2011 hatches?

[faith valley]

Just curious as to how everyones hatches are coming this year?

As of last week, we have several bantams hatched out.
144 wheatens
1 black gold
17 black
14 white
4 buff x wheaten 1/2

I am thinking that it is about time to cut those wheatens off for the season- kind of getting overrun with those little guys. LOL

Is anyone having success with blue or black batams?  I am looking for 1 or 2 males to use for next year\'s program. No rush, we dont need them until fall.  ~Must be Merek\'s vaccinated though.~

Patty

[Beth C]

Wish I were overrun w/wheatens - that\'s all anyone contacting me seems to want!

I\'ve hatched:

23 w/bw/sw
15 buff
24 black
34 lavender
8   lavender splits

Not counting the ones hatching as I type (1 buff & 1 lavender so far).  

[faith valley]

That is exciting to see you have buff hatching- there are not many around.

Patty

[Beth C]

They\'re my favorites. I only have LF, but I love the buffs so much I\'m thinking of adding buff bantams next year, too. I really hope I can get some other breeders in my area interested in working with them.

[Guest]

I have hatched
6 splash LF
25 black LF
3 blue LF
1 buff LF (out of 2 buff eggs)
6 Black bantams
and 12 black cayuga ducks
(not bad for a 16 yr old girl and the first year hatching!!!!)
P.S. i may be selling my black ameraucana bantam cock if i get some nice cockrels this year.

[John]

I don\'t have any firm numbers, but have hatched a few hundred Ameraucanas so far.  
The bad news is the LF lavenders are giving me problems.  They aren\'t laying as well as I had hoped for, the fertility isn\'t too bad but the hatchability is and some have feathers on thier legs.
The good news is I\'ve hatched 10 to 12 bantams buffs (my favorites)!

[Tailfeathers]

Gee Louise!  I don\'t even have my breeding plan put together yet!

I got the information recorded last Saturday night though.  Now I just need to analyze it and start putting the birds together according to pens.  

God Bless,

[John]

my breeding plan put together yet!

That\'s funny...last night I setup my breeding plans for next year, on the computer.  Of course there will be some changes between now and then, but I\'ve got my goals in site.

[Beth C]

Way to go, Jensen - sounds like you\'re off to a great start!

John: Yay on the bantam buffs! Are these ones you hatched for yourself or to fill orders?

Gee Louise!  I don\'t even have my breeding plan put together yet!

This time last year I had just started incubating, but they quit laying so early because of the intense heat (pretty much done by the end of May) I figured I needed to get an earlier start this year. Probably a good thing because, if this past week is any indication, I suspect we\'ll have another miserable summer - it was in the mid 80\'s the last 2 days, but back down in the 70\'s today. I have a feeling I\'m going to be ready to pack up the incubator by June either way, though!

[Cloverleaf Farm]

At least when it\'s that warm out, you can move babies outside faster!!  

I had to add another brooder this week because I can\'t move them out until they are FULLY feathered, and I have 92 eggs in incubators and more on the way...

[Beth C]

That has been an advantage. With the exception of the first few hatches in Feb. I\'ve been able to get them outdoors pretty fast. Which is good, because my \"brooder\" consists of a 150 gal stock tank w/3 Rubbermaid boxes, one sitting on bricks to be closer to the light. From that one they go to box #2 that\'s further from the light, then box #3 that\'s not actually under the light, then from there it gets crazy! I\'m behind (as always) on finishing my grow-out pen, so I have an assortment of cages, pens, dog kennels, etc. all over the garage & yard. I sold some chicks that I really hadn\'t planned on selling last weekend just to free up some space.

[Cloverleaf Farm]

Ugh, that\'s me too...dog crates EVERYWHERE!!!  In fact, just bought a new one the other day when it was on sale at the feed store, so I could move MORE chicks outside!!  

[Beth C]

The best thing I have, and I wish I had a dozen more, is a HUGE wire dog crate with no bottom. My husband volunteers at a thrift store and brings home many questionable treasures, but this seemingly useless item has proved indispensable - I pound the corners into the ground and instant chick pen! When the grass is gone, it\'s easy to move. Now if I could just find a use for his collection of stroller wheels...

[Cloverleaf Farm]

The best thing I have, and I wish I had a dozen more, is a HUGE wire dog crate with no bottom. My husband volunteers at a thrift store and brings home many questionable treasures, but this seemingly useless item has proved indispensable - I pound the corners into the ground and instant chick pen! When the grass is gone, it\'s easy to move. Now if I could just find a use for his collection of stroller wheels...

Stroller wheels = TRACTOR wheels!! LOL  

I hit a good find on CL last year - 4 wire crates with slide out trays.  I wired them all together and covered the sides with hardware cloth, covered with a tarp that I can fold over the front when it rains, set it against the side of the house that gets morning sun...voila!  Bantam breeding pens!

[Beth C]

Sweet! In a way I wish this had the tray, but then it probably wouldn\'t have been FREE, lol, and this way they\'re on grass. But I\'ve thought about putting wire along the bottom so I don\'t have to pound it in.

Stroller wheels = TRACTOR wheels!!

I\'ll send you a crate! :p