2015 HALLOWEEN Hatch-a-Long, Join us IF YOU DARE!

[storminthenight]

Well 18 BLRW eggs picked up early and in the bator. Hatch date is October 10th. I bit disappointed because all of them look porous, should I keep the humidity a little higher, around 45?

 

[Sally Sunshine]

Nah no goats. I do have a friend who raises them and I'll get her overflow stock very soon for goat's milk. As of now all our stock is made with ox tallow, sunflower seed oil, and olive oil.

As for house hunting, we're in line to inherit my grandfather-in-law's homestead and his flock of barnyard chickens. Which will bring up our flock from eight to roughly 28, barring his eating a few. It needs some work beforehand (greenhouse needs updated and an addition put on the house to replace the all-seasons porch), so we'll be stuck in our urban homestead for a few years yet.

oh it sounds wonderful when the time comes!

where do you get ox tallow? local or order online? very cool that you make all of it and its so very pretty

 

[Sally Sunshine]

Well 18 BLRW eggs picked up early and in the bator. Hatch date is October 10th. I bit disappointed because all of them look porous, should I keep the humidity a little higher, around 45?

what is your room humidity? and what is the bator humidity running at with the eggs in it before adding water? also, how large are air cells at set (how old are eggs)?

 

[draye]

My September Hatch A Long results are posted here:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/1014746/september-2015-hatch-a-long/1020#post_15853705

 

[storminthenight]

what is your room humidity? and what is the bator humidity running at with the eggs in it before adding water? also, how large are air cells at set (how old are eggs)? 

Humidity without water is 30%, I've added some water and its up to 40%. The oldest should be about 5 days. Not sure on the other two.

 

[Sally Sunshine]

My September Hatch A Long results are posted here:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/1014746/september-2015-hatch-a-long/1020#post_15853705

Wondering how the NN gene works, you say about 50 50 ? Is there a way to improve those odds? or is that because you mixed them? I dont know anything about that gene

Bummer with the Araucana roo, that was ALOT of lost deviled eggs!

 

[Sally Sunshine]

Humidity without water is 30%, I've added some water and its up to 40%. The oldest should be about 5 days. Not sure on the other two.

are you marking air cells at start? that way you really know what your loss is from day one to day 7 or 10 whenever you candle.

 

[draye]

Wondering how the NN gene works, you say about 50 50 ? Is there a way to improve those odds? or is that because you mixed them? I dont know anything about that gene

Bummer with the[COLOR=333333] Araucana roo, that was ALOT of lost deviled eggs! [/COLOR]

I think the reason mine turned out 50 50 is because most of my flock have big bibs ( now ties) the gene code I think is NN meaning they are carrying only one gene for the naked neck. They being bred to other Nn ( big bibs) create approximately 75 % Naked Necks ( some of the babies will be Nn ( big bibs ) and some NN ( two genes for the naked neck) and 25% will be nn ( no gene for naked neck).

These will not ever produce naked neck chicks unless they are bred back to Naked Necks.

Then if you breed these to non naked necks you come out with about 50 50 on the chicks.

When you breed an Naked Neck with a little to no bow tie to any Naked Neck ( little or big bowtie) you should get all Naked Neck babies 100%.

I'm still learning all this myself. Kev from the Naked Neck thread can explain all this way better than I can.

 

[CGilbert]

Just set 10 Silver Grey Dorking eggs and 6 Red Dorking eggs. Set to hatch 10/9. I may have to set more the next day so I can have some hatch on halloween

 

[draye]

I bought some Red Dorking chicks once. I didn't care for them myself they were wild. Every time I walked into the run they'd go bazeerk and fly everywhere.

I hope you have good luck with yours and you like them. I think maybe it was just the line I got a hold of.

BTW: there was one cockerel in that bunch that turned out to be a Colored Dorking. Very very pretty color on a chicken.