The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[aoxa]

It is never too late in my experience with animals. If aggressive behavior has been allowed, it will just take a bit more time. They are animals. They don't hold a grudge. Most animals are smart and understand Alpha. We just need to teach it. He thinks he is Alpha, you just need to show him differently.

I just got yelled at the other day for my view on this exact same thing with my dogs. So glad I am in good company here.

 

[delisha]

Quote: I am honored you consider me good company.

 

[delisha]

Quote: You are correct.

The blastoma was left in the egg shell when cracked it.

 

[aoxa]

You are correct.

The blastoma was left in the egg shell when cracked it.

I was guessing before I caught the answers. Just finished reading. Boy you guys are busy today!

I insulated the closet and have a little ceramic heater in there as well. It's 75 in the closet, and freezing outside the closet.

But if we get down to -20F again, dry food it is. I can't be picking it out of the feeder all the time. They were some happy to get their FF today!! The closet was warm enough to thaw all the buckets. Now I'm putting all my frozen waters in there overnight and putting them back all nice and unfrozen in the morning. It will just have to be that way, as we can't afford to get a bunch of heated waterers.

 

[Turkeytruff]

When you crack your egg open, you will see a little white bullseye on the yolk. It's smaller than a pencil eraser but very easy to see. Not sure if you can see it through candling. I might check on that.

delisha, thanks so much for your pictures of the 2 eggs. I would have gone with the wrong one too

- can't see the blastoma on this borrowed laptop (mine is at the repair shop). I will be definitely checking this out each time I crack an egg - I want lots of FCBM chicks this spring/ summer!

 

[delisha]

Hard to invest in a bunch of heated waters. I am going to look into heat tape for below 0 weather and if I can find it, I am sending you some.


I wanted to mention a bit about FF and new chicks.
I gave the new chicks FF right off. They acted like they might die if they ate another bite at first. Now they eat it like it is honey.

 

[Leahs Mom]

Hard to invest in a bunch of heated waters. I am going to look into heat tape for below 0 weather and if I can find it, I am sending you some.


I wanted to mention a bit about FF and new chicks.
I gave the new chicks FF right off. They acted like they might die if they ate another bite at first. Now they eat it like it is honey.

 

[aoxa]

Hard to invest in a bunch of heated waters. I am going to look into heat tape for below 0 weather and if I can find it, I am sending you some.


I wanted to mention a bit about FF and new chicks.
I gave the new chicks FF right off. They acted like they might die if they ate another bite at first. Now they eat it like it is honey.

That's how mine acted as well. Know my trick? I seem to hatch every 3 weeks. What I do is I take 1 chick from the previous batch and add it in with the new ones. A bantam breed for the most part, but you could use a bigger one. They are already used to the food, and they teach all the younger ones that it is the best stuff on earth to eat. It works like a charm. I had such a hard time getting my first batch eating it. I've been doing it that way for 3 hatches. I'm almost ready for my fourth and then I am done. I set my Ameraucanas in with the general population, and my silkie who was the only one laying (as the other two grown hens are molting) is now broody. No more eggs to hatch!

At least until spring

 

[Melabella]

Not sure if anyone saw this link before.. but i needed these set of pictures that Speckled Hen posted to see what a fertilized yolk looked like. The first photo is NOT fertilized but the next two are! For those of us like me who have old eyes,, this is a bit clearer to see...


https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/16008/how-to-tell-a-fertile-vs-infertile-egg-pictures#post_132086


MB

ps,, look at the date on that link... 2007, that was some original posts there!

 

[SandBsmom]

Can anyone tell me what to look for in a fertile egg when candling? I know there's supposed to be some kind of dark spot but all we can see is the air pocket. We got a fancy ovascope so we can see the shadows inside really well but we're not sure exactly what to look for.