****Winter**** Chicken Moma chat thread. Join in the chat!

[3lilbubs]

Woo hoo! You're gonna love em! Such a thrill waiting to find out what color eggs they lay!

[Nielsen6]

Okay,.so really quick. I have a baby that pipped in the wrong end. She has been in the same position for about 6+ hours and has made a little progress but she is all bunched up that she can't get to the shell now. Should I assist?

[sarahannecloud9]

Originally Posted by vjbakke I should have added that we only have room for 9 ( max) hens. I know if they all went we would have some time with getting no eggs. There's no other coop for new birds, so the ones we have now would have to be gone by the time the new chicks could go in the coop. I am thinking now that next year maybe the year we replace them. Then the older girls will be 2 and 3 yrs old. Are birds that old still good for eating? Or just stew hens? I don't know if we could sell the EE's. We live in town and could be seen as outlaws . I have read that Australorps are great layers? I do like the RSL, not to fond of the temperament of Rhode island reds. I like the idea of getting a few of the ones I listed, and more RSL. I love a diverse flock but we also want lots of eggs as well. I know we can't do it this year, have to do some planning for next year. I know DH would have no problem butchering them, and I need to face the reality of it. Thanks

Australorps ROCK! Great layers of big eggs, friendly, kind, soalfull eyes, just great birds!

Originally Posted by 3lilbubs The egg song can't be stopped, I don't mind the girls doing it but my roo gets going and he has such a shrill shriek that I just want to knock his block off when he's been going on for 10 minutes or more. LOL I have heard people say that bushes or trees around the coop provide a good sound-break for the racket. Sarah my girls do that, I think they just want to remind all the other girls that they have dibs on the favorite box too, and sometimes it may be their "day off" but they see someone else's egg and decide they need to sit. Sometimes they sing for another girl. I don't think you need to worry. Good, was really wondering what was up, haha! So I set the eggs! Batch #3. Dh's a little pissed off at me because of how many there are. I cannot explain to the man that the liklihood they'll all hatch is so incredibly slim it's practically not even possible. Probably half if all goes well. Then half will be boys and will need culling. I know right! I dropped one, a mottled egg. So ticked off at myself over that. My luck it'll be the only one that had any hope. *sigh*. I got some really gorgeous eggs in the mail this time, they look so much better and I feel good about this hatch so we'll see. I set 6 mottled Ameraucanas, 12 lavendar Ameraucanas, 12 blue/lav/black/wheaten mixed Ameraucanas and 2 mixes from my flock, a EE/red partridge rock and a EE/brahma. I wanted to put more of mine in but they wouldn't fit! LOL Not really sure what I'm going to get from that last batch of Ameraucanas but holy cow are they a gorgeous aqua blue! Such little darlings too, the new babies are so heartbreakingly sweet. check out the color of the upper right corner egg! I hope it hatches!!

So sorry you dropped the one. I bet you'll have a great hatch though!!!! Congrats!

Originally Posted by nrsenadenos So I've not been on DS in awhile, but wanted to pop back on. I have 4 easter egger chicks arriving on the 22nd!

Woohoo! Congrats Moma!

Originally Posted by Nielsen6 Okay,.so really quick. I have a baby that pipped in the wrong end. She has been in the same position for about 6+ hours and has made a little progress but she is all bunched up that she can't get to the shell now. Should I assist?

I say check her out, just imho. I have really BAD luck with those chicks. No room to grow or rotate. I had one that was stuck in the tip and sevearly malformed! Just horrible outcomes. I found they won't do it alone. it's all in your timimg. Don't get your hope sup. Just if you assist, do a small spot, watch for bleeding, keep airway clear, let rest, try a tad more. You may need to keep the membrain moist so it doesn't stick. There won't be a pocket or air to help dry out the vascular system. I'll say a little prayer for you!

[Nielsen6]

11 babies hatched and 1 more thay hasn't pipped yet. They are soooo freakin cute!!

[3lilbubs]

Fodie I had one like that in my first hatch. She was so weak and swollen that even after I did assist her she died. It breaks your heart, but I wouldn't assist in that situation again especially in the middle of a hatch because it could compromise the rest of the babies if you're already struggling to keep humidity.

[Nielsen6]

She was the last to hatch, I did assist and she doing wonderfully! She was all cadiwaumpus in there, no way she would have been able to make it out herself. There is one more egg in there, but I'm not sure it will hatch. No pip or movement.

[3lilbubs]

Glad she made it! That's quite a feat, you know. Most of them don't if they require help. Now pics, woman!!! LOL

[sarahannecloud9]

Aw, congrats! I'm so happy she made it! Good job girl! PICS!!!!

[Melmonkey]

Awesome on the hatching assist, I am so glad she made it! Yes, I second the pics!

Here are the first batch of eggs I have pulled out of the bator because of issues......

These were the 5 that were open, and 3 blood rings


These ones had detached air cells and 2 early quitters


I am gonna check everyone else today and hoping that some others can move to the good bator for hatching

[sarahannecloud9]

Nicepics!

I actually have many with detatched cells hatch fine. All my shipped have them. Many heal by day 14, but many don't. I've candled on day 18 and they had attatched. What day are you on? Or were they quitters?