World Egg Day Hatchalong!(October 12, 2012 is World Egg Day!)

[Chucklecluck]

Best of luck to both of you, hope you're hatches are a success and you have many fluffy butt pics to share

 

[cindersga]

OMG, I'm half a century old, with arthritis, and I'm going so dang slowly! I plan on 3 coops. Working on the first, which has odd connections that could allow predators through, and up against a corner, making reaching spots a bit hard. But basically, I've got 4 of those prefab concrete foundation thingies with 2' posts on each for the foundation, then I'm building a regular box coop on top that is 4' X 6'. It will have one short side that swings open to the garden, where I can shovel material in or out, the vegie garden is behind a retaining wall, so the floor is just above that height with the doors able to swing out. On the other end is another set of doors (and a roof overhang in case it rains) where the roost will run across. This will allow me to check the birds at night when they should all be quietly sitting there. Plus the roost will have different material (sand) and it will give me access for cleaning there. In the front, facing what will be the run, is a lot of ventilation and the door out for the birds plus the nesting boxes taking up the other side of the wall from the roosts. So if you're looking at the front, to the left are nesting boxes poking out in the standard way (3) and then a door with ramp off center to the right, then a blank wall where the roost is. Above that is a very large vent across the whole structure. It's the high point of the roof, and the slopes down to the back. I plan on using DLM (deep litter method)

The next coop will be very similar and for my seramas. It will be 4X8 at first, with the difference in that it will be split into two coops, as I want to try my hand at breeding them, and each end will open to the roost, with the back side opening up to the rest for cleaning, the front would have the nesting boxes and doors to the run.

Finally, the third one will be next to the old swing set. It'll be very different because it will be for my Sultans. I'll clean out the swings n stuff from the swing set and use the structure for a run, and attach the 2-foor coop to the area somehow. I don't have it worked out yet. It's my last structure.

My brother dumped a bunch of plywood in our front yard after work, so now I have a lot of material, it's just a matter of getting this old body to do the work! Ugh!

It sounds like to me for being a half a century old you are doing mighty fine girly! Next year 60 for me and I have arthritis too but...I have a wonderful hubs who can build anything and he does it for me. I'm very lucky. Wish I could build. You GO!

 

[cluck-cluck]

My 79 year old mother can work circles around me, LOL. I think I got defective parts, and was wondering if I could sue my creator for defective knees? LOL They shouldn't be like this at only 50! LOL. I think it's because I was always so limber, now those shallow joints are all worn out

Ugh! Just got back from my saturday class, now have to work gain At least it's very nice today

 

[cochins1088]

hahaha, I just got back from my Saturday class. You'll have to post pictures of the coop once it's done.

 

[Aschenfire]

Well, I had nothing when I got home, so I decided to gently pip the ends of the eggs... 7 of 8 were dead. Most looked like they quit at day 18/19...I have no idea what I am doing wrong at that point, since I HAVE had a good hatch before this! I have one which is in there working on it..I did pip a tiny hole in the end of the egg so at least that little one is getting air. If it has made no progress in a couple hours, I'll take the end of the shell off for it.

 

[cindersga]

My 79 year old mother can work circles around me, LOL. I think I got defective parts, and was wondering if I could sue my creator for defective knees? LOL They shouldn't be like this at only 50! LOL. I think it's because I was always so limber, now those shallow joints are all worn out

Ugh! Just got back from my saturday class, now have to work gain At least it's very nice today

Yeah I got all the bad parts of my dad with his health issues. I work hard but I pay for it and pain is a daily thing. Yes it is a very nice day here in GA too. Tomorrow is going to be 68 which is the coolest during the day that it has been. Played with my chicks today and tried to take some more photos but those little buggers are fast and won't hold still.

 

[cindersga]

Well, I had nothing when I got home, so I decided to gently pip the ends of the eggs... 7 of 8 were dead. Most looked like they quit at day 18/19...I have no idea what I am doing wrong at that point, since I HAVE had a good hatch before this! I have one which is in there working on it..I did pip a tiny hole in the end of the egg so at least that little one is getting air. If it has made no progress in a couple hours, I'll take the end of the shell off for it.

Sorry that you lost almost all your chicks. I hope this last one makes it for you.

 

[Aschenfire]

I have more which are due Friday... just kind of done with hatching mentally now though
Hopefully more of the remaining ones will hatch to keep this little one company

Watching this one...it is trying really hard to hatch, so at least it looks nice and strong. Pullet thoughts, everyone!

 

[cluck-cluck]

hahaha, I just got back from my Saturday class. You'll have to post pictures of the coop once it's done.

I will! It is nothing special, but despite using recycled materials, I'm still trying to make it look ok, and mostly be strong and last!

Well, I had nothing when I got home, so I decided to gently pip the ends of the eggs... 7 of 8 were dead. Most looked like they quit at day 18/19...I have no idea what I am doing wrong at that point, since I HAVE had a good hatch before this! I have one which is in there working on it..I did pip a tiny hole in the end of the egg so at least that little one is getting air. If it has made no progress in a couple hours, I'll take the end of the shell off for it.

Oh shoot! How can that happen so late in the game, I keep wondering? Geepers!

Yeah I got all the bad parts of my dad with his health issues. I work hard but I pay for it and pain is a daily thing. Yes it is a very nice day here in GA too. Tomorrow is going to be 68 which is the coolest during the day that it has been. Played with my chicks today and tried to take some more photos but those little buggers are fast and won't hold still.

LOL, I got the bad personality traits from both sides

But you know, all those "bad" traits are an awful lot of fun

I have more which are due Friday... just kind of done with hatching mentally now though
Hopefully more of the remaining ones will hatch to keep this little one company

Watching this one...it is trying really hard to hatch, so at least it looks nice and strong. Pullet thoughts, everyone!

Definitely will do that for you!

 

[Aschenfire]

I just removed more of the shell of the egg since this little one looked like it was in there backwards..no. what looked like a wide rear end was wide shoulders...It must have had it's head tucked between its thighs instead of under its wing. Once more shell was gone, it straightened up and was panting like crazy. I've no doubt that this one might have died too, if I'd let it hatch on it's own

It is still inside the bottom half of the shell, in case it still needs to absorb yolk, and it looks *mostly* white with a yellow beak We'll see what color it ends up