Recent content by Yardmom

Although your pup's breeds were originally bred for rodent control, that doesn't mean a pup with that breeding is going to instinctively kill the rats and only rats. It sounds like the pup has a good prey drive as can be common with this breeding. You will need to spend a considerably amount...

Yes 60 is kind of the minimum for humidity for lockdown. It will rise slightly as chicks hatch.

Foxes will continue to come to the same areas. Unfortunately they will come at anytime night or day.

Calcium helps them push eggs out. Sorry I don't know the details for best kind.

Any chance of hidden nests? I realize you did get eggs the first days so they might have learned where to lay or maybe not?? Other thoughts ...the break from shock is normal. Is the reason for frozen treats high temps? The heat could be extending the break

Between the red comb and feather pattern I'm thinking cockeral.

Some eggs you have to just wait and see what they do. No harm leaving them in the incubator as long as they don't smell. You can also compare the overall look to an egg you know is good if the shells are to dark.

Some game breeders aim to breed for birds that are more predator savvy.

Depending on your flock dynamics you can just remove the cardboard and let them get down when the time is right. Otherwise tonight she will likely stay with them when you take them down.

A chicken can still become broody even without eggs to sit on. I'm guessing that is what is going on. It is normal for a hen to ignore chicks that she doesn't consider hers. Sometimes broody hens can be quite mean to chicks they didn't hatch. Sounds like she is actually doing pretty well...

I think I still see movement. When counting days count 1 after she sat for 24 hours (with a possible short break). Don't count the day they were to cool to grow. Just double checking were both parents mallards or mallard derived?

I live in northwest PA. (Micro ecosystem off lake Erie) Our temps are moderate, so no AC in our house. The humidity in my house is usually over 80 in spring and summer. I don't add any water the first 18 days and the incubator can be as high as 45. For hatch I put in just a bit of water to...

I am not familiar with Malines. Plymouth Barred tend to be good roos, but individual (and certain genetic lines) can vary greatly. You can not count on a dual purpose roo to fight off a fox. They are prey just like the hens. They may help in alerting the hens to head for cover or they might...

Sometimes a mother cat will take time between moving the first kitten and coming back for the rest, but sometimes a mother just moves 1 or 2 and abandons the rest. I have also seen a mother cat move out one kitten and then come back to care for the others in the original spot. Is the mother a...

Number 6 is for sure a pullet. 12 weeks can actually be a challenging stage to tell gender at a glance especially in mixed breeds. Pullets might be starting to get a bit of color, but males may not show male specific feathering yet. 3 and 4 are males if they developed with typical barring. I...