Wisconsin "Cheeseheads"

[CasieD]

Hurley, your hatch looks like it's going great!!

My count currently:

10 SFH
3 BCM
1 W/BW Ameraucana
1 Salmon Faverolle

 

[delisha]

So English orp or barred rock? Any distinguishing Marks? Right now still wet, looks black with little white on wings and darker legs... Love a variety!

I am not sure..I would need to see the egg. If it is a light beige with a rose hue it is a Bar..if it is almond color with a rose hue it is an Orpington. At hatch they all look the same to me. Yellow and Dark...lol...I need a few days to observe than I can tell what chick belong to what hen. Usually by the feet. If it has a few white toe nails it is an Orp. This will be hard for me to tell on a splash orp..the orps are huge chicks. They are the same size as my heavys. Huge fat baby's.

Hello to everyone!! Glad to hear about all the hatching happening!

We just got home from a couple of days in the Dells. Wednesday night DH & I were without the kids and stayed at the casino hotel. Enjoyed a nice adult kind of day together. My mom kept the kids for the day with her in Nekoosa, then we picked them up on Thursday and did all the fun kids stuff there. Tanger mall, build-a-bear, Buffalo Phil's, swimming, Knucklehead's and Moosejaw's . Took the kids to see The Croods in 3D too, cute movie, but great popcorn!
It's our 10th anniversary today so this was our couple of days of celebrating and having fun for spring break. '

Checked on the eggs when we got home and I've got chicks popping out!! They were due to hatch today, but I'm not sure exactly when they started because we weren't home. So far I can see 3 BCM, 1 W/BW Ameraucana, and a bunch of SFH. It's much harder to see what's going on when hatching in the bottom tray of the cabinet incubator. Looking through the window with a flashlight trying to see what I can for now. The brooder is all set up and ready and I'm going to start a batch of FF for the chicks too. First time trying the FF and am hoping it improves the health of the SFH. They are known to have some issues and I give them vitamins in their water to help with that also.

Happy Anniversary!

I did some research with a friend who has and raises SFH. Since they grow up in the mountains, they need extra selenium and more meat than other birds. They have a resistance to iron that our birds here in the states do not. It seems they do best on a diet of all natural. Meats, plants, grains, and free range. They seem to think all the added stuff in bagged feed is hard on them. I do not have them so I have no idea. She ferments organic grains and gives meat and eggs. Her nic on here is Bulldogma

What a lovely day today. The flock was out and enjoying the weather and got to free range for the first time in a long time.

The boys spent most of the day outside, running in and out to the deck where I drew them some chalk railroad tracks. That kept them entertained for half the day, then we added some signs and water puddles and various other drawings, it was a hit.

Old rooster got nominated for my plan to try out Coq au Vin in some shape or form tomorrow, so he's plucked, cleaned, and soaking in a brine in the fridge at the moment.

Easter hatch is progressing. Out so far:

11 "Iowacana" easter eggers (Lav Am Bantam x Iowa Blue)
7 Iowa Blues
3 Silver Sussex
7 Olive Eggers
1 Lavender Am (LF)
2 Marans (1 black, 1 blue)

We'll see what I have by tomorrow.

Let me know how your Coq au Vin turns out..
Do you use bacon?

I have a few left to hatch tomorrow..long day today..I am pooped

 

[judge]

Well - I am sitting here bawling my eyes out. I knew something was wrong, so I candled the eggs. I pulled 16 of the 24. When I cracked them open it looked like 3 of them had maybe started, but the rest were just yolk. Nothing smelled bad- just warm yolks. I left in 8 that I couldn't be 100% sure on, but two of them are Ameraucana eggs, and I can't see in them. I am so upset. Like snot running down my face upset. I don't know what went wrong? I don't know what to tell the kids... No chicks for Easter, and they had been so looking forward to it. I don't know....

 

[irishrovr]

Well - I am sitting here bawling my eyes out. I knew something was wrong, so I candled the eggs. I pulled 16 of the 24. When I cracked them open it looked like 3 of them had maybe started, but the rest were just yolk. Nothing smelled bad- just warm yolks. I left in 8 that I couldn't be 100% sure on, but two of them are Ameraucana eggs, and I can't see in them. I am so upset. Like snot running down my face upset. I don't know what went wrong? I don't know what to tell the kids... No chicks for Easter, and they had been so looking forward to it. I don't know....

Oh! So very sorry!!!

 

[dcba flock]

Well - I am sitting here bawling my eyes out. I knew something was wrong, so I candled the eggs. I pulled 16 of the 24. When I cracked them open it looked like 3 of them had maybe started, but the rest were just yolk. Nothing smelled bad- just warm yolks. I left in 8 that I couldn't be 100% sure on, but two of them are Ameraucana eggs, and I can't see in them. I am so upset. Like snot running down my face upset. I don't know what went wrong? I don't know what to tell the kids... No chicks for Easter, and they had been so looking forward to it. I don't know....

Such a bummer, sorry

 

[CasieD]

Quote: Thanks for the tips on the SFH!

 

[delisha]

Well - I am sitting here bawling my eyes out. I knew something was wrong, so I candled the eggs. I pulled 16 of the 24. When I cracked them open it looked like 3 of them had maybe started, but the rest were just yolk. Nothing smelled bad- just warm yolks. I left in 8 that I couldn't be 100% sure on, but two of them are Ameraucana eggs, and I can't see in them. I am so upset. Like snot running down my face upset. I don't know what went wrong? I don't know what to tell the kids... No chicks for Easter, and they had been so looking forward to it. I don't know....

I am sorry..

You need a good light for candling. You can tell and watch the eggs develop. Unless I see the eggs and do egg-autopsy's I would not be able to help you find the reason why. Early death happens for a few reasons. No development at all points to infertile eggs. I am so sorry you are so upset. Some eggs are simply not destined to hatch and it is nothing you have done wrong. You have eggs in the incubator. It will be OK..you just might have to do it again is all. It happens to all of us. Even children need to learn that sometimes things happen and you have to redo it.

 

[Amyable]

Well - I am sitting here bawling my eyes out. I knew something was wrong, so I candled the eggs. I pulled 16 of the 24. When I cracked them open it looked like 3 of them had maybe started, but the rest were just yolk. Nothing smelled bad- just warm yolks. I left in 8 that I couldn't be 100% sure on, but two of them are Ameraucana eggs, and I can't see in them. I am so upset. Like snot running down my face upset. I don't know what went wrong? I don't know what to tell the kids... No chicks for Easter, and they had been so looking forward to it. I don't know....

Sorry hun. I'm right there with ya, no chicks this time around either. My therm was totally wonky. No development at all does sound like non-fertiles. I had half my batch like that. And the rest I just cooked into oblivion. We cry, feel bad, and then try again. If others can have great hatches, so can we!

 

[babylady4]

Oh Judge, I am so sorry...

Thanks for all of your support everyone..... I will have so much to discuss at the bash!!!

Happy Easter everyone! The crew is headed over here tomorrow, and I have to work a half day in the early morning..... Maybe I will be able to get a nap in......

 

[kristip]

Judge....hugs...wish you were closer, we could share...


18 out currently and only concerned about one. Took him a long time to get out and he now has a sticky hardish coating on him. Tried rinsing in warm water, but don't know I helped much.

Well after a migraine day and going to bed at 9:30 because of that, it is now 1:30 and I am awake..ok chick excitement might be helping that.
Off to my evil sisters for Easter dinner with a quick stop at Terri to drop off my ss roo. Terri...don't be offended if my dh is a bit standoffish. He is awkward around new people. Ad he is not looking forward to going to my sisters so that should put him in a lovely mood. Sigh. Oh we'll, Sunday should be relaxing with just my in laws and my mil will want to play with the chicks as much as we do.