Wisconsin "Cheeseheads"

[momgille]

Okay so I picked up my 7 turkey eggs (6 plus a just in case egg). We moved cluckie into the smaller coop. She is pretty well freaked and wants to return back to the big coop and nest box. I closed it up ( the Maternity coop) it was already almost 6:00 and set her in the nest box with an infertile chicken egg for now. I hope she calms down! She was pretty upset being moved from her already picked out box in the big coop and just having a royal clucking hissy fit. I will open the door of the coop tomorrow it has a small run maybe 3x4' and she can still if on tippy toes see the other ladies. How long will it take her to acclimate? The turkey eggs should be good for 6-10 days at room temp?
Jim this is all your fault lol you said get a half dozen turkey eggs

Thanks for any other helpful advice...

 

[wildsam]

yah, it's a pitch when they catch up to , and then pass you with their knowledge ..

I just set 48 guinea eggs for Jim P..  well, at least I had some space in the bator for a couple of hours..

.....jiminwisc..................

Jim, just another stupid question:
With all those different types of millions of eggs you're setting (sure sounds like it), do you always have the same temp and humidity setting for all eggs or do you have certain bators at different levels?

 

[Sclark73]

Well of the 71 eggs set 63 are in lockdown with 3 externally pipped and at least a dozen internally. Have all the brooders cleaned and ready for their arrival. This hatch will be nice as most of them are already sold, but I can keep up with the orders. Another day gone and monsters still aren't hooked up and running. Im setting tomorrow for the goal. I got yet another call tonight for chicks but told them they are going to have to decide on a number and let me know as I don't have any prod. Chicks that aren't already spoken for. All the more reason the barked need to be running. The birds seem to be liking the weather and from what I can tell all my blrw are laying and most from the other coops finally. I was lucky to get 6 blrw a week and now getting 5 a day. I still have 3 day olds I didn't sell and one a few weeks old that is feathering in blue laced, a SS and a EE. I sold the bator today to a menonite couple, they will call in the next few days to pick up after they find a truck to haul.

 

[jvls1942]

Quote: no such thing as a stupid question, I just hope I don't give a stupid answer..

YES, and YES..

I keep the two incubators at 99.5*F or as close as I can to it.. the humidity in one is 53%, the humidity in the other is between 40% and 45%.. I was lowering the humidity in the 53% one, but that is as low as I can get it.. It is the one where all the chicks are hatching from right now, and they are hatching good, so I am going to let it be for now.. I have a wide pan for water in there,, I can't get behind the unit to open any more vents, so that is how it will stay until I cover part of the pan with aluminum foil..

the hatcher is at 99.5*F and 62% humidity right now.. it was only 57% but with chicks hatching, it went up.. I had 4 chicks hatch since 6 PM and they are drying off nicely, so I am good with that, also..

I am treating the guinea eggs the same as the chicken eggs..

the only eggs that I like more humidity for are goose eggs. but I gave away all the goose eggs this year.. I don't need any more geese, and their eggs are too difficult to get good hatch rates .
maybe in the future I will attempt goose eggs again.. but the geese always do a much better job than I do..
except the one goose I have this year.. It is her first year for laying, and she has started and quit 3 nests already.. as far as we know, she has laid 10 eggs.. I suspect she has another nest somewhere in the brush ..

 

[jvls1942]

Well of the 71 eggs set 63 are in lockdown with 3 externally pipped and at least a dozen internally. Have all the brooders cleaned and ready for their arrival. This hatch will be nice as most of them are already sold, but I can keep up with the orders. Another day gone and monsters still aren't hooked up and running. Im setting tomorrow for the goal. I got yet another call tonight for chicks but told them they are going to have to decide on a number and let me know as I don't have any prod. Chicks that aren't already spoken for. All the more reason the barked need to be running. The birds seem to be liking the weather and from what I can tell all my blrw are laying and most from the other coops finally. I was lucky to get 6 blrw a week and now getting 5 a day. I still have 3 day olds I didn't sell and one a few weeks old that is feathering in blue laced, a SS and a EE. I sold the bator today to a menonite couple, they will call in the next few days to pick up after they find a truck to haul.

what is the Amish guy going to use for turning trays ? for heat ?

 

[momgille]

what is the Amish guy going to use for turning trays ? for heat ?

Good question, maybe they are Mennonite?

 

[Sclark73]

what is the Amish guy going to use for turning trays ? for heat ?  

They aren't Amish, menonite, they can use power and drive. I give him an idea to use dowels hooked to the rod to roll the eggs by pushing and pulling from the outside. His brothers are cabinet makers and carpenters. He has an old smaller cabinet bator that works in the similar matter so he will have something to use for a pattern.

 

[Sclark73]

The Amish families just want me to hatch for them in mass qualities of 300 or more at a time. Alot are asking for Cornish cross so I may have to look into them. I've never raised them before but if it will be profitable for me I'll try anything. Im sure it was Amish who called tonight as they wanted me to ship chicks to Medford, I told them I'd just drive there to deliver for gas as im sure it would be cheaper.

 

[Bigfamily4me]

Big news... I may have 2 chocolate Orpington babies.

I didn't think any should be hatching yet, but there were two chicks in with Ganache this evening. I can't be sure since the birds all play musical nesting boxes but I looked up what chocolate orp babies should look like and they do look like them. BUT... Deli correct me if I'm wrong, but one has a dot on it's head. That usually means male, but I didn't think chocolate orps had that in their chicks? (The white dot on head that is)

 

[chikenscratch]

Well, the shopping excursion went well. DD13 selected a bunch of clothes as did I and we left with a few for each of us plus a purse. They are all new to us, but recycled...my favorite kind! We stopped at La Michoacana (a mexican ice cream shoppe) for a treat. Little did I know that G.Pa made tacos for dinner (which I just finished-late dinner).

Chicks are getting bigger and are more feathered. They are still sleeping under momma though, so still not feathered enough I guess. Good news is that they can reach the waterer and food so I don't have to use the ones specifically for the chicks. I bought those when I had chicks in the basement and still use it for them when small until I've seen them all using the regular versions.

Theo is doing really well with the leash now and isn't mouthing it all of the time or fighting it much. He has a vet appointment Saturday for vaccines. I can't wait to see how much he has gained. I swear he has doubled in size from when we got him from Jim. Also, he is doing much better with recognizing valid things to bark at versus random critter/house/neighborhood noises. We don't hear him too much now.

bl4-job search results????? sod garden progress????

Jim- you are gonna be swarming in chicks soon.

Delisha-just let me know if you have 5 blk orps

raimel- good to have you back