This was originally posted June 2017
This post is basically an update/diary entry type thing. A lot has been going on in the past few weeks and I thought I'd just write it all out.
First we hatched out some eggs in the incubator. We've not been having great success with hatching since buying the incubator with the turner. We hatched out 9 chicks after I separated my Barred Rocks. 4 Black Copper Marans hatched, one died. 3 Barred Rocks, and 2 Chantecler mixed Barred Rock crosses. And something else I can't remember. I sold 3, keeping 2 BCM, 2 BR, 1 Chantecler cross. I also traded one BR for a frizzled Chantecler mix. Realizing both BCMs I kept were males and one BR, I gave away one BCM and the BR. So now I have 4 9 week old chicks out in the big coop with the big girls. One of my Silver Laced Wyandottes raised them for me. I'm just now getting them to stop sleeping in the nest boxes. Had to put blockers up.
Second, My other Silver Laced Wyandotte hatched some eggs out for my sister in law. She did a great job but didn't want to leave the nest during incubation. She had to be chased off and was not eating much or drinking and was actually pooping in the nest. Which, I obviously bad for the eggs. When the chicks were taken I felt so bad for her. I started looking for a couple chicks to give her. I had someone contact me about an order they were doing but the chicks wouldn't be here until the 15th. So unfortunately I didn't have any chicks to give her. It took her a few days to get over it, but she's fine now.
Which brings me to number 3, we set another hatch and tried a dry hatch. The humidity was too low at lockdown on only one chick survived. Thankfully, I did take the lady up on her offer of ordering chicks. And they're doing tomorrow. Im super excited and now my lonely hatchling won't be alone. My first Silver Laced Wyandotte became broody again 2 days ago and she will be getting all 5 of the chicks. Sorry, back to the chicks... So I've got a small order of chicks coming tomorrow. These chicks were ordered right from Murray McMurray Hatchery in the US. And I could order anything that was available for hatch this past week. Exciting, right!? I've got a Ameraucana/Araucana mix, and Andalusian, a blue Cochin, and a Lakenvelder. Eeek! The chicks were delivered to the border 2 days ago and will be transported from New Brunswick to Nova Scotia tomorrow morning and I will pick them up in town tomorrow evening. Oh gosh, I'm so excited.
And finally, I bought some BCM hatching eggs from my he guy who I bought my first eggs from, who is working with the guy who I bought my hens from. We're on day 12 of incubation, and the they're in the old incubator that I bought a new wafer thermostat for and we are hand turning them this time. Yesterday I took half of what was left after candling and transported them to my sister in laws place to put in her incubator. I'm hoping between all of us, we can finally get some Marans eggs hatched.
This is Cleopatra
Comments