Here we go... Buckle your seat belts please!

I'm already a mess... we are no where near lift off... Someone hold me up.. I'm feeling faint...

Nobody likes my new eggs cept me... :(

*back to my corner*

LOL

These are Silkiechicks White Showgirls waiting to happen.

I like your new eggs. Please come out of your corner and talk to me.

Sheila

I love your new eggs--I'm just stuck outside cutting tomatoes for seed saving.

Maybe we can have play dates when my bantam cohins hatch?

LOVE the eggs ZZ! Are they in the 'bator yet? Are you going to be Commander ZZ? What can I be? What is the due date? I presume 21 days from today? It's cool that they are all different colors.

Now I'm going to sulk in the corner because I have nobody to have play dates with for my chickens. POUT...

I feel better now... Thank you..

Mother bird reporting..

They are resting.. it's been 3 hours and that is the longest 3 hours I've experienced in a LONG time.. seems like it's gonna take a lifetime!

Due date: Oct. 17

Will go in the bator at 5pm

There will be play dates...
Over
Mother Bird out

Oh Mother Bird! Perfect! Can I be Auntie Bird? Please!?

Over.

Mother bird reporting and sorry to not acknowledge individuals, please bear with me, as I am not responsibile for my actions for the next 21 days...

Thank you Sheila. I appreciate it.

Commander Moxon I will always refer to you as commander.. since I took my first virtual flight with you. LOL

Captain Catscan... Thank you for being here! Your MIA way too much! Mother Bird can't take the stress alone ya know!

Attention Mother Bird.

Commander Moxon is reporting for hatching duty and always willing to help (and be Auntie Bird if needed). I have a visual of 9 eggs. Is that correct? Please advise on incubator type and current incubator conditions. Are they all white showgirls? Commander Moxon is concerned about telling the youngsters that they are "showgirls" as this could result in Britney Spears or Lindsey Lohan type behaviour patterns. Suggest withholding "showgirl" title until chickens are of an age to handle this name with responsibility.

Over.

Mother Bird here...

Affirmative.. 9 fuzzy life form modules. Was advised to discard 2 that were compromised during shipping. Mother Bird reluctant to part with said modules...

Little Giant.. (I know, I know..) Still Air... Conditions consistant for past week at 99.9 and 40 to 58% RH
Copy that?

Mother Bird reluctant to wish for anything but showgirls.. negative on that request. Please advise youngsters accordingly... Said Chicks may just as well be as prettier and more popular as Britney anyway....

Standing by.
Over

Commander Moxon is dismayed at the compromise of the life form modules, but these things do happen...

Copy that on the incubator unit. I use my LG for the hatching module now, but only cuz I got the extra Brinsea. I would have had to use it today if all those brabanter eggs hadn't been destroyed.

Mother Bird should consider other breeds besides showgirls, just for the fun of it. :-)

Dearest Mother Bird,

Many congratulations on the arrival of your eggs! Take great care with them, and follow instructions from these marvelous chicken heads.
***********************WHITE SHOWGIRLS FOR ZZ*********************
CF

Thank you Commander Moxon... Condolences on your loss.. Am experiencing same thing...

When I saw the substitute postman flying over the speed bumps.. My stomach went in knots. So I've candled them.. and see the floating air pocket with the white ring.. That's bad isn't it?
Some are perfect.. One I know is gonna be a pullet.. I'll mark the eggs.. another I'm guessing is a roo if it is okay. It's a gut feeling.. newbie gut mind you. LOL I have been reading till my eyes are crossed for weeks.. I'm ready now.

Can I use a marking pen, or should I use pencil? or does it matter?

Extreme Thank you to CF for my blessings.. I am forever grateful. (I just knew I was dustworthy!) ;-D

PS... Have other breeds enroute.. and a possible Hova-Bator this weekend.. LOL

SEE??? I've got it real bad!!!!!!!!

Commander Moxon's Brabanter egg is all sloshy and full of bubbles. Very bad sign. Not sure about the floating air pocket. Newbie here too.

I use pencil but I think either is OK. I just think pencil is less likely to get inside the egg like the marker chemicals or whatever. I'm probably just obsessing though.

Considering purchasing the retro-fit fan unit for my still air LG.

Full report on other breeds please. Do not hold out information from us chicken heads!

Hey--I just remembered Maineiac's thread about the "tremulous air cell". We beat that thing up one way and down the other. It is not a good sign--but there are things you can do to maximize your chances. Here is the link:

http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/816145/

Thank you both...
I am still very pleased that I have a few that I am sure are okay. I knew it was a gamble to get shipped eggs... I'm good with that choice. It is worth it to me to get good stock. I'm so glad everyone posts so much info.. I was ready for disaster and was delighted instead!

Will be getting Mille Fleur D'Uccle, Serama, Gold laced Cochins & Splash & Blue Silkies...

Am on the hunt for gold laced polish..

Commander Moxon is envious of the gold laced cochins and is going to sulk in the corner now.

Wow, check out these butterscotch d'anvers...

http://www.eggbid.com/listings/details/index.cfm?itemnum=1222411139

*CMOXON*

S_M_A_C_K mean anything to you?

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^SMACKSMACK^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
CF

O_U_C_H!

******************OUCHOUCH******************

But, but, but.....CF! I was looking around for the ameraucanas like you said I should, and I just HAPPENED to notice the butterscotch (food words catch my eye...)

going to sulk in the corner again.

(don't look too closely at the current winning bidder on the 12 assorted Penedesenca eggs either)

(muttering and grumbling about how the CF made all my cream brabanter and white rock bantam eggs get broken in the mail because she's mad at me for buying too many eggs...)

The CF loves me (kiss, kiss, kiss). Fourteen of my 17 hatching eggs are developing nicely at day 6.

Don't you hate those people who out bid you for really interesting eggs--and those people who happen to have the eggs a la mode and get $90 for 6 extra-popular eggs.

I hate the popular girls and that Megan is--Whoops!....having a High School flash back.

Now--how to anticipate what the market will want next? Have to support my egg habit somehow.

Uh oh... *tiptoeing*
I'll be careful.....

Don't sulk Commander, it's okay.. Just keep repeating.. I will buy no eggs before it is time. (that is supposed to make you believe it sooner or later)

I'm gonna wear out the carpet going to check my eggbabiez..

Lots of my eggs are developing nicely at day 6 and I mentioned that on the BYC place and someone said to me that all of hers developed nicely and then only 1 hatched. I felt kinda bummed after that.

I will buy no eggs before it is time.
I will buy no eggs before it is time.

ZZ - get hardwood floor - much more durable than carpet, and you can blame the wear pattern on the dog... ;-)

I just thought of something--this may be helpful, or not.

I always put the bantam eggs on the outer row of my incubator near the sponges for RH control. I do this because I read somewhere that they require a little less heat and a little more humidity. And then I read a really interesting site on comparing incubators and it said that the edge rows of the Little Giant and the Hoverbator are cooler.

I did have an excellent hatch with my tiny Nankin eggs using this method. The rest of the hatch was so/so.

No need to suffer the loss till it actually happens.
Counting your chickens??

Will do.. Thank you Catscan! I don't seem to be having trouble with humidity.. I can get it up there real good when I need to. Played around with that for a week.. I'm ready..

I do worry that they "flop" when they tip cause they are so small... One is tall and skinny and doesn't fit in the hole that good.. should I line it with cotton or something?

My tall skinny bantam egg didn't develop--I've heard they often don't. The eggs need to breath, so if you line the cups do it with something like cotton.

Do you have a candler?

No.. Just used a mag light.. I could see through okay..

Commander Moxon here....anything to report Mother Bird?

Suggest candling at 6 days for a good idea of what is (and isn't) developing. Works well in the Eggsplorer. Mag light also used here, small one. LED type.

Suggest use of a small piece of polar fleece fabric to line egg cup. Soft, breathable, warm.

Today I am going to trade out 2 layers for a frizzle red cochin banty roo and his girlfriend.

Good Morning Commander Moxon and everyone!
Mother Bird reporting after a sleepless night.... (unauthorized activity in garden area at midnight... motion detector alarm went off at midnight)
Nothing to report regarding fuzzy life form modules.

Great idea using fleece! The two leaking modules that Mother Bird was reluctant to dispose of were stuck to the turner. Lesson learned. Fleece would have kept that from happening. Mother Bird in full compliance in discarding said modules.

Will be pounding nails all day today preparing coop headquarters. May be delayed due to weather too hot.

Over

Well, since I don't have to worry about hijacking someone's thread.. I have to share this with everyone..

My brother came to visit last weekend. He and my niece really enjoyed the chickens... I sent him an email with a link to show him what Polish look like that I'm dying to get..
http://www.feathersite.com/Poultry/CGP/Polish/BRKPolishBanty.html
Here is his response..

Mother Bird. Unauthorized garden activity likely visit from CF. Suggest motion detector camera set up. Set up a perimeter guard. Secure the incubator area to avoid unauthorized deposit of eggs.

Commander Moxon is also about to go outside and begin coop module preparation. But she must take photos of her new acquisition first.

I swear I thought of that when I was creeping outside at midnight.. I thought I was dreaming.. but I kept thinking I heard wings and slight breezy feeling! All the "kids" were in a pile sound asleep.. it was silent out..

CF I believe it was you... Thank you for checking on my babiez.. it's only their second day outside... I did my best to make sure they were warm. They go in their new home very willingly. They were a little freaked out the first night.. but they are doing much better now. I'm working hard on the coop. It's hard to get out there in this weather and do very much... I'm trying as hard as I can. 97degrees with hot flashes is not a pretty sight... as you probably know.

OH and CF, you are welcome to deposit eggs in the new bator.. it's plugged in and I'll be monitoring temp & RH. You might want to wait till Monday though..

Mother Bird out..

Gee Catscan, did you notice that? ZZ has space in her 'bator...

But for how long? ZZ is being visited by the CF at night...it is the fairy concept of "glamour". Once you attract Her attention, you become delusional and think everything is fine while you slowly descend into chicken madness.

Hey ZZ--you got any space in your 'bator?.....I may have made a slight miscalculation at an egg auction last night...um very early this morning......

I think I can squeeze in a few! LOL I'm filling the second one Monday. When are your eggs coming?

Aren't you not supposed to put different dates in at different times?

I'm too new for this.. LOL
AND you risk the chance of getting no babiez... I can't promise you will be able to get them away from me, depending on what you got.. LOL.. LOL

Well--it is best not to "stagger" hatches. But most people do it--which is why having a "hatcher" is a good idea. I can show you how to build one. It is very easy--basically just a homemade incubator without an egg turner. Saves the "real" incubator from getting contaminated during the hatch (a messy rather fuzzy/bloody business).

I think I am okay for this week--I am not sure when the eggs are coming but probably not before Wednesday--after that things could get a little, um, congested. Never bid after midnight. I think I will have that on my tombstone.