Chickens for bug control and food recycling.

[catjac1975]

He's just two and sporting well on the BAs in the flock, as most of the chicks that have hatched have been BA/WR cross. I've even got eggs in these clutches with fully grown chicks in them that have died prior to hatching but no visible signs as to why.

Not that usual on a broody hatch to have such a poor rate of hatch...if the eggs are fertilized and from healthy chickens~and all of mine are healthy as can be, as usual~the hatch rate is usually very high.

I think this one is going to remain a mystery. This flock has been shooting out eggs like gumballs all winter and spring, so food production is high, even if it's not going to be meat production this year. I've got another broody in the offing that I wasn't going to allow to sit, but I'm going to do some shuffling of birds for a bit until I get the eggs I want and load her up for another try.

I have been hatching lavender orpington for the last 6 years or so.. We had in the past hatched blue cochins. Both of these birds had a high death rate of chicks just prior to hatch. One of the things I have read was that there could be a big chick in small egg. This is what it appeared to be in my case. I also did 6 cream legbars and got 5 chicks. The others had a hatch of anywhere for 6 chicks out of 24 , the best hatch being 13 out of 24. When around half are roosters it took a long time to build up my flock. I just got tired of all the poor little dead chicks so close to hatch so I have not hatched this year. The Lavenders and the blue cochins are a more rare bird and the chicks can be quite pricey-especially the lavenders. I tend to think the reason they are pricey is because they are had to hatch. There are lists of troubleshooting a poor hatch on many a website. I have switched to Columbian wyandottes this year and bought some lovely chicks--will see how they hatch next year.

 

[Ridgerunner]

Those are all nice chicks!! Big and healthy looking. Makes you wonder why the difference in hatch rate, doesn't it? Warmer weather causing more hormone flush?

That gives me hope for the clutch I just started under a broody...same eggs, same hens and rooster, but hopefully a better outcome on the rate.

Bee, it's more confusing than that. In January I set 28 eggs in the incubator, they hatched the end of January. I got 22 chicks out of it but only two were clears. 26 out of 28 at least had some development.

Then that second hatch at the end of March, 18 eggs with some under a broody and some in the incubator. There were eight clears out of 18, no development at all. Only 9 chicks.

Then this hatch. 19 eggs set, some in the incubator and some under a broody. Only 1 clear out of 19 eggs. And the other 18 hatched. Those two eggs that had pipped yesterday, well they are with the broody right now. She has 18 to raise. I've had 100% hatches before, not a lot but some, broody and incubator. But I'll take 18 chicks out of 19 eggs set any day.

It's the same rooster and pretty much the same hens. I have no explanation.

 

[Beekissed]

I have been hatching lavender orpington for the last 6 years or so.. We had in the past hatched blue cochins. Both of these birds had a high death rate of chicks just prior to hatch. One of the things I have read was that there could be a big chick in small egg. This is what it appeared to be in my case. I also did 6 cream legbars and got 5 chicks. The others had a hatch of anywhere for 6 chicks out of 24 , the best hatch being 13 out of 24. When around half are roosters it took a long time to build up my flock. I just got tired of all the poor little dead chicks so close to hatch so I have not hatched this year. The Lavenders and the blue cochins are a more rare bird and the chicks can be quite pricey-especially the lavenders. I tend to think the reason they are pricey is because they are had to hatch. There are lists of troubleshooting a poor hatch on many a website. I have switched to Columbian wyandottes this year and bought some lovely chicks--will see how they hatch next year.

I've had that happen with some of my larger eggs too and this year, ALL of the larger eggs either didn't develop, were clears or had dead chicks at full term. Only smaller eggs hatched this year. But....who wants to hatch eggs from a hen that lays the smallest eggs??? I want a good XL egg...not too large but larger than a medium or large. That's pretty standard for WRs and I've had great hatches under broodies with the larger eggs before this year.

Bee, it's more confusing than that. In January I set 28 eggs in the incubator, they hatched the end of January. I got 22 chicks out of it but only two were clears. 26 out of 28 at least had some development.

Then that second hatch at the end of March, 18 eggs with some under a broody and some in the incubator. There were eight clears out of 18, no development at all. Only 9 chicks.

Then this hatch. 19 eggs set, some in the incubator and some under a broody. Only 1 clear out of 19 eggs. And the other 18 hatched. Those two eggs that had pipped yesterday, well they are with the broody right now. She has 18 to raise. I've had 100% hatches before, not a lot but some, broody and incubator. But I'll take 18 chicks out of 19 eggs set any day.

It's the same rooster and pretty much the same hens. I have no explanation.

It's a strange thing. This spring was the worst hatch rates I've ever had, bar none. I do believe it may have something to do with the toxic fumes from the moth balls I used too liberally in that pen and especially near the nests...was paranoid about the snakes getting them this year again...but I'd rather have a great hatch and have snakes raid me than to be left wondering why I can't hatch anything.

I removed all that mess and am trying one more time~WITH the larger eggs. I've been cracking them and checking for fertility and they've been fertilized, so no excuse for not developing or hatching this time. The yolks are HUGE.

 

[catjac1975]

I've had that happen with some of my larger eggs too and this year, ALL of the larger eggs either didn't develop, were clears or had dead chicks at full term. Only smaller eggs hatched this year. But....who wants to hatch eggs from a hen that lays the smallest eggs??? I want a good XL egg...not too large but larger than a medium or large. That's pretty standard for WRs and I've had great hatches under broodies with the larger eggs before this year.



It's a strange thing. This spring was the worst hatch rates I've ever had, bar none. I do believe it may have something to do with the toxic fumes from the moth balls I used too liberally in that pen and especially near the nests...was paranoid about the snakes getting them this year again...but I'd rather have a great hatch and have snakes raid me than to be left wondering why I can't hatch anything.

I removed all that mess and am trying one more time~WITH the larger eggs. I've been cracking them and checking for fertility and they've been fertilized, so no excuse for not developing or hatching this time. The yolks are HUGE.

There are other considerations that we home hatchers cannot detect. One other thing I have read is there can be bacteria penetrating the egg. There is the clean or no to clean dilemma. Some say never clean your eggs-the protective layer is removed. Others say clean with alcohol. I always do some cleaning. There is always a bit of poo on the eggs-I cannot see how brushing it off as suggested would be of any use. I see no difference in outcome with not cleaning the eggs. My only difference is in choice of breed the cream legbars being easy. As for blank eggs, if you have heavily feathered birds they saty to trim back the feathers near the vent on the hens- I have never tried this.

 

[catjac1975]

I've had that happen with some of my larger eggs too and this year, ALL of the larger eggs either didn't develop, were clears or had dead chicks at full term. Only smaller eggs hatched this year. But....who wants to hatch eggs from a hen that lays the smallest eggs??? I want a good XL egg...not too large but larger than a medium or large. That's pretty standard for WRs and I've had great hatches under broodies with the larger eggs before this year.



It's a strange thing. This spring was the worst hatch rates I've ever had, bar none. I do believe it may have something to do with the toxic fumes from the moth balls I used too liberally in that pen and especially near the nests...was paranoid about the snakes getting them this year again...but I'd rather have a great hatch and have snakes raid me than to be left wondering why I can't hatch anything.

I removed all that mess and am trying one more time~WITH the larger eggs. I've been cracking them and checking for fertility and they've been fertilized, so no excuse for not developing or hatching this time. The yolks are HUGE.

Anyone living with snakes is the bravest of the brave in my book. I screamed like a baby when a garter snake surprised me yesterday. My poor Grandson-Grandma has made him afraid of snakes, too.

 

[Ridgerunner]

I've caught snakes I found inside my coop and gave them to a friend that wants them, I think the longest was five feet or so. She lives far enough away that they won't come back so I'm not worried about that. She's seen a timber rattler around her place and wants other snakes that might eat them. She worries about her dogs. I don't like to kill non-poisonous snakes because of all the things they do eat. But if they are in the coop they are after eggs or chicks, I draw the line there.

I don't like handling them at all. I've got leather gloves, a snake stick to pin them down, and a pillow case handy if I see one, right outside the coop door. I also have a garden hoe with a broken handle inside the coop for those I cannot catch. It's one of those things I don't like to do but I do it. I readily admit if a snake startles me I jump. That's a good test as to how strong your heart is. But I can recognize poisonous versus non-poisonous snakes. If it's not poisonous I calm down pretty quickly.

 

[Beekissed]

There are other considerations that we home hatchers cannot detect. One other thing I have read is there can be bacteria penetrating the egg. There is the clean or no to clean dilemma. Some say never clean your eggs-the protective layer is removed. Others say clean with alcohol. I always do some cleaning. There is always a bit of poo on the eggs-I cannot see how brushing it off as suggested would be of any use. I see no difference in outcome with not cleaning the eggs. My only difference is in choice of breed the cream legbars being easy. As for blank eggs, if you have heavily feathered birds they saty to trim back the feathers near the vent on the hens- I have never tried this.

I wish all the bacteria conscious people could see a big ol' broody nest by the time those eggs have been sat on for 21 days...they would marvel over the excellent hatch rates these birds have. Egg yolks have sat on the outside of the eggs where she's eaten clears and that stuff stinks after awhile, broody poop smeared all over the eggs, etc. A broody nest is a filthy, filthy place and, with the exception of this year alone, I've had well over 90% hatch rates on broody nests over the years.

I've caught snakes I found inside my coop and gave them to a friend that wants them, I think the longest was five feet or so. She lives far enough away that they won't come back so I'm not worried about that. She's seen a timber rattler around her place and wants other snakes that might eat them. She worries about her dogs. I don't like to kill non-poisonous snakes because of all the things they do eat. But if they are in the coop they are after eggs or chicks, I draw the line there.

I don't like handling them at all. I've got leather gloves, a snake stick to pin them down, and a pillow case handy if I see one, right outside the coop door. I also have a garden hoe with a broken handle inside the coop for those I cannot catch. It's one of those things I don't like to do but I do it. I readily admit if a snake startles me I jump. That's a good test as to how strong your heart is. But I can recognize poisonous versus non-poisonous snakes. If it's not poisonous I calm down pretty quickly.

I'll grab a snake if i have to also....one time had to snag a 5 ft black snake by the tail so it wouldn't get away until the boys brought my hoe. That one had 2 three wk old chicks inside of it. You can bet it died, real quick and in a hurry.

I had always let black snakes alone and even helped them get out of bird netting that was in my flower beds....up until I found black snakes stalking my chicks and then started losing chicks. Then all bets were off.

Caught a copper head last year, hadn't seen one in 20 yrs here. I thought I had killed it, but didn't want to leave it where the chickens or dogs could get it, so threw it in the burn barrel. The barrel had some slow burning trash in it at the time...that snake, with it's neck nigh severed and head crushed, suddenly awakened and started trying to get out of that barrel. I felt real bad about that...would never have put him in there if I had thought he was still alive.

 

[Nyboy]

There is no such thing as a poisonous snake ( all snakes can be eaten) there are venomous snakes. Bee many people have been bitten by chopped off heads of snakes, nerves work hours after death. I think there is a old country saying that a snake doesn't die till the sun goes down.

 

[Nyboy]

 

[Ridgerunner]

And that's why you shouldn't eat a poisonous snake. Would you like to bite into where it bit itself in its death throes?

One of the definitions I found when I looked up "poisonous". of course there are others. I think a copperhead can be called poisonous.

• (of an animal) producing poison as a means of attacking enemies or prey; venomous.