16
Breeding / Re: Skittles my special splash chick!
« on: May 21, 2015, 08:49:28 PM »More update pictures
I think it looks splash too. It also looks like you have a male.
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I think it looks splash too. It also looks like you have a male.
17
News and Information / Re: Your prayers requested for our President, Clif Redden
« on: May 21, 2015, 08:41:25 PM »
Best wishes for a successful surgery and speedy recovery.
18
Breeding / Re: Incubator thermometer / hydrometers ..
« on: May 15, 2015, 12:02:10 PM »
Brinsea Spot Check thermometer. Accurate to a tenth of a degree they say. They are made to fit in the small air holes of those foam incubators. You can get it all the way to the floor or take readings near the top. I find they work very well. I don't pay any attention to what my digital display says on my foam incubators. I rely on the Brinsea.
19
Housing, Health & Hatching / Re: To wash or not to wash?
« on: May 10, 2015, 07:17:19 PM »Did any of y'all once NOT wash, and then begin to? Did you notice a significant difference in hatch rate and chick survival?
Yes. Didn't wash for years, but also didn't have a good humidity reader. Poor hatches. This year, I washed but also have a better reading on humidity. My first hatch of the year has been the best I have ever had. My last hatch I didn't wash, numbers down a bit. The ones I have in now I did wash, so I will see if the numbers go up again. Having a bit of trouble getting humidity down though. It's been quite rainy so humidity has been running high even with little water in there. So, it might be a combination of both. Sanitizing and getting the humidity right.
I use warm water, at least 90 to 95 degrees, with a TBSP of bleach per gal of water. I dip each egg and if soiled, rub lightly with sponge then set the egg on a towel and pat them lightly with the towel to dry. If I use Oxine I do not use the citric acid.
One thing some may not have considered in trying to determine whether to wash or not to wash is Mareks. If you vaccinate for Mareks, why put dirty eggs in the incubator? Why expose the chicks to the virus that might be hanging out on an unwashed egg?
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Housing, Health & Hatching / Re: Temp and humidity control
« on: May 10, 2015, 06:54:19 PM »
Brinsea spot check thermometers are the most accurate I have found. I used many store bought others and they simply were not accurate. These fit perfectly through the small air holes found on many styrofoam incubators.
http://www.brinsea.com/p-394-spot-check-digital-incubator-thermometer.aspx
http://www.brinsea.com/p-394-spot-check-digital-incubator-thermometer.aspx
21
Breeding / Re: Breeding black to splash
« on: May 08, 2015, 11:19:26 PM »I'm sure there is some genetic explanation that is still out of my reach. Different lines may produce better birds from chicks with the white chick down. I would keep all the darkest blue chicks regardless. I got my start from Paul by the way... Some of my Blue Andalusian chicks are so dark it's hard to tell them apart from the blacks until they are about a week old. And they have the white chick down on their chest and bellies.
I think it is a matter of learning what your own lines produce. Keep good records and take pictures along the way. In a few years you will have a pretty good idea how they will grow out when they hatch.
Now that could be significant. That's why I'm wondering what the color means. I think it is interesting that the Andalusians, which are supposed to be carrying silver, have the white down instead of yellow. Just wondering out loud here. If that means silver instead of gold.
22
Breeding / Re: Breeding black to splash
« on: May 07, 2015, 12:29:39 PM »I have found that with the chick down the darker the blue the better. Also I look for more yellow down on the chest and belly instead of the white. They seem to be the most uniform in color when they grow out. The edging seems to be more defined as well. They don't really have true lacing...yet. To be continued....
Do you know what the yellow and white signify?
23
Breeding / Re: Breeding black to splash
« on: May 06, 2015, 09:24:49 PM »Max do you think that when a blue chick hatches, the darker the down is usually means that the chick will have better lacing? It seems to work like this on my blue chicks.
That seems to be the case in my experience. Look for a dark area on the head also. Lighter blue chicks have been disappointing in the lacing/edging. They would sure be striking if they did have it though.
24
Exhibiting & Promoting / Re: Awards, prizes, Cash...what do you want to see at the Nationals??
« on: April 26, 2015, 07:01:04 PM »
If they weren't checked for freshness might be able to get more to enter. I don't have many birds so when they quit, they quit.
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Exhibiting & Promoting / Re: Awards, prizes, Cash...what do you want to see at the Nationals??
« on: April 24, 2015, 08:17:30 PM »
Well, that leaves me out. Hens normally aren't laying in November and pullets normally haven't started either. 
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Exhibiting & Promoting / Re: Awards, prizes, Cash...what do you want to see at the Nationals??
« on: April 22, 2015, 11:04:58 AM »
I'd like to know if there is a list somewhere of what the competitions are for prizes? Is it Champion AOSB, BV, reserve, etc.? I've read stuff about distance traveled and I guess an egg color competition. What else is there and where can we find descriptions and rules if needed?
And as far as the egg competition, where are the rules or instructions on that? Are the eggs based on color alone, or is it presentation, shape etc? Do they have to be fresh or can they be stored eggs? Is there a minimum that must be entered? My hens are in molt that time of the year and pullets generally are not laying yet, that's why I'm wondering if they can be stored, not fresh.
And as far as the egg competition, where are the rules or instructions on that? Are the eggs based on color alone, or is it presentation, shape etc? Do they have to be fresh or can they be stored eggs? Is there a minimum that must be entered? My hens are in molt that time of the year and pullets generally are not laying yet, that's why I'm wondering if they can be stored, not fresh.
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Housing, Health & Hatching / Re: Avian Influenza
« on: March 23, 2015, 02:24:50 PM »
http://www.grain.org/article/entries/22-fowl-play-the-poultry-industry-s-central-role-in-the-bird-flu-crisis
Strange that most outbreaks do seem to be in commercial flocks.
Strange that most outbreaks do seem to be in commercial flocks.
28
Website Changes / Re: New Breeder's Directory format
« on: February 27, 2015, 01:59:08 PM »
Ok, that is now working for me. I didn't even have to refresh the page.
Johnny, I'm curious. Are you using IE 9?
Johnny, I'm curious. Are you using IE 9?
29
Website Changes / Re: New Breeder's Directory format
« on: February 26, 2015, 02:48:31 PM »
When I click on the breeders directory link on the left of the page, the page goes absolutely nowhere. All the other links on that side of the page work, but not that one. For example, if I'm on the downloads page and hit the breeders directory link on the left, I end up staying on the downloads page. If I'm on the homepage and hit the breeders link, I stay on the homepage. This started day before yesterday and is still doing the same thing. All the other links work, so I don't see how it can be something I'm doing.
Sharon, When you click on the breeders directory does it open 2 new boxes to the right? One should say print only (pdf) the other says online interactive. If you click on one of the 2 it should take you to the format you wish to use. I hope this helps!
No, nothing. That is what is missing. I've looked left, I've looked right, up, down in the bar at the left hand corner, etc. I'm just on the same home page. Nothing changes. All other links work, like I said, but the breeders directory link does not work on any of those pages either. I just always stay on the same page I am on. Does anyone with IE 9 experience this? I don't understand why other links work but not this one.
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Website Changes / Re: New Breeder's Directory format
« on: February 26, 2015, 11:38:07 AM »The Breeders Directory link no longer works. At least it doesn't work for me. Can anyone else access it?
Bad time of the year to not have that available.
Sharon, could you please be more specific? What is not working? Can you not see the links, is it stalling, are you getting an error message... What?
When I click on the breeders directory link on the left of the page, the page goes absolutely nowhere. All the other links on that side of the page work, but not that one. For example, if I'm on the downloads page and hit the breeders directory link on the left, I end up staying on the downloads page. If I'm on the homepage and hit the breeders link, I stay on the homepage. This started day before yesterday and is still doing the same thing. All the other links work, so I don't see how it can be something I'm doing.