Too Early for Feb Hatch-A-Long Thread??

[Merrymouse]

Well, I finally remembered to buy a flashlight for candling that is brighter than the built-in on the NurtureRight while I was actually IN the store (as opposed to at the barn, or worse, at work where I have the memory of a goldfish for my own self-preservation - gamblers are awful.), and finally got a really good look inside my day 11 eggs. Of the 8 that developed I have great movement on 7 (5 Cemani, 3 EE/??), and only one that looked like it quit at day 8ish. That batch is techincally due to hatch on Valentines day, but I always end up setting late in the day.

I also just set another dozen in the bator tonight - 7 pure Ayam Cemani, 2 potentially from my phoenix hen crossed with either RIR or black standard Cochin (I'd love to get her with my bantam cochin and/or my Ayam cemani, but they are both rough with her, and I feel guilty because she's my sweetest girl), 1 EE and 3 brown mystery eggs that come from various girls in my free-range flock.

Sadly, as of this morning my Silkie girls are still freeloading slackers...

On a side note, heading to Columbus sometime over the next several weeks to check out The Ohio State University with my youngest. Its in the top 4 for her choices for business school next fall.

 

[Merrymouse]

Yeah I still have infection in my bloodstream. I have a Hickman in my chest and they think that that would be the only point of access where it could have entered. I'm going to have to get a picc line because the medication that's running through my Hickman line can't be stopped... I can't get the picc line until the infection is gone though it's Strep-blahblahblah

The pneumonia isn't helping either. They don't even know how both of these problems even occurred just out of the blue. I'm sure some tool decided it would be fun to get a bunch of people sick when I went to the swim meet.

I take rituxan infusions every 6 months and it wipes out my immune system so I hate when people think that it's cool to go out in public sick. They don't think about the people on chemo or infusions that get sick very easily due to their carelessness. All I did was go out in public to go watch my son swim

Now I'm going to have to miss his next swim meet because I'm not allowed in public for 2 months or more I've been heartbroken over it all morning

Im so sorry this is happening. I work in a hospital very closely with patients but out patient mostly and people come in and cough, literally right in my face my hair blows back and everything. I have a chronic respiratory illness (asthma) and for the last two winters my "harmless cold" turned into pneumonia so it frustrates me to no end when people come for their outpatient, routine, wellness check and they are sick and cough all over me. So I feel ya, for sure. Take care and hopefully you'll be on the mend soon. <3

 

[Merrymouse]

I think it's different rules for stores and for private sellers. I know Virginia in the stores you can't buy any less than six chicks or two ducklings... But when I sell them, I can sell as many as I want or as little as I want.

Hmm. good to know Thank

 

[Merrymouse]

And I'm not sure where you live maybe Massachusetts, but I think you can look for local chicken swaps. Just make sure you have biosecurity.

I've sold a lot of chicks at the chicken swaps. It's fast quick and easy.

Where would I look for chicken swaps? I hear people talking about them but I've never seen them advertized or whatever. Im on a bunch of facebook chicken groups too. Maybe we just don't have them around here in MA

 

[LilyD]

I've watched LilyDs hatches before, as if I didn't stare at incubators enough, lol, I couldn't look away! I kept getting on the computer to check in.

Just doing my part to help with the addiction lol.

 

[LilyD]

I love hatching too but what do you do with all those chicks?

I keep a group of them for the winter for eggs for myself and the others I will take to the chicken swaps as Orpingtons up here go like hotcakes. I have a list for babies already lol. I am going to be keeping one more rooster and 3-4 more hens this year. I just love hatching so tend to do it all spring summer long then watch the grow outs through summer and fall for the ones I want to keep.

 

[Merrymouse]

It’s sooo fun!!!!! Remind me what you’re hatching? So tomorrow is day 19 for you? That’s when I saw the eggs start moving.

Well, I only have a mini brinsea so I can only hatch 7 at a time. I kinda have a failure of a hatch this time but it is early so fertility was pretty low. I started with 3 LF RC Ancona and 4 silkie eggs. I only ended up with 2 silkies viable. At lock down one had a really good air cell that was way down on one side the other had a kinda small air cell, like not much different from when I candled on or about day 15. So Im concerned I may end up with a singleton or none at all. BUT I just got in touch with a chicken friend and she may have some silkie chicks and showgirls and polish chicks for me this weekend that I can add so I wont end up with a singleton. Ive been wanting polish for a while so I have to check back with her on Fri or Sat to see what she acuatlly had hatch. We'll see

 

[Stonewall Acres]

Eeek they are perfect!!! Do you breed them or did you buy your hatching eggs?

I bought them from a lady a few hours from me. Totally on a whim. I was wanting to add ameraucanas to my flock & the wheaten ones are beautiful. I just wasn’t really planning on brooding babies this early in the year. We still have months of winter left.

 

[CluckNDoodle]

Where would I look for chicken swaps? I hear people talking about them but I've never seen them advertized or whatever. Im on a bunch of facebook chicken groups too. Maybe we just don't have them around here in MA

It took a while for me to find our local livestock auction. Here is the south there are a bunch of good ol' boys running it and there isn't much in the way of advertising but I'm sure if you ask in a facebook group local to you, someone is bound to know. My Husband is from MA and had me convinced that nobody has chickens there lol. He grew up outside of Boston though so I'm sure they just weren't allowed or something.

 

[BluebirdHomestead]

Im so sorry this is happening. I work in a hospital very closely with patients but out patient mostly and people come in and cough, literally right in my face my hair blows back and everything. I have a chronic respiratory illness (asthma) and for the last two winters my "harmless cold" turned into pneumonia so it frustrates me to no end when people come for their outpatient, routine, wellness check and they are sick and cough all over me. So I feel ya, for sure. Take care and hopefully you'll be on the mend soon. <3

That’s awful.

I actually have walking pneumonia right now and just started a course of antibiotics last night to try to kill it. The antibiotics make me feel so nasty.

@FortCluck sending you tons of well wishes. I can’t imagine what you’re going through.