Hi all. The good news is I slipped on the ice before I collected the eggs today.
Despite my back ache from the fall, I am feeling pretty good about incubating. I have 3 good looking Crested Cream Legbar X and 2 good looking Black Copper Marans X due to hatch on Saturday. I'm not bumping up humidity until I see a pip though because air cells are still a bit small and they had higher humidity early in the incubation cycle (30-40%). I have 3 good looking Brabanters due to hatch Tuesday next week. Their air cells are a bit too big, again. Do you think that increasing their humidity early would help or hurt the process? For example, what if I put them in with the ones due to hatch on Saturday and bumped up the humidity to 60ish tomorrow night (Late Day 18 for first group Late Day 15 for Brabanters? Is that too high too early?
While I was candling I decided to grab one of the eggs from my CCL girl, Elsa, that I had started incubating on Sunday morning. There was a tiny little embryo!!!! I'm pretty excited about the crazy options for offspring this round. She's pretty submissive and I saw her mounted by the Wheaten Ameraucana, the Cream Brabanter, and the Barnevelder. As was my BCM girl, Noodles. The Wheaten is more cream than he should be- more of an EE really, but only because the feather color is slightly off. The Barnevelder is double laced. I just sold him and I'm splitting my group of Brabanters after this stupid frozen weather goes away- probably the weekend. This is the only round of possible fun combinations from my flock. I'll do another test group starting May 1. After that my groups will all be EE/OE led by my Wheaten Ameraucana and pure Cream Brabanter.
Despite my back ache from the fall, I am feeling pretty good about incubating. I have 3 good looking Crested Cream Legbar X and 2 good looking Black Copper Marans X due to hatch on Saturday. I'm not bumping up humidity until I see a pip though because air cells are still a bit small and they had higher humidity early in the incubation cycle (30-40%). I have 3 good looking Brabanters due to hatch Tuesday next week. Their air cells are a bit too big, again. Do you think that increasing their humidity early would help or hurt the process? For example, what if I put them in with the ones due to hatch on Saturday and bumped up the humidity to 60ish tomorrow night (Late Day 18 for first group Late Day 15 for Brabanters? Is that too high too early?
While I was candling I decided to grab one of the eggs from my CCL girl, Elsa, that I had started incubating on Sunday morning. There was a tiny little embryo!!!! I'm pretty excited about the crazy options for offspring this round. She's pretty submissive and I saw her mounted by the Wheaten Ameraucana, the Cream Brabanter, and the Barnevelder. As was my BCM girl, Noodles. The Wheaten is more cream than he should be- more of an EE really, but only because the feather color is slightly off. The Barnevelder is double laced. I just sold him and I'm splitting my group of Brabanters after this stupid frozen weather goes away- probably the weekend. This is the only round of possible fun combinations from my flock. I'll do another test group starting May 1. After that my groups will all be EE/OE led by my Wheaten Ameraucana and pure Cream Brabanter.
So no to the bathtub...how about your sink? I mean, as long as you unplug the garbage disposal...safety first!
Nooo ducks in the sink, either. 
) But...but Calls are so teensie! You should be able to get at least 20 in your bathtub!
Pssst...Muscovy are very friendly & easy to find (most people want to get rid of them
Hrmmm..... I'll look those up. I had forgotten 'bout them. 
)
