THE MOTHER'S DAY HATCH-A-LONG!!!! The last day to join in and set eggs with us is April 28th.

[HEChicken]

Well my broody got bullied off her nest sometime yesterday .... So when I went down to feed them this morning her 4 eggs were ice cold and she was sitting on the decoy broody nest I set up for my other cochin bantam who is thinking about going broody.... I took them upstairs and put them in the incubator. The silkie egg was clear but the Marans eggs are so dark that I can not see into them.... So I'm down from 4 under broody to at least 3 probably 0...... So hard being the lowest chicken in the pecking order.... She just wants to be a mommy poor thing

I would separate her into her own area the others can't get to, so she can't be bullied off the nest, and won't get confused about which nest to return to after taking a break. She doesn't need much space while she's brooding so something as simple as a large dog crate (the rectangular black metal ones) with her own feeder, waterer and nest, will be all she needs.

 

[1hotmoma]

Well I just got home with a new incubator.

I am working on the temp. I hope to get it up soon. I am thinking about doing a dry hatch this time. The humidity here is high already so that's not an issue. I was at the extension office today. I am a master gardener , 4H leader and a homemaker. Anyway, we have camp coming up here in a month or so and we are working on what classes to offer. Guess what class the extension agent wants me to work on... yep..

embryology. So I thought I was going to be done hatching this month, but guess not.

So I was thinking about how in the world would I get the bator to stay at the right temp as I transport it to the camp center. I am at a loss right now. I would think that maybe it would stay warm enough since the drive is only about 15 minutes. If anyone has any ideas let me know.

 

[crazypetlady]

Crazypetlady, yep those eggs were from you!  LOL  so they are polish crosses!  Like I said, I don't mind at all, it just surprised me.  They came out with full beards and looking very pure, but then their beards weren't growing much and then these black spikes growing out of their heads!  LOL, I can't wait to see what they look like when they're full grown.  They also are a little flighty compared to other ameracaunas I hatched.  Those and the polish already fly.  Can't keep them in the brooder box, and find them roosting all over my pool shed. DH is not happy about the poop on the pool equipment.  LOL  But none of the other breeds fly.  Just the polish and ameracaunas.  I'm gonna die laughing if they grow up looking like ameracaunas with poofs on their heads. 

It comes in like a mohawk I hope he didn't get too many hens before we figured out what happened.

 

[Arielle]

Well I just got home with a new incubator.

I am working on the temp. I hope to get it up soon. I am thinking about doing a dry hatch this time. The humidity here is high already so that's not an issue. I was at the extension office today. I am a master gardener , 4H leader and a homemaker. Anyway, we have camp coming up here in a month or so and we are working on what classes to offer. Guess what class the extension agent wants me to work on... yep..

embryology. So I thought I was going to be done hatching this month, but guess not.

So I was thinking about how in the world would I get the bator to stay at the right temp as I transport it to the camp center. I am at a loss right now. I would think that maybe it would stay warm enough since the drive is only about 15 minutes. If anyone has any ideas let me know.

THere are many teachers that frequent BYC. THis is what I have read. Wrap the eggs in a towel so they are not rolling around in the incubator. THe 15 min drive isn't long, broody hens get off for 45-60 minutes each day. YOu can get an adaptor thing to plug the incubator into the car if you want. ( We did this when Irene knocked out power. Perhaps use the search feature using the words: school incubation . Start with the incuabtion section and then expand it. I've read about this in off topic subjects. SOrry this isn't a lot of help, but you should find what you need.

Glad you get to keep hatching

 

[mstricer]

I'm 10 pages behind again

The longer days, more sun, and should I add, turkeys and bunnies

Everyone should have turkeys at least once

they are so darn cute. They follow you all over the place, whatever you are doing they are near, chirping around. I have 5 white heritage turkeys, LOVING THEM. The bunnies are cute and eat a lot. Well back to the hatch, I am going to candle again tonight and I hope I'm not disappointed. It will be alright though, I've been collecting d'Uccle eggs all week for a test batch.

I've officially crossed over to the dark side of hatching. Cabinet bator with 180, one hova-bator with the mothers day hatch, just hatched out 13 buffs and # 2 hova-bator is rearing to go on Sunday night.

 

[ChestnutRidge]

Just popping in to say that today is Day 12!

 

[1hotmoma]

I think i finally got bator #2 to the right temp. So i have some eggs in there now and will add more when the get here tomorrow. that will make me with 60 eggs. Of course some are turkey eggs. I got my calendar out and I have 4 hatch dates so far this month. I will have 2 next month. I will have babies out the wazoo!!!

 

[MMB53]

Candled my Mothers Day eggs. These were replacement eggs from a seller on ebay that 18 out of 24 were infertile. This batch candled tonight has 9 developing eggs, 1 quiter and 11 infertile. Hopefully I get a few more of the buff laced brahmas.

On the other hand my 2 other batches of shipped eggs (Friday the 13th hatch along) I had 20 out of 24 developing eggs so far 9 have hatched, one is zippin, another 5 have pipped. These were from 2 breeders. So if I buy anymore hatching eggs I know where I will be not be buying. Big bucks for infertile eggs.

I also love my Hova-Baters, they have done a great job. Very stable temps.

 

[what did I do]

I'm dying of laughter. You have to undrstand I am from Maine, and dry humor is very appreciated!!

I know it isn't the best story but it did happen and it was funny after the fact. We always seem to have a skunk ot two around here so we are never without a skunk story. Right now and for the last year we have had a skunk under the chicken barn. It hasn't bothered the chicks or chickens yet so it stays. LOL he better mind his manners.

 

[buffo1]

No chicks for me..... I just looked at my eggs again, and the blobs I saw- I think are just the yolk- not fertile. Mine don't look anything like the pictures. No veining, just what looks like an airspace and the yolk floating at the top as I turn the egg around. She's been a good broody mama, just haven't given the rooster enough time to work his magic on the ladies maybe. He'd been with them for 6 weeks when I collected what I'd hoped were fertile eggs, but I guess not. So now what do I do? Open one in the morning to make sure then take them all ? If they're all duds, can I start her over with eggs I buy from a neighbor? Should I just present her with day old peeps? I'm pretty sad, I was really looking forward to speckled orps....

Any advice will be helpful.