Riding Out the Lows With the Highs
It hasn't been the best of starts to this month with sickness plaguing us, particularly my husband, who is rarely ill. I suspect he's under more stress than he's letting on with his factory starting to wrap things up ready for closure.
Then we had a terrible run with hatching. I often buy second hand, both to get a better price on something and to put good things to further use. However, with electronics there is a risk that it might not work properly or that it stops working shortly after you get it. A couple of years ago I took that risk with a small incubator. I paid $60 for a barely used $120 one, which came with the box and instruction manual. It paid off and we've had brilliant hatch rates from it. However, I wanted too start hatching more regularly, so recently I decided to take a risk again and got another slightly larger incubator for $60. It didn't come with a manual, but I eventually figured out how to alter the temperature and humidity. I got it set at the temperature we usually use and checked it with a thermometer. It seemed to be keeping temperature, but after two terrible hatches, where most died various stages before hatch and some hatched with development problems, I realised that the temperature was varying too much across the incubator. I went to change the temperature, but it's no longer functioning, so I'm stuck on the last temperature used.
Losing so many viable eggs left me feeling rather despondent. Then to top it off I've had sick chickens and quail to deal with too.
Luckily, most of the time, good will follow the bad too help get you back on your feet. One week ago our minilop rabbits had two healthy babies. This is her second birth, but first successful one. Mum, Fern, is doing a grand job and they are both growing well.
Yesterday and today we've been having Easter Eggers hatching, in our original trusty incubator. 17 healthy chicks are out and we're waiting on the last two that have pipped. Just two didn't fully develop this time.
Sometimes I think you need to focus on the good and sideline the bad to keep yourself on track. So onwards and upwards!
I'll leave you with some more photos of the bunny babies!
(This is the bigger one at five days old)
(Here they both are today at 8 days old. The little one has gotten much darker!)
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Such is life on the homestead. Those good days sure are welcome and man Howdy, they sure feel good.
I've had similar experience with buying used equipment. It just breaks your heart when you know a failure or error prevented the hatch.
I figure if the bad didn't happen, I wouldn't appreciate the good as much. Too bad it never follows the schedule I'd like though, lol.
That's a very good point; without the downs how would we even know what the good things are. 😊
I'm glad it's not just me that gets heartbroken over a hatch failure. I feel I should be better at taking it in my stride, but...
If I stopped being affected by death, I'd really start to worry. I dispatch all of the meat animals here and it's still hard, even after all these years.
I nearly decided to stop with our own meat after dealing with about 20 pigeons. They would have been necked and binned if we didn't take them. But I can't in all conscience just keep getting meat from a mass slaughter system and unfortunately I don't do well on a vegetarian diet.
Great Post and may your Autumn be Blessed!!! <3
Thank you. Although it is the first month of Spring here in the topsy turvy land of Australia though. 😁 I hope your Autumn is blessed and productive.
Have you seen my Bunghole? My people; we are without Bungholes...
I love this! such a reflection of my mind as of late!
I was thinking of you as I wrote it. You have had a much more extreme rollercoaster ride in comparison though!
Life can be hard...
Oh my goodness ...they are so cute...the bunnies are wow!
upvoted and resteemed! Things will come around soon...prayers for your husbands illness
Love and hugs, fellow homesteader, and homeschooler!
Melissa
Thank you Melissa.
My dad used to always tell us... "if you put your troubles in a hat with everyone else's, you would want to pick your own. "
Never doubt low times happen, we all have been there. So when the good happens, we triumph in the moment
Your dad sounds like a clever man. 😊 You're right, we need the lows to appreciate the highs really.