The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[Elliemae 77]

Thank-you for the warm welcomes. Ooooh. I've never done a hatch a long before, How do I get involved in the Easter hatch a long?

 

[Melabella]

I've been noticing new names on here also. Welcome everyone!

Be sure you incorporate a chicken in your post! lol (Sorry, couldn't help myself.)

I found a new emoticon just for stony........................

 

[Mumsy]

WARNING! Graphic eggtopsie images ahead!


Sorry to bump this back up but yesterday delisha asked if Silkies were harder to incubate. A few of us talked about this but I've been thinking about it. So...Started to poke around and found this other thread: https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/...to-hatch-than-other-breeds-opinions-please/10

She wonders if the large vaulted skull found in some strains of Silkies prevents them from hatching as easily.

The chicks that died in the shell in my bad Silkie hatch ALL had huge vaulted skulls! My eggs came from a show Quality breeding pen from a long time and highly respected Silkie breeder. Out of the five Silkies that hatched for me, three had large vaulted skulls. The one I culled for Severe Wry neck did too.

For those that do not know what a vaulted skull is? It was bred into Silkies using Polish. Twenty years ago there was a witch hunt in shows around the country and many Silkies were disqualified for having it. That has happily reversed itself.

But...The question remains...Does it present a problem for some Silkies to get out of the shell?

This thread is about natural chicken keeping but it's also about education. Many people that follow this thread raise Silkies. I apologize to those that may be grossed out by an image of a dead in shell chick but it graphically shows what I'm talking about. Trust me when I tell you how heart broken I was to have to open so many eggs and find this:



This chick never pipped. It died in shell. The yolk was nearly absorbed. It has a huge vaulted skull.




This one also died in shell without pipping. It's skull is also vaulted but not as big. I assumed these chicks drowned in the shell without external pipping because my humidity was so high. Now I'm not so sure. Five chicks did manage to hatch on their own and live.

 

[stonykill]

BYC rules. Number 4 under do's.

"Be very descriptive in the subjects of your new topics and try to stay on topic as you post."

 

[Arkansas81]

You all crack me up!!

 

[Pullet Surprise]

BYC rules. Number 4 under do's.

"Be very descriptive in the subjects of your new topics and try to stay on topic as you post."

Note: The optimum word there is "TRY"

and "try' does imply possible failure lol

Now back to chickens : The eggtopsies are very educational.

 

[stonykill]

Note: The optimum word there is "TRY"

and "try' does imply possible failure lol

Now back to chickens : The eggtopsies are very educational.

at least 50% of the posts daily have nothing to do with chickens. There isn't any trying happening. While we have many new names go back to the beginning of the thread and see how many names of seasoned BYC members who used to post on this thread don't anymore.

The title of this thread should be "post anything you want and once in a while include something about natural chicken keeping"

 

[Sally8]

I found a new emoticon just for stony........................

I love it! Stony, we love you and your personality. And you are so much fun to pick on. Hope your shoulders are broad.

I have a baby chick! I have a baby chick! Maybe 2. All hatched naturally. Even though it's only in the single digits, I think I'll let nature take it's place. Any advice? She's about 18 - 20 in off the DL floor of 6+ in.

 

[stonykill]

actually I'm thinking of unsubscribing.

 

[delisha]

Thank you for the information Mumsy..Thank you also for posting the pictures. I am glad you are joining the hatch a long. Your wealth of information to me and others is invaluable.


Thank you everyone for sharing your chicken experiences and all of your questions.

I posted pictures of deep litter for someone yesterday that had asked for them..
Did you have questions in particular about DL? I would like to know why you needed pictures out of curiosity.


Off topic solution



I would like to know what changes everyone has made since coming to BYC and what have those changes done for you and your flock.