil baby died. I was so heartbroken, I really thought she was on the uphill side. She'd come so far. I found her dead in her cup this morning and I flat out bawled. But I had a 93% hatch rate, 1% better then last time. Here's to 100% for Easter!

I'm going out of town tomorrow, so I'll be back Sunday, bit probably won't come back to BYC till Monday.

So sorry!

 

[KYTinpusher]

I would like to join in if possible.

Hi Susan!

Quote: I find that if I chase them down after a sneak attack and pin them to the ground for a couple of minutes, they get the message that I am top of the pecking order. Their memory needs some reinforcement occasionally, so I walk straight at them when I go in the run until they back down and turn and go the other way. (Those that don't back down go to the soup pot - no hope for them) An occasional "walking back" when I go in the run will keep them in line. If you can't catch them to pin them down, just the walking back may be effective - may just need to be done more often for a while.

 

[kraftyladies]

Hi Susan!

Hi Walli!

 

[katsdar]

He does calm down when I pick him up. Its mainly when I have my back to him when he strikes. Ill have to pay more attention to him i guess. Maybe thats all hes asking for.

yeah you need to break him of that when your back is turned, I have even chased the unrulely roo but they hate being picked up just keep doing it and it will break him.

 

[generaldsherman]

Funny story time:

My husband and myself just bought a place with 20 acres using an FHA 203k remodel loan (as the house needs painting and has no carpet or other floor covering). We are staying in a camper while the contractor fixes the house. So, we moved our chickens to the barn the evening before yesterday. They were in a closed room the first night, listening to the pigeons on the roof above them (two roofs, one wooden one that ends at the rafters and the edge of the rooms, and the main one, so there's a gap where pigeons have been living in the barn) Let them out in the morning, and came back after dark. Found almost all of my adult chickens roosting in various parts of the barn. I also found the body of a pigeon; I assume the rooster took care of it. I didn't hear any other pigeons. Solves that problem (and saves me the trouble of using a pellet gun on the things; pet pigeons are fine, but I don't want wild ones in my barn).

Counted birds after removing the pigeon carcass; I was missing a few younger birds and one pullet. I was worried, but I told myself they probably bedded down elsewhere and went to bed. I found them this morning. They were roosting on the pipes and axles under the camper. Guess they wanted to be closer to Mommy? (now you know why I told you about staying in the camper.)

Will need to build chicken pens in the near future, but at least the majority are safe in the barn.

 

[angelobutter]

I remembered this year! yay!
will be joining, not sure what or how many I will be incubating, but I'm hoping for silkies and modern game bantams, if I can find sellers who will ship to me at the right time.
Thankfully I just looked at the calendar and the eggs I have in the incubator should be all hatched by the time this hatch's set date begins so thankfully that worked out