Who's Incubating in Nov. 2011 ?

[Ma Noob]

Well my hatch is done, And i have to say for first time im pretty happy.

I put in 11 eggs. 10 were fertilised and grew well, From the 10, 9 hatched bang on time. Saddly one didnt hatch, But when i opened it up today, there was a beautiful fully formed chick inside. There was no air cell in there anymore. The membrane came away freely. The only thing i could think has happened is that its pipped into a vein. Cause there was a blood clot in its mouth, and looked like some blood in the inner membrane.

So for all I lost one, there was nothing i could have done and its been a hatching thing. So like i said for a first timer, I think that was pretty good.

One the down side, One of my hens has gone missing, and i cant find her anywhere

They were out in the back yard, the dog often likes to stir them up and i think she may have flapped over the side fence into a car park. And someone may have picked her up. Hopefully she is just hiding and she will come out tomorrow. But saddly i dont like my chances. Im going to expand the chook house out in that area so that it wont happen again. They often jump over the middle fence if he spooks them but she must have gone further this time.

My dog does love his chooks though, He is like mother hen to the young ones, He always checks on my new little hatchlings as soon as he comes in the house. He stills his head right in the box and gives them a sniff to make sure they are ok. He did the same with my silkies when we got them as chicks. Now they follow him around the back yard, They run around his feet, he even growled at the other chicks when they came a bit too close when they were little.

Funniest thing is, my silkies live in a large bird cage at the moment. But little spoggies get into the cage. He will sit there all day staring at the spoggies making sure they dont hurt his silkies

 

[Ma Noob]

So here are the pics!!

This is the dad

this is the mums, the type on the left i have 5 of, and the one on the right is the only one i have like that. Not sure on breeds

And here are the babes. We have 7 yellows ranging from a very white yellow to ones with tinges or brown. A tiger stripe one and a gorgeous black chick.

 

[Ma Noob]

and here is my broody hen. In the milk crate on her eggs, I will change the box to something more practicle when they hatch, She is now sat on 11 eggs as she has booted 2 out, not sure on that one in front what she is doing with it.

 

[EM Squared Farms]

Quote:
Cool ! That will be fun to see your frizzle chickies grow up.

See you in the Who's hatching in Dec. 2011 thread !

That's when my eggs in the incubator are expected to hatch hopefully ! (bantam Ameraucanas & BB Red OEG bantams)

 

[EM Squared Farms]

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Hey!! Join my Dec. hatch thread!!

I need a hatch buddy!!

Hi, guess you beat me to it ! I was going to start the thread when Dec. 1st rolled around, but I'll look for yours and get on. Hopefully I'll have some chickie pics (or videos) to contribute !


Can you provide the link in case I have trouble finding it ?! Sometimes I can never find "specific threads" on here.

Thanks !

 

[EM Squared Farms]

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How many babies did you have in your first hatch (last time we talked, before just now) ? How old are they ?

Our Marans babies are already moved out into the outdoor Marans pen. They are growing up so fast, probably because they are LF birds. They were born in Sept.

Our boys can't wait to see Skooter's babies.

We are very excited to see our new Ameraucana chickies when they hatch. Maybe they will be a color no one has ever seen before !

 

[EM Squared Farms]

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That's Nov. & Dec. ! We'll see you in the "Who's hatching in Dec. 2011?" thread ?

 

[EM Squared Farms]

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Hey, thanks for the reference ! I don't know how I missed your post ! I like your new pic of your silkies !

Found all of your other pics too !

I have to ask....what is that grey pelleted stuff ? Is that a special kind of bedding?

I like the milk crate idea. I know a lot that use them as nest boxes.

Your chickens are cute ! I've never seen chickens like them before. I'll have to ask my chicken expert son what they are. He would know better than me.

You're done hatching eggs already ? We just started....still waiting on chickies to hatch. (soon)

We're having fun pairing off his many colored Ameraucanas. She lays almost every day so in just 2 weeks or so, we'll be done collecting eggs from one color pair combination and then pair off 2 more. We do have to keep in mind of the Fair at the end of Feb., where my younger son is showing my older son's 4 Ameraucana hens of standard color. He (my older one) was a little mad, because he was going to breed Baby (a wheaten colored Ameraucana) next. Maybe if the timeline works out just right, he'll have enough time to isolate her and whoever her mate will be (probably the other Wheaten rooster Majestic) and collect eggs from her before the Fair. Not sure how well she will lay being at the Fair for a week. All our chickens still laid eggs just fine last year.

Well, your Christmas dinner sounds delicious, especially with all the seafood ! Some people cook prime rib, turkey (again) or ham. Then the next big holiday meal is Easter (same - turkey or ham).

It's just a nice time to be invited somewhere to be with friends and family, and to reflect on everything to be thankful for. This Christmas craze is just so insane every year. Stores opening up at Midnight on Thanksgiving evening, or at 4am on Black Friday. We avoided the crowds. Did try and look for our favorite fresh cut Christmas tree, but will have to wait a few days for it to be shipped from Colorado (my husband likes the blue spruce, instead of the typical Frasier Firs). Do you get a fresh cut tree to decorate for Christmas ? Not sure if pine trees grow in Australia ? It's so much fun to have an international buddy on here !

 

[Ma Noob]

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You can get fresh trees here but not many people do it. They make a bit of a mess! We had one, one time, but they are a bit hard to come by where I live. Im guessing it would be a bit easier in the bigger cities. Australia has there own native pines, there are a few forests around the place, mainly for plantation puposes to use for wood products. We just use a fake one here. And you can get all sorts of colours, also ones with fake snow looking bits on there. Christmas lights are very popular, Our town has a competition every year. we also have our pagent coming up soon, all the schools and many buisnesses get involved. Its a good night. But we have christmas stocking and the usual christmas fair. I think thats one good thing with it being summer here for christmas, pretty much anything goes, so you get a great variety of hot, cold, seafood, all sorts really. Dont do turkey and ham for easter, Easter is very much all about seafood here, Prawns, oysters, fish, crayfish (lobsters). And of course being Aussies, there is always beer and wine

It is interesting hearing how other people celebrate the holiday season. Fresh trees must be wonderful, such a wonderful smell to them, as well as picking out your favourite. Are they very expensive?

Yes thats the end of our hatch for now. I do still have the broody to go, but because we are away for christmas, i dont want to go too overboard, because i need them looked after. 9 is enough babies for me at the moment! This hatching thing is stressful!!!

The pellet stuff that they are on is cat litter. Its called breeders choice this website is the american version http://www.breedercelect.com/ Its made from recycled paper/cardboard. Its nice and light and the chicks can walk on it well. Also it holds a bit of warmth in the pellets. Its absorbing the moist poo well. And its chemical free and all. Only prob is a few bits have got in the water and it turns into paper mush. But ive just put some paper towel down to stop that getting in there as much.

 

[Ma Noob]

And good news too!! The hen came home! She must have been hiding very very well in the backyard somewhere, I left the house gate open over night so she could get back in, and when i came out this morning they were all out in the backyard, including the missing hen