Pictures

I have had a request for more pictures, well as we don't have any babies at the moment and puictures of eggs are well slightly boring I will post lots of pictures of the rest of the gang (poultry, waterfowl and goats) on my other blog.

And of course post our next babies here.

But Babies soon

Pecker has once again gome broody, bless here this time with about 18 eggs she has laid and stolen from the other bantams, none of the eggs are likely to be fertile so I have some other eggs for her, which we will try to slip in later today, when the kids get home.

Bothe incubators are fired up and on the go, one full of quail eggs the other with a mixture of Welsummer, Marens, Cream Legbars and Buff Orpingtons.

They quail are all due to hatch around the 21st, fingers crossed as the last batch were wasted due to a dodgy thermometer (now fixed).

The others all due around 2nd November. So fingers crossed.

No Babies at the moment

Well its seems like ages since we last had no babies, after a very good summer of natural hatchings, though nothing in the incubator.

Katherine and Henry's Babies have all gone off to new homes, as have the 4 Indian Runner ducklings. Peckers Chick Pompom is now turning in to a cracking cockeral, not crowing yet, but when he does he is off.

Selby Auction Mart

Went to Selby Saturday and sold 5 Muscovy babies, 4 Indian Runner babies and 1 Cockeral.

Still have a pair of Muscovy to sell.

New Incubator

Well I tried it with some quail, only to discover at 15 days that a problem with the thermometer, so the eggs have basically been cooked. I have transferred them to the old one, so fingers crossed.

And ordered a new thermometer for the incubator. New eggs due to arrive Thursday, so we will see.

The New Incubator is here

Okay so its arrived now, got it set up and working, happy the temperature control is good, humiditiy seems constant, so now I'm ready to go, just need some eggs.

I have loads of fertile quail eggs, bot don't really want more quail, have fertile duck eggs, but again don't really want more ducks. So what shall I do? Has anybody got any eggs for sale or to swap?

Thanks in adavnce

Eggs

So what shall I hatch first.

I could hatch some quail, quick easy and we have a trio so have plenty of eggs. Don't really want more quail.

I could hatch Ducks, love ducks, but already have 12 babies running around.

Bantams, had loads of attempts but not much success.

Emm, decisions..

Our New Incubator

The Incubator we are getting ia a Brinsea Octagon 10. The info below is from Th Brinsea Website.

Octagon 10 - more information / technical notes

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Small, reliable, easy to use - Careful design and the use of modern materials and manufacturing techniques has enabled this tiny high quality incubator to be available at a very reasonable price.


The combination of 'Omnitherm™' heating, advanced temperature control and high quality construction results in a reliable and extremely easy to use incubator.
The Omnitherm principle ensures that the eggs are gently warmed by the printed element which encircles the egg chamber and results in stable, even temperature throughout the enclosure without the need for a fan.
Different egg sizes, including goose eggs, can be accommodated by adjusting the width of the egg channel with the dividers provided. The eggs are accessed by drawing out the egg tray from one end.
The smaller the incubator, the harder it is to keep the temperature steady. Brinsea's proven Omnitherm™ heating technology is the solution, providing all round heating and visibility at the
same time.
Egg turning is achieved, as with all models in the Octagon range, by rotating the whole cabinet. This feature means that manual turning is easy and does not involve opening the enclosure or touching the eggs. Automatic turning is an option with the separate Autoturn cradle which turns the incubator once per hour. The external turning system keeps all moving parts outside the incubator away from moisture and dust leaving the enclosure easier to clean. The incubator easily lifts clear of the cradle allowing it to stand level for hatching.

The advanced, proportional electronic temperature control is similar to that used across the Brinsea range and is the result of many years of refinement. The temperature is set on a twenty turn adjuster using a small screwdriver from outside the incubator. An indicator light displays the status of the temperature control.

Humidity is provided by two water trays accessible by partially withdrawing the egg tray.
A high quality incubation thermometer, individually calibrated on the glass for accuracy, is provided with each incubator.



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Egg Capacity (Approx.)

Quail 24
Pheasant 12
Hen 10
Duck 8
Goose 3

Physical Data

Dimensions
Incubator only 13.50" x 6" x 6" high
340 x 150 x150 mm high
With cradle 16" x 6.25 x 9" high
405 x 165 x 230 mm
Weight
Incubator 2.4 lb (1.1 Kg)
Autoturn cradle 2.0 lb (0.9 Kg)
Power Consumption:
(maximum) 25 Watts
Power Consumption:
(typical) 12 Watts
Electricity supply 115v 60Hz or 230v 50Hz
as ordered

New Incubator

I've just myself a new incubator on ebay, paid a liitle more than I wanted to but hey, hopefully it will be what I want.

Can't wait now for it to arrive.

And then what to hatch?????

Tiny Egg

Don't know if its the weather or what but we have had a few odd eggs lately, two weeks ago one of the ducks laid an egg the size and shape of a ping pong ball, and the two days ago Pecker who lays a normal bantam size egg everyday, laid the egg above, not much bigger than a penny, shown below with two of her other eggs for size comparisson.

Very odd.

New Birds

Well after months of searching and umming and arring, we are finally getting some new birds, when I say birds I mean Bantams to join our twoo remaining silkies.

Babies everywhere.

Now that I have lost my shed, or rather I'm banned from the shed due to a rather grumpy mummy duck, I am stuck in the garden so here some photos os the muscovies enjoying the sun.

Muscovy Babies taking a swim

Here a couple of films showing the babies doing what they love best swimming on a sunny day.





And another

New Forum For Goat Owners

New Forum just started for goat owners in the UK, check it out here http://ukgoatowners.myfreeforum.org/

Pass it on to everyone you know who loves goats.

Cute Duckling Pictures

Sad News

Sad News, we have lost one of the new ducklings managed to get in to the main enclosure with the big ducks, and it would appear that the male muscovy decided that he would make a nice breakfast, luckily the older children were all at school so didn't see it.

I have now managed to catch mother duck and babies and they are now safely in the shed.

muscovy duckling goes hunting

One of our ducklings at a week old trying to catch flies.

New Babies

Well atlast after what seems like the whole summer (this is her second attempt) Denis (now denise) finally manage to hatch some babies, 5 so far.

3 all yellow, 1 Yellow with grey back and 1 mainly black with yellow wings and bib (nicknamed Zoro).

Incubator

Well it looks like our first incubator may have given up the ghost, as it no longer seems to be getting hot enough.

So I'm on the look out for a new incubator.

Dead Duckling

Sadly when Rosie went out to feed the animals this morning, she found one of the ducklings laying on the ground unable to lift its head and with blood around its head. I took it oof her and it was obvious that it had a broken neck, it died almost instantly in my hands, upon closer examination it was obvious thatit also head a head injury.

It would appear that it had fallen doen the step and then been trodden on by a goat, poor little thing.

Bantam Eggs.

Sadly the 9 eggs in the incubator did not develop, this is for a couple of reasons I think, mainly that the incubator buld died at about 10 days and the eggs got cold, that said at that point only 3 had developed anyway.

Think its time for a new incubator.

Dennis and her nest

Dennis or should that be Denise is sat on her nest still, despite Katherine the Muscovy and her babies constantly pestering her.

She has been sat on for about 2 weeks so hopefully we will soon have the patter of my little webbed feet.

Katherines Babies

Katherines babies are now just over 2 weeks old and have discoverd our very large compost heap, they all spend hours fighting over worms, flys and bugs. Can be very funny to see 4 of them all trying to eat the same worm. They end up all covered in mud.

Luckily they have also discovered that water isn't just for drinking, but it is also great for swimming in. The goats are not to pleased as it tends to be their drinking bowl that they chose for a swim.

Katherine and Babies

Here hopefully is some film of one of the Muscovy ducklings hunting his own lunch of flies..

Need some more Bantams

Well now we are down to two silkies I want more bantams even more than before looks like the eggs in the incubator at the moment are all dudes, so no chicks there. Can't seem to find any female bantams round here for love nor money.

New Incubator

Well after almost a years faithful service, I'm begining to think it is time to get a bigger and better incubator, I was warned it was addictive.

Test

Seem to be having problems, so doing a test post, please ignore.

Peckers Chick

PomPom as she/he is noe is now 11 weeks, having hatched the day before we moved, and she/he is almost as big as mum.

Katherines babies

More pictures, just because I can

Katherines ducklings

Well here is the first glimps of her babies on Sunday.

Role Call

Just as it has been some time since I last posted, I think its time for a bird role call.

So here goes.

2 Silkies, (we lost Swimmer early in the year, George went off to a new home, Cutie Pie, Purdie, Lucy got killed by a nasty fox.)

1 Goose, well Gander he is still going strong, just as grumpy, but convinced he is the "ducklings" dad, little confussed there.

2 Muscovies Henry VIII and Katherine VI (I didn't name them) well they now have 9 mini muscovies (4 days old).

Then there is Lady the crested duck, believed to be about 9 now, again she is looking great, still holding her own with the young whipasnappers.

Snowball the aylesbury, supposed to be ladies mate, but is a bit of a ladies man.

the 6 Runners (two stayed at the old house for our buyers) Splode, Dennis (female), waddles, coco, rolo, blondie, sadly the fox also got Brandy.

Three Quail, completely mad, seem to drink water likes its going out of fashion.

Oh any 9 eggs in the incubator, one week left.

Thats all the birds.

Hatching.

Well my Christmas hatched worked well, 7 babies, sadly first time mum peacker wasn't sure what to do, and left the babies in the cold to die.

Since then Peacker surprised us all with a new chick, the day befofre we moved house, 5 weeks after George our cock had gone to market.

Dennis (she is a girl) spent 3 weeks on 18 eggs, only to abandon them due to the very heavy rain in June, mangaed to hatch one, in the incubator but sadly it was a poorly chick and didn't make it.

An apology,

I've I have neglected this blog and my other one for far to long.

Updates coming soon.