Wisconsin "Cheeseheads"

[Buck Creek Chickens]

Got my Sand hill in, 125 chicks. plus i sent one in for the 4-h kids, an assorted variety, i should have some happy 4-her's this spring, they have a hard time finding good birds in a small number.
Have you filled out my poll? its on if you use lights in winter, so far the results are very interesting https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=430601
I'm compleatly replacing one flock that why so many chicks, i don't like my white Ameracunas, every gen. is laying less than the last, starting later too.

 

[Hurley]

Water worked to free up one of the two eggs, it's clear, so was discarded. The other egg is still stuck solid. We'll see if it'll loosen up with more water. Doubt it's going to be a keeper, but I don't want it to break and make a mess of my incubator.

 

[cedar post]

What a nice day we had.

Wish it would thaw a bit to get the coop cleaned. We have had newfoundland dogs years back and my wife (love her sooo much) has been after getting another one the past year or so.

Well look at what she came home with late last eve.

I must reallly love this woman of mine. Mike

 

[Buck Creek Chickens]

cute, and i'm not a dog lover. but those fluffy huge ones, now that a great looking dog

as for a thaw, tue its hopefully going to be around 30

 

[bigzio]

Good evening All... busy day yesterday, and didn't get a chance to post. Thanks for sharing all the pics and stories. Who needs a good book?
That's a nice order of chicks BCC. I was gonna order some light brahamas from them, however I don't think they offer them any more. Hope the 4-H kids do well. I love to go to those County poultry shows. They are the most fun. Some of the judges really make the show a learning tool for the young enthusiast. Even old dogs can learn a thing or two!
Was wondering if your gonna be catching crappie or walleye Doc? I'm getting the itch to go too!
I usually go after Northerns and gills during the day. I thought I'd be doing alot of evening fishing once I had the time? Still time to make er happen, I guess.
Yep, I think the Pack is in for a real spankin tonight....would be nice to be wrong.

Be Safe, Go Pack.... ~ bigzio

 

[Hurley]

All snuggled up with the 5 month old on the poofy recliner browsing the forum. Fire lit for the evening, bliss.

My DH's parents were up today for Christmas and to see the boys. Thomas is in heaven with his new LeapFrog Leapster and a Toy Story 3 cartridge. He thinks he's really fancy, now.
Tyler got some little smidgey toys and he played with them as well.

This afternoon I chiseled out the coop and replaced with a nice thick layer of aspen shavings. Man, looks so snug in there now, I'd sleep there. Hope the fuzzy bums agree. Nothing like "fresh sheets".

Finally got the 2nd stuck egg freed up tonight, and like the other one, this one had a detached air cell and had leaked a little fluid that stuck it down. Still never found a crack. Discarded them both along with the 3 undeveloped Silkie eggs. Looks like I'm batting about 50% on the shipped eggs, which given the time of the year I'm pretty pleased with. Most of the Marans from my coop are fertile, not bad for the pullets' first eggs. The Ameraucana eggs from Wayne are showing 9 or 10 of 12 fertile...or at least 9 or 10 with dark areas and 2 that appear more clear/light. Hard to see well through those blue shells.

So at this time I'm left with 2 white silikies, 4 silkie bantam cochins, 2 black copper marans, 9 or 10 B/B/S ameraucanas, and 9 blue/cuckoo marans. We'll see how the rest of incubation goes. I pitched the first 5 eggs today and looks like I'll have another 5 or so to pitch, but not confident enough in my skills to crack them today.

 

[Buck Creek Chickens]

unless your eggs go bad they can stay in the 'bator till day 18 with out a problem, i all ways side on caution and leave any ? eggs in. better clear in the end than tossing a developing chick (i did that once)

 

[Hurley]

Yep, that's why the only 5 I threw out were 2 with detached air cells that were leaking, and 3 white silkie eggs that were obviously lacking in veins/embryos - 2 of which had huge air cells 25% the size of the eggs.

Cracked all 5, no sign of an embryo or "bullseye" white dot on the yolk. The Marans and Ameraucanas thqat look clear are still in the bator, just marked.


I'm just tickled to see so many that appear to be developing!

 

[Hens and Roos]

Nice day today, mid-morning we cleaned the snow out of the outside runs and the snow off the cover for the runs and then made all the chickens go outside while we cleaned out the runs inside the coop-so within a short bit they all had new bedding to be in. A couple of the Blue Andalusian hens were taking shaving baths!

Cute pup there-looks like it will be a big one!

Spent the rest of the day baking, we made up a couple different batches of chex mix, muddy buddies, s'more bars, melted colored choc. disks for molds and just waiting for the carmel corn to finish. Also made 2 batches of egg nog-1 leaded and 1 unleaded. DH was the only one to drink the leaded and the kids and I will have the other.

Haven't candled the eggs yet for the NY hatch, maybe tonight if we have time yet.

 

[Terri O]

Good evening! THere sure must be a lot of "fresh sheets" in the coops around WI! Mine got fresh too....along with the foster pups in the basement room, the finches and the parrots!c All happy here! Just waiting for the scalloped tomatoes to heat thru and then we will have our supper. Watching the Pack I guess.

Dogs are wrestling in the kitchen...I will post pics after dinner. Right now I better get that roast sliced! Happy Packy...back after the game! Terri O