Ameraucana Forum
The Official Ameraucana Forum => Housing, Health & Hatching => Topic started by: Mike Gilbert on October 30, 2016, 06:00:38 PM
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Last year I had bantam chicks out in December. That is not going to happen this year. Too many had passed prime condition, and some had even gone into molt by the time the October shows rolled around. I may hatch just a few large fowl, as they seem to take a little longer to mature. The bantams can wait until about March.
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I expect to start in February..I don't concern myself too much with show dates..As long as I get enough started before the heat comes in...really anxious to see what I get from a couple LF silver and hoping those whites I got from Kraig will be ready to go!! and those blues...oh my!! as always, looking forward to chick days!!
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This past season I struggled to get birds good and laying till it was the end of February. All of my LF as a result have been a bit young this year for show season. I won't be making the same mistake this year.... I already have eggs in the incubator. 8)
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If I can get my barn and new hatching room all set up I would like to hatch out some Large Fowl as well. With the current push to get the new school, I am currently heading up, closed in before snow falls. I am working with very limited time unfortunately. Large fowl are always the challenge for me to get hatched out in time. I am with you Mike on the Bantams, they can wait until March/April and still be ready.
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I've never hatched before the 1st of the year. I'll start setting up breeding pens after Christmas and probably get the hatch in February, like Stan.
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I actually sat up my wheaten & blue wheaten bantam pen this morning, but nothing is laying right now, partially because of molt and partially because they are getting very short hours of light.
I'm kind of excited about this group, as it includes the BB wheaten pullet at our Spring Coulee Region show, the BV Blue wheaten pullet at Lebanon, and the RV wheaten cockerel at Lebanon. Three of the other four pullets were not shown, but are quite good on average. This may be the best little wheaten cockerel I have raised in years, though granted I have not been raising that many. I have another wheaten cockerel and a blue wheaten cockerel that I can rotate in later if need be. The blue wheaten K was raised by Jeff Sonsalla of our local poultry club, and he is also an Alliance member.
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The only ones that have laid for me is my Wheaten girls, but it is inconsistent and not enough to hold for incubating. It seems the others are still on strike with this record breaking Bama heat. When they do all decide to lay, we do plan to set a few "test" hatches this fall.
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I had my first fall hatch over the weekend. 15 blue/black/splash LF Ameraucana and a few other varieties to round out the hatch. Another hatch set for two weeks from now and I am scheduled to pick up another batch of hatching eggs this week. I'm focused on those longer layers and early pullets and getting stock back up and going here.
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Hatched out 10 LF wheatens and 6 LF blacks over the weekend. Since I set the eggs, my Ameraucanas have stopped laying completely, so I just got to the last few eggs in time. Last year I forced laying throughout the winter with added light but plan to give them a rest this winter, so this hatch could be my best shot at a couple of nice birds to take to Fowl Fest.
Duane
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Bob Rennolet won the egg contest at the Nationals with huge, beautiful blue eggs. I asked him if he would mind if I put a couple of them in the incubator, as I would be setting some eggs in just a few days. He agreed but warned I could get just about any combination of the many varieties and breeds he had in his flock. When I candled at 7 days, I removed 6 of the 10 eggs which were infertile. Two of the remaining 4 hatched. One is sold black, including the legs. The other looks like it may have some blue in it, with matching light colored patches on each wing. It will be fun seeing how they develop. Thanks Bob.
Duane
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I got a little blue come out today. So pretty.Hopefully more will follow.....
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If I can get my barn and new hatching room all set up I would like to hatch out some Large Fowl as well. With the current push to get the new school, I am currently heading up, closed in before snow falls.
What's the new school about Russ? Teaching Ameraucanas how to read and write?
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More chicks hatching today . . . again large fowl blue/black/splash
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Suki I just chuckled reading your post. I am a union Ironworker by trade, and am currently in charge of erecting the iron in a new elementary school. This time of year around here there is always a big push to get new construction under roof before snow flies.
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Some black ameraucanas started pipping this morning. First chick of the season for me!
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Looks like I may have to try and hatch earlier than expected. Seems I have a predator that has acquired a taste for chicken. Mainly Silver Ameraucana, both in bantam and large fowl. Looked like a massacre tonight when I got home. Noticed five carcasses in two separate grow out coops. This makes almost 20 birds confirmed MIA or DOA in the last two weeks. I will be setting traps tomorrow after work, not to mention the trusty 10/22 will be readied >:( >:( >:(
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I set 23 Ameraucana eggs last night. The first for 2017, I promised my wife a few months back that I was done for 2016 (these are due to hatch on 1/1).
All these are from John:
9 Silvers
5 Blacks
5 Black/Lav splits (Lav roos over split pullets)
4 bantam Lavenders
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I started setting up my breeding pens Sunday and finished today. The lights are on timers for 10 hours (7am - 5pm) and I'll keep increasing it until I get to 16 per day (4am - 8pm) in three weeks. That is when I'll start collecting eggs to hatch. I always collect for two weeks for the 1st hatch, so they'll go in the incubators on the 23rd of January. The first two hatches will be just for me and then I'll try to start filling orders for chicks in March. I put the eggs in the setters Monday evenings, move them to the hatchers on the 19th day (Saturday evenings) and move the chicks from the hatchers to the brooders on Tuesday mornings to give them all plenty of time to finish hatching. Even after all these years I get exited about hatching and seeing the chicks and progress made in breeding.
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John, I'm sure you've told us before but can you describe your breeding pens and routine? Size of pens, number of hens in each and frequency/duration of cock visits. Thanks.
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John, I'm sure you've told us before but can you describe your breeding pens and routine? Size of pens, number of hens in each and frequency/duration of cock visits. Thanks.
My breeding coops/pens vary from small ones for breeding pairs to the large ones for flocks. Often I use two males over females, but there are exceptions to every rule. I had three bantam silver cockerels, but two died a couple months ago so the lone male all I have for several pullets. Generally I put one male over a flock of up to about a dozen females for a days and then take him out and put in another for a few days. This method gives each male a rest, makes sure one isn't interfering with the other doing his job and has other benefits. With bigger groupings of females having one male for every 7 to 10 females works also. I girls in the individual coops have a cock/cockerel overnight visit once or twice a week.
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Not hatching here for awhile. Culled down to 21 Lavender pullets/hens and still have to cull when they start laying some silvers and silver spangled project pullets. Still waiting for a member to pick up their two lavender pullets and another for a silver spangled trio.
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This method gives each male a rest, makes sure one isn't interfering with the other doing his job and has other benefits. With bigger groupings of females having one male for every 7 to 10 females works also. I girls in the individual coops have a cock/cockerel overnight visit once or twice a week.
That would be double mating wouldn't it JB?
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I set 23 Ameraucana eggs last night. The first for 2017, I promised my wife a few months back that I was done for 2016 (these are due to hatch on 1/1).
hi Dennis, What incubator do you use? I got a new hovabator last year, and have had lousy results with it. I read somewhere that hovabators really only last 3-4 hatches before they expire. maybe that's it.
Merry Christmas Sue
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Looks like I may have to try and hatch earlier than expected. Seems I have a predator that has acquired a taste for chicken. Mainly Silver Ameraucana, both in bantam and large fowl. Looked like a massacre tonight when I got home. Noticed five carcasses in two separate grow out coops. This makes almost 20 birds confirmed MIA or DOA in the last two weeks. I will be setting traps tomorrow after work, not to mention the trusty 10/22 will be readied >:( >:( >:(
Did you get the varmint russ?
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This method gives each male a rest, makes sure one isn't interfering with the other doing his job and has other benefits. With bigger groupings of females having one male for every 7 to 10 females works also. I girls in the individual coops have a cock/cockerel overnight visit once or twice a week.
That would be double mating wouldn't it JB?
I guess that could be one way of looking at it, but what is generally referred to as double mating is breeding for a cock line and a separate hen line of the same variety using breeders in each mating to produce show quality males and females. This is done by some with varieties that don't generally produce show quality offspring when mating show quality birds. One example would be using a partridge male with some red in his breast, which wouldn't be good for exhibition, to produce well penciled show quality pullets.
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I am turning into a hatchaholic. Bottom image is my Dec hatch.
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hi Dennis, What incubator do you use? I got a new hovabator last year, and have had lousy results with it. I read somewhere that hovabators really only last 3-4 hatches before they expire. maybe that's it.
Merry Christmas Sue
I have a Dicky incubator, the "standard" one with a hatching tray (though I usually hatch in a different incubator). I really like the Dicky's, much better than the GQF cabinets, IMO. Better made and less expensive.
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Not sure if I got "the" varmit for sure. Traps didn't catch nothing but my 10/22 gave a case of lead poisoning to a pair of "birds". Haven't lost any more livestock since ;). I hatched a lot out of hovabators the first few years. The key thing I found is to use a good hygrometer and thermostat. Once I bought an electronic one my hatch rates significantly improved. Don't get me wrong, even my best hatches don't compare with the Dickey I currently use. That thing will make you down right chicken poor lol
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I had been using a Dickey with good results, but toward the end of last season both the electronic thermostat and the heating element went out. Rather than repair it I sold it to a friend for parts or restoration and purchased a 96 egg incubator advertised by Walmart on Facebook. It has electronics, alarms, turners, digital readouts, etc and came with two egg candlers, a chick waterer, and a chick feeder - all for a little under $120. I also have a reptile incubator for hatching only. My total investment in the two incubators is less than $230, and I sold the Dickey for $200. I will set my first eggs in the new one next week. Thought I would test it out early in the season "just in case." I also have a friend hatching a few eggs for me in his incubator, and the first ones are due to hatch January 5th.
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Mike, that is a surprising price. I found the unit on their website but it doesn't explain how humidity is controlled. Does it use the typical water pan in the bottom of the unit?
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Mike, would it be this one (https://i5.walmartimages.com/asr/6040e033-0f9c-43da-b7be-36e32ea5251f_1.308257bb2cef92f7106dbc6244a9b31e.jpeg)? I've been looking at it for a while - anxious to hear what you think of it.
Finally set my first batch last night, all bantam - wheaten, white, silver & project buff.
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Mike, that is a surprising price. I found the unit on their website but it doesn't explain how humidity is controlled. Does it use the typical water pan in the bottom of the unit?
Yes, just water in the bottom of the unit. So it will be a bit of experimentation to get it hatching correctly, which is why I'm starting early. But all the Dickey ever had was a water pan as well.
They also have a 48 egg unit for even less money, built the same as this one, except the 96 egg model is a "two story" unit. I'm not sure how it will work out, but for the money I thought it was worth trying.
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...Does it use the typical water pan in the bottom of the unit?
If you have a choice between using city water and well water (with a lot of minerals like mine) in your incubators I recommend city water, distilled or filtered water. If you use well water chances are the water pans, float valves, etc. will end up with more build up from minerals than city water. Chlorination is a separate issue from minerals and a little Oxine, (http://cutlersupply.com/zen_new51/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=3_82&products_id=391) Tek-Trol or bleach can be added if your water isn't chlorinated.
Over the years I've posted photos of many of the weird chicks that I've hatched and I think Mike and others have jokingly questioned if there is something in the water. Well...I live in the county just north of Flint, MI. Don't worry though, our Saginaw water supply isn't the same.
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I have a Dickey incubator, the "standard" one with a hatching tray (though I usually hatch in a different incubator). I really like the Dicky's, much better than the GQF cabinets, IMO. Better made and less expensive.
Thanks. I think I'll order that later this month.
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Those of you who are hatching early, how are you dealing with weather issues? We have a heated shop but I have concerns about keeping the temperature warm enough.
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...Does it use the typical water pan in the bottom of the unit?
If you have a choice between using city water and well water (with a lot of minerals like mine) in your incubators I recommend city water, distilled or filtered water. If you use well water chances are the water pans, float valves, etc. will end up with more build up from minerals than city water. Chlorination is a separate issue from minerals and a little Oxine, (http://cutlersupply.com/zen_new51/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=3_82&products_id=391) Tek-Trol or bleach can be added if your water isn't chlorinated.
Over the years I've posted photos of many of the weird chicks that I've hatched and I think Mike and others have jokingly questioned if there is something in the water. Well...I live in the county just north of Flint, MI. Don't worry though, our Saginaw water supply isn't the same.
Ordered Oxine this week, lost some chicks to cocci last spring/summer and doing all I can to prevent that again.
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1 little wheaten chick on new years day. I hatched 2 just after thanksgiving. New incubator. I normally used hens or had a friend do my hatching. I got some work to do. Need to get it figured out before the ducks begin to make eggs!