March 2017! Hatch with us!

[WVduckchick]

My final hatch of EEs are due to hatch this weekend. It will be interesting to say the least seems how we here in Michigan have lost power several times this week. I have read the horror stories about folks who've had this issue, and I found myself thinking man I'm glad I haven't had that happen to me. Then bang here came the wonderful winds and knocked out our power for 3 days. I did get the generator hooked up and the incubator was at 80 degrees at that point. So we will see how it effects the last hatch. I waited till yesterday to lock them down so fingers crossed

we shall see how many make it out.
I also have a question. I've read where I shouldn't allow the Roos of this hatch breed the pullers of this batch? They say I could breed the pullets back to their father seems how all the chicks have the same father, but that's not possible. So I was thing about getting a new bloodline roo to breed them obviously later. I was wondering if I purchased an Americana would that help the blue gene of the EEs?

Short power outage shouldn't be too bad. It's 20 degrees outside here and my broody was off her eggs for her morning broody drink -n-dump. possible small delay, so holding lockdown for a bit was a fine idea.

Can't help much with egg color. But a different male won't change the color of the eggs the current chicks produce, but should improve the offsprings egg color. Breeding brother to sister gets done plenty, I mean that's how most of us start. But the father/daughter mother/son breedings are supposed to be a healthier, better idea. Total different bloodlines are great though. It's finding the right other line that can be a pain lol

 

[WVduckchick]

I have 3 lavender pips this morning. I was stressing over the one that I saw internally pipped. Using a magnifying glass, I was checking a spot that I thought was a crack. While deciding that it wasn't, it pipped right exactly in the very spot I was looking at!! It was cool to see it thru the magnifier!

 

[orrpeople]

My final hatch of EEs are due to hatch this weekend. It will be interesting to say the least seems how we here in Michigan have lost power several times this week. I have read the horror stories about folks who've had this issue, and I found myself thinking man I'm glad I haven't had that happen to me. Then bang here came the wonderful winds and knocked out our power for 3 days. I did get the generator hooked up and the incubator was at 80 degrees at that point. So we will see how it effects the last hatch. I waited till yesterday to lock them down so fingers crossed

we shall see how many make it out.
I also have a question. I've read where I shouldn't allow the Roos of this hatch breed the pullers of this batch? They say I could breed the pullets back to their father seems how all the chicks have the same father, but that's not possible. So I was thing about getting a new bloodline roo to breed them obviously later. I was wondering if I purchased an Americana would that help the blue gene of the EEs?

Some breeders will say it's okay to breed siblings because you can find out more about their genetics (if they throw an odd color or trait, then you know the purity of your breed is in question). But, to propagate a line, of course you want unrelated birds. We've had some weird things happen with our BCM rooster we thought was pure....

 

[orrpeople]

I have 3 lavender pips this morning. I was stressing over the one that I saw internally pipped. Using a magnifying glass, I was checking a spot that I thought was a crack. While deciding that it wasn't, it pipped right exactly in the very spot I was looking at!! It was cool to see it thru the magnifier!

Hah, how fun!! I had 3 more pip last night, and a little male CL hatch this morning! I candled the next batch who are on day 15 and had a couple quitters and some definite re-checkers before lockdown. Shipping is so hard on little embryo development. It truly is a wonder when any of them hatch!

 

[orrpeople]

I use a Brinesa EcoGlow brooder. It's sits to one side at the bottom. I love it! They're not exactly cheap, but I've had a couple of scares with heat lamps. The other nice thing about the EcoGlow is that the chicks tuck themselves under it like a broody hen, and come out to explore. I find it prepares them better for moving to the big coop as opposed to being under a lamp all the time. It's kind of like hardening off plants you started indoors. It's harder to control temp with a heat lamp. With this brooder set up, the chicks also start roosting pretty early, usually 2-3 weeks. It's cute to watch them learn. The chicks in that photo are BCM. That photo is from a couple of years ago.

I have 2 chicks this morning! No idea if I have any more pips. The 2 chicks have been playing soccer!

Haha ! This morning I asked myself why I so painstakingly placed each egg "possible pip side up" when the minute one hatches, they completely rearrange the furniture!
I'm using a heating pad set up for this batch. it took me a long time to finally just try it, and my last batch seemed to do great with it - so, will do again!

 

[BroosterSpringsteen]

Haha ! This morning I asked myself why I so painstakingly placed each egg "possible pip side up" when the minute one hatches, they completely rearrange the furniture!

I'm using a heating pad set up for this batch. it took me a long time to finally just try it, and my last batch seemed to do great with it - so, will do again!

A heating pad...why didn't I ever think of that? That's a great idea!

I think my hatch is probably finished. I candled the remainders. It looks like at least 2 quit early (pourous eggs...I should know better!), and the others are so dark, I was never even sure they were developing. Those OE shells are THICK. 2 out of 6 from my own eggs is a pretty terrible hatch rate, but with the crazy weather we've been having, and questionable fertility, I'm not terribly surprised. I'm just glad I have at least 2 so they won't be lonely. Nice thing about 2 chicks is that the brooder will stay clean longer, and we can definitely tell them apart.

My two little Olive egger chicks are nearly dry now. They are SO cute! I wasn't sure what to expect. I can't keep track of which hen lays which egg, so I wasn't sure what they would look like. Plus they are 2nd generation, and you never know what traits will turn up. One chick looks just like a BCM, dark gray with a copper face. The other is blonde chipmunk. I'll take pictures when they move to the brooder!

 

[Jessimom]

A heating pad...why didn't I ever think of that? That's a great idea!

I think my hatch is probably finished. I candled the remainders. It looks like at least 2 quit early (pourous eggs...I should know better!), and the others are so dark, I was never even sure they developing. Those OE shells are THICK. 2 out of 6 from my own eggs is a pretty terrible hatch rate, but with the crazy weather we've been having, and questionable fertility, I'm not terribly surprised. I'm just glad I have at least 2 so they won't be lonely. Nice thing about 2 chicks is that the brooder will stay clean longer, and we can definitely tell them apart.

My two little Olive egger chicks are nearly dry now. They are SO cute! I wasn't sure what to expect. I can't keep track of which hen lays which egg, so I wasn't sure what they would look like. Plus they are 2nd generation, and you never know what traits will turn up. One chick looks just like a BCM, dark gray with a copper face. The other is blonde chipmunk. I'll take pictures when they move to the brooder!

Congratulations on the 2. They sound adorable!! Sorry about the others. Next hatch will be better!

For a heating pad. This is the thread I followed when I built mine. They work great. I use the MHPs and I also use heat plates.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/956958/mama-heating-pad-in-the-brooder-picture-heavy-update

Good luck!!

 

[ShrekDawg]

I don't know I'm lost on that part going to have to read up it n it

Right, sex links are a cross breed.

I found that out now I'm wondering what will come out lol
And congrats and welcome lil one!!

I think Comets, Red Star, Goldens, etc are a White Leghorn cross - with either a New Hampshire or RIR - not sure what creates the genetics for the sex link. I know when I cross my female Barred Rocks with a dark colored bird, the barring gene is only transferred to the male offspring, identifiable at hatch.

Well I might be getting a couple RIR so I'll be ok there a newhamshire is a different story but I'll see how it goes think I'll let my summer with putting down on paper and marking my birds for a better outlook I have a better idea as to what breeds I have now if all goes well I'll be back up and going strong this summer with all the help and support I have gotten here already you guys and gals are awsome!

Good luck with the hatching

 

[dannyelle123]

If you can't find 8' 1x1s you can always buy 8' 2x whatever you choose and rip them to 11/2"x 1".

Thanks for the idea Jim... I was thinking that too.

 

[DPWPDX]

Awesome! What breeds are your newbies?

A barnevelder, a gold laced Wyandotte, and a cuckoo marans!