Making Lemonade [Selective Culling Project - very long term]

[MysteryChicken]

Sorry your hatch didn't do well.

I've got chicken eggs due to hatch in 13 days, & duck eggs due on the 12th of April.

 

[Sally PB]

Just barely edible.

Did you have to resort to back up dinner plan B?

 

[U_Stormcrow]

Did you have to resort to back up dinner plan B?

Nope, wasn't that bad, just not at all tender

 

[U_Stormcrow]

Not finding two of last hatch this AM. Nor am I finding a poof of feathers.

at this point, I just don't know.

The one that's left is definitely a male, based on thickness of the legs, but has pencilling in the feathers. So assuming a hawk or an owl doesn't take this one, its a keeper.
Will have to walk the acres this week to see if I can find any evidence the others were dragged off. and figure out Wt_ the electric fence isn't doing what its supposed to. There's plenty of current - I touched it to check. Also hoping my cat didn't decide the 9wk old hatchling weren't play toys.

 

[JacinLarkwell]

The one that's left is definitely a male

That's how it always is, isn't it?

 

[U_Stormcrow]

That's how it always is, isn't it?

Yeah. It really is.

 

[Molpet]

That's how it always is, isn't it?

Yes it's rare that the ones that survive are the ones you want.

 

[3KillerBs]

Not finding two of last hatch this AM. Nor am I finding a poof of feathers.

Snakes?

I had a terrible snake problem last year.

 

[Sally PB]

Aw, crap. Can you do another hatch soon?

 

[U_Stormcrow]

I'll start a new hatch this weekend, after I clean the incubator w/i an inch of its life.

and all the snakes I've found are both too small, and should be inactive overnight. We hit 30 degrees last night, and never went above 58 for the day - that's cold for snakes to be active.

I've walked about 1/3 of the property perimeter around the pasture, no signs yet.

I'm thinking our Owl did the deed - its easily large enough.

Which means I'll need to keep my birds in the grow out pen longer. Its being restructured to add roofing (shade cloth), should be safer.