The 8th Annual BYC Easter Hatch-a-long!!!!

[Penny Hen]

I too am jealous of that clean, bright and fresh looking snow! Nothing is drying out here or if it starts it rains again

I hope your not flooded there Ron?

Wow those are cool eggs! How hard are they to candle?

You need one of those "blind a bear" flashlights!

 

[Penny Hen]

I'm pretty sure that the eggs will be fertile for upto 2 weeks after being mated.

Count 14 eggs. If she laid daily then it will be 2 weeks. But it really is about the egg count. if she is an every other day layer then it could be 28 days.

 

[Yorkshire Coop]

Took some last night! I also took a cool video of them "swimming", but haven't uploaded it to youtube yet.

Fabulous pics Looking forward to seeing them swimming!

Could I use a broody guinea hen?

Sounds good to me I really do like the looks of guinea fowl and their alarm call is quite remarkable.

You need one of those "blind a bear" flashlights!

 

[Penny Hen]

I am going to count myself in. My DH agreed that I can get a Reptipro incubator with the tax return money. I have used hand built ones before but I am working a job that has a lot of overtime and don't have time to even rock a cradle by hand. So I want one that can be completely programmed with turning times and even cooling cycles.I am not sure what I am going to hatch at the moment. I have my two Olive Egger hens and a Sapphire in with my Silver Penciled Wyandotte Bantam roo I am not sure that I want to hatch those crosses.I have a choice of close neighbors to get some Swedish Flower hens and maybe some Ameracanas that I could make Ameriflowers. I am thinking on that. I can have a total of 12 chickens so it is whether I want to concentrate upon one breed with one roo and 11 hens or 2 breeds and 2 roos and 10 hens. In the past I have been taken with Colloncas and the Blue Egg Sumatras (not a cross with Ameraucans but an import from the 1950's by Georgia Univ. They don't exist in Sumatra any more from what I understand but one of the members here has the flock that used to belong to the Univ. He mostly has bantams but this is one of the full sizes he has. Brain is failing on what his BYC name is. Look in the For Sale section. He has the eggs listed but the shortened title only mentions Bantams. It is only until you open it that you see he has the Blue Egg Sumatras.

 

[The Duck Ladie]

You should do very well hatching in the Birnsea!

Long term storage of eggs(over two weeks) do better stored in the fridge, small end up. Store for two weeks at room temperature big end up and tilted in cartons. Turn the eggs 2 or 3 times a day. After two weeks, put them into egg cartons small end up. Take them out of the fridge a day before setting and store them big end up again, turning a couple of times as the eggs come back up to room temp.

Keep us posted!

Well, I start storing the eggs the last day of this month, but I am only storing for eight days. I'm gonna store them in the garage where it's pretty cool. the fridge is to cold... I will be storing them in cartons, big end up.

 

[The Duck Ladie]

Well, I start storing the eggs the last day of this month, but I am only storing for eight days. I'm gonna store them in the garage where it's pretty cool. the fridge is to cold... I will be storing them in cartons, big end up.

Wait a sec. If my Magpie drake mates with her will the fertility start to be from him?

 

[Beer can]

I'll be joining in!
Will be setting Naked Necks and white Jersey Giants. 15-20 of each depending on how many I can fit in.
:yiipchick

 

[Glaseria]

Oh yes, totally forgot about the avian flu.... That's a bummer.

Will find pics in a bit. It's made out of a 2x4, a 1gal rubber pan, and a 6x18 ish piece of thin board.
Welshies!! Good luck!

Are Welsh Harlequins difficult to hatch out?

Sincerely,
Your Fellow Homesteader,
Glaseria

...

 

[Ravynscroft]

Thanks for the tip!

Anytime!

Ancona, Ancona,Campbell mix, maybe some magpie, we will see if they decide to get going...

Those should be fine in a turner...

You should do very well hatching in the Birnsea!

Long term storage of eggs(over two weeks) do better stored in the fridge, small end up. Store for two weeks at room temperature big end up and tilted in cartons. Turn the eggs 2 or 3 times a day. After two weeks, put them into egg cartons small end up. Take them out of the fridge a day before setting and store them big end up again, turning a couple of times as the eggs come back up to room temp.

Keep us posted!

Great tip!

Are Welsh Harlequins difficult to hatch out?

Sincerely,
Your Fellow Homesteader,
Glaseria

...

Should be fine just like other standard size ducks... really hatchability comes down to good flock genetics and nutrition...

 

[RodNTN]

Hi everyone! Count me in! I am going to be setting 12 Ayam Cemani eggs this March, can't wait!