Greenbean's Farm Babies 2018 Edition

[8greenbeans]

So we started eggs early this year in hopes that our military GrandBeans (#2&4) could see chicks hatch, etc.

Yesterday, 1 chick hatched. 3 pipped but hadn't hatched by the time we went to bed. Awoke to one more hatched, one getting close, and one passed away. The pipper has since hatched.

Due to the earliness of the hatch we kept the incubator in the basement and now the brood box. Let me just throw something out there in case you get in a hurry the way we did ... Wash everything at the end of the season so you aren't trying to do it at the beginning of the following season *yuck*

Grandbean2 is 2.5 years old. He was gentle. Grandbean4 is not yet 1.5 years. He is the Tasmanian devil when awake - won't sit still and won't pay attention to something more than 30 seconds. I had visions of him ripping the new chick's head off and was actually afraid to let him 'pet' the new chick.

My fears were founded  Thankfully, I was ready for his attempt and the chick was unscathed. His mama had to wrap her legs around him and hold his hand with one finger out to guide his touching from that moment forward. Needless to say there will be no more petting by him until he is older ... like maybe next year we will try again.

Now we await one turkey and two ducks to hatch within the week.

[Starlady]

You let them hatch in the turner?  My turner has individual slots for each egg, the rows are much closer together and it holds them nearly upright, not sure they could get out & then I worry about them getting a leg caught in between the slats.

CONGRATS!   I've got duck eggs coming early.  Hatch due Saturday but one was in the air cell last  night and this morning 3 more were working on it when I went to turn them for the last time.

[8greenbeans]

We are going to do something different with the next set but in general yes, with turning the turner off 3 days before hatch due. We took the turner out as per the instructions last year for a few hatches. We seemed to lose more after pipping when we did it that way 'cause the hatched chicks ran them over rolling them everywhere. Ours did not come with a device to sit them in. Sooooooo for the next hatch we are going to use an idea I saw the other day..... remove the turner at proper time, then replace with an egg carton so they can't be rolled over by the first hatches.

I'm so excited about the baby ducks! I can't wait for them to hatch! Can't wait to see pictures of yours

[8greenbeans]

Been meaning to post pictures for days of the 3 new additions!

Here are the 3 with no bars in the way.


This is their little set up ... reusing Bean8's Sugar Glider cage for a terrific small brooder.


This is just for fun ... Grandbean4 finally found a way to pet the chicks without ripping off heads or hanging them by their feet!

[Starlady]

I can't wait to see my grandducks!

[8greenbeans]

And we have goats! Blue is purebred Oberhasli, 2-years-old, in milk. Calliopee is a registered Alpine/Toggenburg mix, 1-year-old. It'll take time before we decide if we will get a buck or add more to our herd of 2. Here is a photo of them and their little shelter. We finish the flooring tomorrow.

[8greenbeans]

Goat selfie just for fun...


A turkey poult hatched yesterday and one is pipping now. I was sooo worried as our power went out on hatching day. I literally heated up the van then went to move the eggs to there (and stay there, constantly adjusting temp) as the power was supposed to be out until 7. It came on just as I walked in the house to get said eggs. Before I started heating the van I wrapped the incubators in all the blankets and sleeping bags we had to slow down cooling.




Had to turn the brooder around so the grandbeans don't open the doors.


However, I do have sad news to report. A raccoon got one of our dear, sweet ducks    She was everyone's favorite (the crested gray). I can report the killer has been caught and awaiting on death row.

[Starlady]

Oh, poor sweet Pepper, I've missed her silly antics and I'm sorry for your loss.  She made a good Mom.

[8greenbeans]

Here are the baby ducks we have so far! Just for you, Star!!



Here are turkey poults looking cute and enjoying their heater....

[Starlady]

Squeeeeeeeeeee!   How cute!

Does that gold one have a touch of brown on it?  I've been trying to breed to brown and I guess none of my feather kids are brown gene carriers.  On the good side, it's looking like at least 2 of my 6 black & white babies are girls, so far!

[8greenbeans]

Here's a better photo ... It does appear to have some brown - at least in its down currently. I'll keep you posted as s/he grows!

[Starlady]

Ok, not chocolate.  She'll probably be a Lilac - which is pretty hard to get.  That's the fun with Anconas , no matter what color the parents are you NEVER know what you're gonna get.

[8greenbeans]

That's something I didn't know! Man, this could be fun! We have a bunch of eggs still looking good for the upcoming hatch in a couple weeks. Now I'm really looking forward to the colors we will get!

[Starlady]

The only limitation is a b&w to a b&w - you'll get b&w.  Every other combo is up for grabs as to colors you'll get.

Don't breed back the boys you get from this year's hatches.  I now have 2 b&w boys unrelated to any of my other ducks and after I get a batch from each this summer, they'll be available.  Then I'm going to get a couple of chocolate boys - it's the only color I don't seem to have in my lines.....yet.

[8greenbeans]

9 ducklings hatched this week! Temporarily they are in this tote 'cause I walked in last night to all of them waddling around the garage. I had "walls" put up in the larger brooder but they moved the warmer and escaped between the bars. So I gotta work on that.



Four pheasants hatched late last week and but we've been working so hard everyday that I haven't had a chance to post. Oh and 2 chicks.



We filled both incubators now so hopefully we will have some large hatches in the next month.