The 6th Annual BYC Easter Hatch-a-long!

[abkoldewyn]

This may be. Silly question... But can a bantam cochin roo do his manly "job" with a large fowl hen and produce viable eggs? His eggs with other bantams have been fertile so far.

 

[MavisMama]

I asked this type of question in the past and the answer was "yes"

 

[Jessshan8]

This may be. Silly question... But can a bantam cochin roo do his manly "job" with a large fowl hen and produce viable eggs? His eggs with other bantams have been fertile so far.

Absolutely! Years and years ago I had a silkie roo in with my orps and barred rocks and figured he was too small to do anything. I collected somewhere around 2 dozen eggs and incubated them of the ones that hatched 95% had five toes!!!!!! I was fuming mad at this and shortly rehomed him and most of the chicks. As it turned out it was not all bad as I had a hen from that breeding turn out to be the best broody mother hen I have ever had.

 

[Happy Chooks]

I candled my eggs last night:

The Trader Joe Free Range Organic Eggs (NOT labeled as fertile but thought I'd try them) were not fertile. 12 clears

The four Icelandic eggs I got from a friend's flock are all going strong.

Of the 13 set from my flock, only four are developing......that means my 5 year old rooster is not covering all the hens/pullets he is with (16 total and he is the only male)

or he is aging out

The two silkie eggs are under a broody....need to check those.....

So.......eight Icelandic eggs still in the incubator and two silkie eggs under a broody

Now we wait for the final candling at 17 days.......or when a hen goes broody....whichever comes first!

Love your new avatar! Glad you have eggs still going strong! Sorry not as many were fertile as you hoped. (maybe it was secretly your DH trying to keep your population down

)

 

[abkoldewyn]

Absolutely! Years and years ago I had a silkie roo in with my orps and barred rocks and figured he was too small to do anything. I collected somewhere around 2 dozen eggs and incubated them of the ones that hatched 95% had five toes!!!!!! I was fuming mad at this and shortly rehomed him and most of the chicks. As it turned out it was not all bad as I had a hen from that breeding turn out to be the best broody mother hen I have ever had.

I asked this type of question in the past and the answer was "yes"

Thank you! That's what I thought, but just wanted to make sure.

I bet those little 5 toed chickens were fluffy, pretty little things!

 

[SallyinIndiana]

Quote: My children like to try an help too. The losses hurt but the child's interest is a good thing and I let them learn from it. The look but don't touch rule is strictly enforced here with the incubators. The chicks they are allowed to hold when I'm there. It only makes sense as the children are great at catching the puff balls and I like that help.

Quote: I had an OB who would say I'm not comfortable with such and such about every little weight loss or larger gain, diet changes, and even the chewable pills. I got to the point that I thought how comfortable does he think it is to be pregnant and does he really think that by the time I get to the final weeks, I'll care about how comfortable he is? Shortly after that grumpy day, I started seeing someone else in the practice and life was greatly improved. I got my HG meds, the child vitamins were all good, and sleeping on my back was never even asked about.

 

[Dcat]

Question for those that use the bracelet loops rubber band things to band their chicks, how and when do you out them on? They aren't all that stretchy and if I try it I dont want to hurt them. Maybe I just have big fingers I dont know.

 

[OneMountainAcres]

YAY! There are too many posts so my story was probably forgotten or overlooked but I had shipped eggs arrive last Friday, lavender/black ameraucana splits. Though they were well packaged, one egg was broken and ALL the air cells were wierd, lose and wobbly. I set them on Saturday, only putting half in the turner and let the other half set along the side of the turner in the bator for an extra 2 days. Then, my power went out on Monday for an hour and a half so I've been stressing over these eggs like crazy. Today is day 4 and I candled again (yes, I've been candling lol) and I saw good veins in 3 of the 4 I candled! YAY! I'm so happy that at least a couple are developing. I even saw one move, very slightly but still. I'll be doing an official candling of all eggs on Saturday since I only checked a couple tonight. I also plan to hatch upright in egg cartons for the first time with this batch. Only because the air cells are still a bit weird and wobbly. I just had to share my excitement

 

[karenerwin]

You know those bracelet little rubber bands. Wrap twice around one leg. At first, it might be a little big, but I have a 6 week old it is still on. It grows with the little guy and I am not afraid of breaking its leg. When they are older the zip tie method works great! Their legs are stronger.

Works great! Different colors rubber bands for different breeds...also separates boys from girls.

I tried the rubber band method, but it didn't work real well for me. The chick I tried it on is 4 weeks old. I had a hard time getting it on her leg and then when I put her back in with the others they tried to eat it off of her leg! It freaked the little chick out, so I took it back off & didn't try to put it on the other 3.

 

[ronott1]

YAY! There are too many posts so my story was probably forgotten or overlooked but I had shipped eggs arrive last Friday, lavender/black ameraucana splits. Though they were well packaged, one egg was broken and ALL the air cells were wierd, lose and wobbly. I set them on Saturday, only putting half in the turner and let the other half set along the side of the turner in the bator for an extra 2 days. Then, my power went out on Monday for an hour and a half so I've been stressing over these eggs like crazy. Today is day 4 and I candled again (yes, I've been candling lol) and I saw good veins in 3 of the 4 I candled! YAY! I'm so happy that at least a couple are developing. I even saw one move, very slightly but still. I'll be doing an official candling of all eggs on Saturday since I only checked a couple tonight. I also plan to hatch upright in egg cartons for the first time with this batch. Only because the air cells are still a bit weird and wobbly. I just had to share my excitement

Thanks for the update!