YO GEORGIANS! :)

[livhatcher]

Hey All,

Been awhile since I posted. Been very busy dealing with family and settling in more at our home.

No more chickens have died since the one! I just started getting eggs last week. I'm wondering if it could be possible that I was sent younger chickens than I paid for? I paid for the 15-22 week old pullets Orpingtons from McMurray. I only have one hen laying right now. We don't know for sure which one it is but we think maybe it's the bigger one because she seems older than the others. It's exciting getting an egg everyday. After one week of laying we have six eggs so that's great. The shells are strong and she's laying where she needs to lay.

I'm also ready to add to the flock to replace the one that died. Not sure how to do that in the best way. I want to add 2-3 hens, since I learned laws are lax out here for chickens so I wanted 5 or 6 chickens total. I think I want to stick to Orpingtons but I want them to be around the age of laying like mine are. I don't mind switching to a different breed. I just want them to be hardy and quiet like my orps.

Well, if you'd like to stay with Orps, there are tons of options in GA if you don't want to go the hatchery route again. I also like Isbars, Polish & Marans. They are all behaving themselves here. Interestingly, my crele Orp (from @brucifer ) pullet is the noisiest, but probably because she's waddling behind the rest of them trying to catch up! The big question would be whether you care what age pullet you add to your flock. If it were me, I'd probably introduce a couple together instead of just one. I have found that the Marans & Orp that came together functioned as a team so they then got absorbed by my other ladies as a team. It seemed to reduce any intimidation in sorting out the pecking order.

 

[brucifer]

Hey All,

Been awhile since I posted. Been very busy dealing with family and settling in more at our home.

No more chickens have died since the one! I just started getting eggs last week. I'm wondering if it could be possible that I was sent younger chickens than I paid for? I paid for the 15-22 week old pullets Orpingtons from McMurray. I only have one hen laying right now. We don't know for sure which one it is but we think maybe it's the bigger one because she seems older than the others. It's exciting getting an egg everyday. After one week of laying we have six eggs so that's great. The shells are strong and she's laying where she needs to lay.

I'm also ready to add to the flock to replace the one that died. Not sure how to do that in the best way. I want to add 2-3 hens, since I learned laws are lax out here for chickens so I wanted 5 or 6 chickens total. I think I want to stick to Orpingtons but I want them to be around the age of laying like mine are. I don't mind switching to a different breed. I just want them to be hardy and quiet like my orps.

Hi! Welcome back! I checked craislist this morning and did a search for "buff orpington", and there are a few folks out there who are selling older pullets. The ad in Morrow, GA looks promising, but you have to do the reply through craigslist:

I may be able to help you if that doesn't work out for you. Best of luck!

Feeling kind of down this morning. I have these two bators going... one (the mini) with 7 white polish have nice wiggly day 7 black spots and spider webbing. The other (and the only one I had used prior) one, the eggs have nice spider webby blood vessels, but the black spots are much smaller and there is no wiggling. I don't know if I'm viewing them before they turn into blood rings or are just quitters or I'm being impatient. I'm nervous bc I've had good hatches in the maxi. The development just either seems behind or maybe I'm just paranoid. Ideas?

In my last hatch I had two or three CCL eggs that I though were duds, but I left them in the bator. To my pleasant surprise, a couple of them hatched! Instead of stressing, only remove the eggs that you're absolutely certain are duds. For the first candling (day 7), I just remove clears and eggs that I'm positive are dead. After that, I just run with it. I usually don't remove many eggs on the second candling (day 14) except for obvious quitters. You're supposed to be having fun, so try not to stress. Enjoy our great hobby!

 

[livhatcher]

In my last hatch I had two or three CCL eggs that I though were duds, but I left them in the bator. To my pleasant surprise, a couple of them hatched! Instead of stressing, only remove the eggs that you're absolutely certain are duds. For the first candling (day 7), I just remove clears and eggs that I'm positive are dead. After that, I just run with it. I usually don't remove many eggs on the second candling (day 14) except for obvious quitters. You're supposed to be having fun, so try not to stress. Enjoy our great hobby!

I know...the problem is that hatching is like childbirth to me...I have selective amnesia about what went right & what went wrong. The eggs in the mini are so wiggly and vigorous. They have lost an avg 4% of their weight since starting. The ones in the maxi have lost an avg of 2%...do you think that means they are just behind? Temp too low and slowing? I never had a side by side to compare with, so this is new. *breathing into a paper bag* I just want them all to grow & be happy hatchers. It's tough.

 

[Flowerbh]

Feeling kind of down this morning. I have these two bators going... one (the mini) with 7 white polish have nice wiggly day 7 black spots and spider webbing. The other (and the only one I had used prior) one, the eggs have nice spider webby blood vessels, but the black spots are much smaller and there is no wiggling. I don't know if I'm viewing them before they turn into blood rings or are just quitters or I'm being impatient. I'm nervous bc I've had good hatches in the maxi. The development just either seems behind or maybe I'm just paranoid. Ideas?

As long as you see the veins, you're good!

 

[livhatcher]

As long as you see the veins, you're good!

thank you, Flower. That is what I needed to hear. I almost cried myself to sleep last night.

 

[brucifer]

I know...the problem is that hatching is like childbirth to me...I have selective amnesia about what went right & what went wrong. The eggs in the mini are so wiggly and vigorous. They have lost an avg 4% of their weight since starting. The ones in the maxi have lost an avg of 2%...do you think that means they are just behind? Temp too low and slowing? I never had a side by side to compare with, so this is new. *breathing into a paper bag* I just want them all to grow & be happy hatchers. It's tough.

I'll admit, I'm more into raising 'em than hatching 'em. If I could get all the selective breeding accomplished without ever hatching another egg, I would do it in a heartbeat. That being said, Lisa loves to hatch. She wants a cabinet incubator in the worst kind of way. I told her she has a grab-bag or surprise mentality in the sense that she eagerly craves the surprise of what each chick looks likes as they hatch. I like that too, but I am more interested in seeing how the chicks develop. Maybe that's what makes us a good team because we each aren't focused on the same thing. However, during hatches, I'm the one who does all of the daily logging. I like doing that kind of thing. Anyway, what Lisa and I do have in common is that we love chickens! So at the end of the day, it's all good.
Well, I have more fence to run. Have a good one...

 

[missy1971]

Well I'm pretty sure my Lulu is about to start laying. She just started with her going into a crouch and letting me pick her up...whatever that's called. And she sticks her butt in the air when I scratch it I can see her vent contracting..lol ...aren't those signs she is getting ready to lay?

 

[AfroChickens]

Ironically, I got two eggs today.

Congrats on the eggs! It's so fun getting those first eggs! Look at your chickens, the one laying the eggs should be 'red faced'. Another words, her comb and wattles will be really red and developed. And when you go to pick her up she will squat. Chickens mature at different times (like people!) so some may take longer.

I never knew why one chicken was squatting when I came in the coop each day. Today, I walked in and notice two squatted. That's when I found two eggs in the nesting box. It is sooo exciting getting those eggs.

I like variety, so my chickens are all different! All 72 of them! I can tell them apart and I love all the different colored eggs!
View attachment 1037601

Those are some pretty eggs!

If you like orp then look into Bramhas because they are sweet too

That would be a good option.

Well, if you'd like to stay with Orps, there are tons of options in GA if you don't want to go the hatchery route again. I also like Isbars, Polish & Marans. They are all behaving themselves here. Interestingly, my crele Orp (from @brucifer ) pullet is the noisiest, but probably because she's waddling behind the rest of them trying to catch up! The big question would be whether you care what age pullet you add to your flock. If it were me, I'd probably introduce a couple together instead of just one. I have found that the Marans & Orp that came together functioned as a team so they then got absorbed by my other ladies as a team. It seemed to reduce any intimidation in sorting out the pecking order.

My girls are bossy so I def don't want a hen to go in alone against the trio lol

Hi! Welcome back! I checked craislist this morning and did a search for "buff orpington", and there are a few folks out there who are selling older pullets. The ad in Morrow, GA looks promising, but you have to do the reply through craigslist:
View attachment 1037733
I may be able to help you if that doesn't work out for you. Best of luck!

In my last hatch I had two or three CCL eggs that I though were duds, but I left them in the bator. To my pleasant surprise, a couple of them hatched! Instead of stressing, only remove the eggs that you're absolutely certain are duds. For the first candling (day 7), I just remove clears and eggs that I'm positive are dead. After that, I just run with it. I usually don't remove many eggs on the second candling (day 14) except for obvious quitters. You're supposed to be having fun, so try not to stress. Enjoy our great hobby!

Sounds awesome! Morrow is about ten minutes from where I stay in.

 

[AfroChickens]

I am a little too young to make the technical errors that I have made with this website. I somehow replied within a quote. Haha

 

[missy1971]

Ironically, I got two eggs today.


Those are some pretty eggs!



That would be a good option.



My girls are bossy so I def don't want a hen to go in alone against the trio lol



Sounds awesome! Morrow is about ten minutes from where I stay in.

@AfroChickens girl I been wondering where you've been...glad to see ya!