Thread formerly known as Hatch day is today

[Iain Utah]

Another interesting historic tradition is there is a formal fox hunt on Boxing Day.

Best of luck with your hatch!

 

[Goin Quackrrs]

Hey everyone!

This is Chicken Crazy 12 I have a new account now because Chicken Crazy 12 was my moms account that I kind of hijacked. Anyway I decided I should just make my own account. Coyote Night because our farm is Coyote Night Acres. So not new here, but just wanted to let ya'll know it's Me.

I don't know if this will help because they don't say anything about being able to ship, but there are two silkie drakes in SW Washington for sale. http://seattle.craigslist.org/oly/grd/3471332026.html

The listing was forwarded to me, but I decided not to bring in any more birds for a while.

Hi everyone!

Baby STOOD UP on both legs today. I was delighted for her.

I made goat cheese yesterday, and its delicious. I'm having some with crackers right now, in fact.

I hope everyone is well and happy.

I may not post a lot, but I've been trying to keep up! Great news about Baby!

 

[bhhastin]

Update on my mallard eggs...

I now have two pipped on the wrong end (see first pic below) with no more progress but a whole lot wiggling and cheeps, but on a high note, another egg has zipped and the duckling is starting to hatch (second pic). All but two eggs are now wobbling, the two largest show no signs of life, but maybe they're not mallards and will take longer...?

 

[Coyote Night]

Hey everyone!

I don't know if this will help because they don't say anything about being able to ship, but there are two silkie drakes in SW Washington for sale. http://seattle.craigslist.org/oly/grd/3471332026.html

The listing was forwarded to me, but I decided not to bring in any more birds for a while.

Thanks for the heads up Quackers I sent them an email to see if shipping is a possibility.

Update on my mallard eggs...

I now have two pipped on the wrong end (see first pic below) with no more progress but a whole lot wiggling and cheeps, but on a high note, another egg has zipped and the duckling is starting to hatch (second pic). All but two eggs are now wobbling, the two largest show no signs of life, but maybe they're not mallards and will take longer...?

Well they look like they are doing good so far. I would just leave them be and let them keep doing what they are doing. Congrats on the one making an entrance to the world

 

[Marty1876]

Quote: Sounds like you might have got the temp a little too high, cooked too long, or maybe used a hair too much rennet. LOL I'm making some cottage cheese later this week.

Lemon cheese IS NOT really like cream cheese, its texture is drier and firmer. You can, like with cottage cheese, add a bit of cream to it after making, for easier spreadability. We like it on crackers, and in a sandwich. The lemon adds such a nice delicate flavor too.

I don't save my lemon cheese why, but I guess I could see if maybe Baby and Lucky would like it, they could use the extra calories.

 

[Coyote Night]

Sounds like you might have got the temp a little too high, cooked too long, or maybe used a hair too much rennet. LOL I'm making some cottage cheese later this week.

Lemon cheese IS NOT really like cream cheese, its texture is drier and firmer. You can, like with cottage cheese, add a bit of cream to it after making, for easier spreadability. We like it on crackers, and in a sandwich. The lemon adds such a nice delicate flavor too.

I don't save my lemon cheese why, but I guess I could see if maybe Baby and Lucky would like it, they could use the extra calories.

When I get the milk again and start experimenting with cheese I'm definitely trying the lemon cheese. I'm also thinking about making a cheese notebook to put notes of how the cheese came out and your notes about why the cottage cheese was squeaky is going in it. The best way to learn is from people with experience and I'm very grateful for your advice.

 

[bhhastin]

Well, we have three ducklings so far. In the pic below you see the first to hatch on the right, she came about 13 hours ago. She was a normal pip and zip. The two on the left came about an hour ago, one was a normal pip and zip. The other was one of my wrong-side pippers and she somehow made it out. The other wrong-side pipper is still not making much progress, but he's cheeping. There's two other eggs as well. One is a normal pip that looks like might start zipping soon. Another pipped on the bottom, but I can't tell if its still making noise or moving, then we have one egg that hasn't done anything at all ever. Still keeping hope that we could have four more ducklings.

The pic is blurry because I have it very warm and steamy in the bathroom where the brooder and incubator are being kept..

 

[Marty1876]

Since the others are out, if the wrong end hasn't pipped yet, your gonna have to help her pip. She won't have enough air for too long.

 

[bhhastin]

Thanks Marty, here's a pic of what the other wrong-end pipper looks like now. The tip of a bill pushes through the membrane every once in a while. The other three eggs have all pipped as well (even the one I said had done nothing, the pip was underneath, so I couldn't see it). Do you think they're ok to go ahead on their own? I'd rather let them do it if at all possible. You'll also notice the sponges that someone else recommended to increase the humidity

 

[Marty1876]

I use sponges too, they really do a great job of keeping up humidity. So long as the little one is still peeping, makes even the tiniest progress every 12 hours or so, I'd let her stay after it alone. I'm with you, I totally prefer hands off hatching. If she doesn't change before bed, you can VERY SLOWLY chip away her shell in a pattern similar to what the others have done. If you see the tinest bit of blood, stop and leave it for a few hours. But, if she's managing, I would absolutely let her.

Congrats on a good hatch!

When your sitting up your brooder, if you use old milk jugs for water (by cutting a square or whole just big enough for heads at a good height) they will make MUCH LESS MESS than open water containers. I find I have to change jugs every week, as they grow so fast. Very easy to use and clean and fill, and its much tidier.