My homeade bator!

in reference to this suggestion:

"You would only have to use a 100watt bulb with a reflector and a shoebox for shelter to brood a lone chick. "

I might add, a plastic shoebox, that costs about a dollar at the dollar store, would be a good way to keep the little one separate and still see each other. sound slike mcmaden has it covered, but in case someone else is reading...


This message was edited Aug 28, 2008 12:09 AM

We also want to try to get Bob the duck to take care of these chicks. He loves things that are smaller then him...and the big chickens are not very nice to him...so we are hoping this will be our way of integrating them in together. I wont allow the new chickes and Bob to be in with the adults for several months...but they will live in the same house at about 4 months. I plan to put in a large divider to keep them seperate, and then after a few months of that I think they should take to each other. At least I am hoping!

I will make sure to take dozens of pictures. I am starting the breathing now I am so excited! 'HUuuuHuuuHeeeee...HeeeHeee Hoooooooooo.....heeeHeeeeHoooooo...' Hahaha...just kidding!

removed for space issues

This message was edited Aug 28, 2008 12:10 AM

Too funny. Do you think I could apply for maternity leave also? When I worked for Well Fargo I actually got 3 days off when I had a colt born. Everyone there was just SO excited and they followed the pregnancy the whole time. It was really cool. THOSE were the days !

;-P

So far there is no action. I put a divider in the bator to keep the chicks away from the fan and bulb afte they hatch. I am crossing my fingers!

BTW how long do you have to incubate guinea eggs? I have found a source in my area to get some in the spring, and would like to incubate them about the time I'm planning on doing hen eggs.

28 days...they take an extra week then chickens because they are weird! Hahaha...just kidding. But I think 28 days.

Im very excited here in NZ lol... I check in a couple of times a day hoping for an update :) I've learnt so much its great...! Also since this threed begun two of my banties have become clucky so I ordered some eggs and they've been sitting on them 7days so far... Would it be okay to candle them...? And do I need to do anything special when they arrive...? Or do I just leave it up to the girls....?
Maree :)

This message was edited Jan 22, 2008 12:46 AM

Hi, again. Another stupid sounding question; what's the reason you folks say not to feed chickens raw potato peelings? I have been doing so for years with no ill effects, and also they pick at the salt blocks and I have been told not to give them salt either.

Thanks :o)

You can certainly candle the eggs at 7days. i would do it now before they get too far along. You should be able to see the embryos moving quite a bit today. NOt sure about the potatoes...

i guess I will be watching these things hatch after all. I just got home from being 'redeployed' from my job. I was basically fired...but with 2 months of pay. I just cant believe it. Life sure can be crappy at the best possible times!

I think if they choose the salt, it may be ok. I am not
certain, but if you feed them scraps that have been
salted, they have no choice in the amount. I know
that some chemicals inhibit their ability to use other
vitamins efficiently.
NZ, an interesting experiment for me would be to
brood one banty's eggs yourself, and let the other try
on her own, just to see how they do. But, if your birds
are valuable to you, you may want to brood all of them
yourself. I would think it would be ok to candle them,
making sure you put each banty's eggs back from
under the hen you got them, in case one is better at
it than the other. It's neat you have 2 going at once-lots
of possibilities.

mcamden- I am so sorry- that is terrible! Are you ok?

I am frustrated...sad...depressed a little. It sucks because I lost access and in turn LOST all my personal pictures, files, email address, and plans for my wedding that is in just a couple weeks. Happy times I guess. Plus I just found out that this piece of foil I had in the bator to keep the bulb from lighting up the whole room last night caused the eggs to be cooler since the thermostat must have been reflecting off the foil and shut off too soon...so they have been under 90 since late last night! I am just praying that they will stiill make it. Wouldnt that just be the icing on my crappy cake!

I don't much like crappy cake. It begs us to make backups of all
of our information. If things aren't too hostile, perhaps
you can explain the info situation and wedding plans
to the former employer, and they might let you have this.

Try not to let 'things' get you down. They are just things,
after all. If you are spiritual in nature, I would love for
you to see a beautiful place. It is a slide show, and
can brighten even the darkest days. It's called
InterviewwithGod.com it could be aninterviewwithGod.com
not sure which. It's beautiful.
Have you tried to make a playdoh or dough kind of
funnel attachment thingy for your stethoscope to
listen for a heartbeat in your eggs? I hope they are ok.

YES< 28 DAYS for GUINEAS. remember to always give up to three days after the date incase it took that long to warm up the eggs...


This message was edited Aug 28, 2008 12:11 AM

I have seen that slideshow before. it is very nice. I am trying to not let things get me down...but it is hard. I have been emailing my ex-xboss trying to get her to get me some things...but she will only send me about 2 emails from my personal emails, and 1 word doc of my choice. What the crap is that! Anyway...out of my 300 wedding planning emails I get 2. Wow...this shoudl be fun! The worst part is that I worked from home every day after regular work...so I used my work email for everything because I didnt have time to use two of them.

Also...I never did get anything made to funnel the eggs to listen to the beats. Maybe I will try again since I have nothing else to do now...but dont want to mess with them too much. I am just hopign I didnt get them too cold!

i was worried about our eggs being too cold last night. we can just do the best we can do.

can you contact the ISP to see if copies of your emails are still on their server? hurry and do that before she cancels that account...

She is getting me a couple... but I will still loose tons of them. SHe makes the desision...I tried contacting a close friend in our operations center to see if he could do anything, but he said that even they didnt have access. It just sucks. I havent not had a job is so long. I forgot how horrible it feels.

OH MY GOD! I was JUST telling Ryan that I thought I must have killed all my babies with that darn foil, and I picked up one of the eggs and there is a crack! THEN IT CHIRPED! How cool..ok...I will keep the camera handy, and let you all know what happens next. the first one is one of the RIR...I think this was my favorite too! Hehehe..I am SO excited!

Well, wonderful news about the chicks.

So sorry about the job, I vaguely remember what it felt like to get fired. Of course you will get a better job and have a good life.

whoopee! talk about a silver lining, and you will be there to see it all. try not to worry about the job thing...

tf

Dear Melissa,

When I first read your latest posts, I had mixed emotions. Shock, horror, sympathy, and anger. Shocked mostly because I know your talents. Angry, because I'm sure your employer doesn't. I just want to go down and throw rocks at them. Of course, that won't solve anything anyway.

All those that have been following this informative thread have truely become to know you. You are extremely smart, vastly creative, humorous, and have a wonderful outlook on life. We can all see this just in how and what you post.

Thank you for capturing our attention, getting us laughing, having us think and ask questions, and yes, making us cry. We are your freinds and you have many in this garden.

If I'm ever in your area I must look you up.

JB

I may bring some rocks anyway.

I've got some nice big rocks i can chunck your way.... what is your employer's name LOL

Just when she was feeling down, it chirped. Well, isn't
that a fine how do you do???? Wonderful Mcamden!
It sounds totally amazing that you can hear them chirp
from inside that egg. I am thrilled for you. Hang in there,
mcamden and chicks! Go chicks, go chicks.....

Oh wow...you guys sure got me laughing now! I feel SO much better. I decided to make dinner and take it to our neighbors who just had a baby. We took the eggs over, and plugged them back in. Their two year old was truely amazed.

While we visited we heard some more chirping, and a second chick poked through its shell. So far both are RIR's. Before we left I watched as the Red Sexlink chick started shaking in its shell. So far I haven't seen anything from our Black sexlink...but that is also the biggest of the eggs. The one egg that I was using in the video, and pictures is also the first one that poked through. SINCE I dont have to go to work tomorrow...I will be staying up all night watching them. There is better TV on at 3 am then 11am anyway!

Have I told you all lately that I love you?

Hahaha...I talk about you guys all the time. If anyone heads up this way you are always welcome to come stay here! I am also thinking of driving down to Kansas City with my brother who has a job interview next week...I guess I can look at this as a long vacation. And at least I get paid for the next two months...hopefully I find something else before that time expires. :)

If you look at the egg in the top right you will see the first of the chippng.

oh, my goodness, how delightful!

can't wait to see your new babies!

and, we may take you up on that offer. we need a vacation [if we can find anyone to take care of the livestock], and the GuineaFest is somewhere in Iowa i think... i keep telling myself one of these days I'll go LOL

probably not this year, but I can dream!

Guineafest? hahaha...never heard of that before! I live about 30 minutes from Omaha..where i USED to work. Hahaha...

These chicks are wonderful. No more progress on their escape, but they are chirping an aweful lot. JB was right...it is hard to fight this erge to help them. But I am doing good. I can see this may take all night though.

Please be careful, Mcamden, this is their very fragile
time. I know you are so thrilled and excited- be patient,
dear one. WooHoo! Chicks poking through!

I am keeping my distance...just watching them. I am just very excited for them to come out. The first one that started coming out around 6 has been chirping SO much. How long does it normally take for them to come out start to finish? The second chick hasnt made the first hole any bigger yet either. I wont bug them...but curious to know how long this could take.

Hey Mel,

You have graduated. Now you're on your own. Just watch, Listen, Marvel and Record. The heavens will look down upon you tonight.

Good Night,

JB

1am...and still waiting. I actually fell asleep and woke up thinking i missed it. Nope...little chicky is still just pushing gently on the small crack. The other egg that I sent the pic of has a slightly larger crack. Dont think anyone else is budging yet. But I am talking them through it. Hahaha...I may need to make some coffee or I may miss this.

I’m so sorry to hear about your job... !( There's something better around the corner for you... I’m glad your chicks are peeping their little hearts out to you.... hmmm new life you just can not beat it :)
I may have a few rotten eggs I could send you way instead of throwing rocks LOL




This message was edited Jan 23, 2008 7:05 AM

While throwing eggs at them DOES sound like fun...I am going to try to think positive. At least they are keeping me on the payroll for two months, and helping me (or so they said) to find another job. Not letting me have my files and emails is what really makes me upset.

Ok...new on the chicks! The one that stated at 6 last night hasnt made any progress. The one that started around 8 last night hatched out completely at 6am this morning. I will upload that video(s) to my site today. A third egg chipped a hole this morning around 6 as well and that egg that was 'moving' last night has continued to move, but no breaking through yet. My black sexlink chick has had no activity...but that is also my largest egg.

I will post all the pics I have so far on here...

As he broke out...

.

OH MY GOSH! It's the proverbial early bird!
Yea! Go chicks go chicks...

watching in amazement......living in the city definitely has its down side......

And a couple hours later...