4th Annual BYC NYD Hatch-a-long

[wolfytm2002]

Ok I am so confused with my chicks hatched. The only 2 roosters I had breeding when I set my eggs were a GLW and a Dominique, both rose combed. Somehow I managed to get chicks with single combs... How? I didn't think that was even remotely possible. Anyone got any ideas?

 

[cluck-cluck]

Sadly, Weeble died overnight... It doesn't surprise me. I read the article on mushy chicks last night, and with her growing weaker, I figured she probably would not be alive in the morning... Now to tell the kids...

I wish I had read that article earlier... I don't suppose there is anything I could have done, but at least we would have been prepared. Poor girl... That means my mystery chick count it down to 1.
Everyone in the brooder is doing great! So that's good news...

Aww, I'm so sorry!

I think a couple people set them, but not for the NYD hatch. I've been following along pretty well and I haven't read anything about emu eggs hatching either.

Oh, well, I just have to get my Emu fix at the appropriate thread. Now I'm learning that they're actually very friendly (less scary then, LOL) I mean, I love horses, they're big too! LOL. But I'm in no danger of getting one in this small backyard we have, LOL.

Congrats to all on their hatches!

I'm calling it quits on my last unhatched Maran egg from my batch. I set 36, 22 were clears, 14 went to lockdown (should have been 13 though since I set 1 RIR egg that I know had quit around day 12) and 12 hatched. So, 12 out of 13 hatched (or 12/14 if you count the RIR). I have yet to eggtopsy the last unhatcher ... kinda hoping it was an early quitter rather than a late as I hate to think of them being hatch ready and then just not hatching, but oh well ... I have 12 lovely chicks that now have to live in my mudroom until April. Ahhhhh! What have I done! Photo of my brood to come once I set them in the big brooder cabinet ...

... which has progressed nicely (see below) I think. Still have to get the tray made, put in the heat lamp and attach the shelving unit (another recycled kitchen cabinet) to the top but ... what do you think? It has plexi-glass inserts for the windows (they are there now) to prevent drafts (which will be important since my dogs run in and out through the mudroom door (and it's winter). I'm going to add some knobs to the doors too. Not too shabby for an old kitchen sink cabinet and an old table top! When not in use as a brooder we will either use it as a recycle centre or a potting bench The front portion of the counter opens ... it was an old harvest table so we just turned it upside down with hinges up.

Really love that cabinet, and will be snatching one if I ever see one on the curb now!

They were not part of the NYD Hatch.

These are the CL X CPs. I have 7 of them but the do not hold still for pictures:

Recently hatch pictures:



Monday, Almost 3 weeks old. One CL X CP and a Blue Barnie OE



They are crazy jumpers and flyers! I hope they calm down some later...


These are the Marans X EEs



The one in the back is starting to get copper in the neck--looks like a roo to me. They are three months old and there has been no crowing yet.

Oh gosh, they're just adorable little mischief makers! I have no idea about the Maran X's but glad to hear everyone else say they're pullets!

The ducks 2nd bath time!

Too Cute!!! OMG, LOL

Yup yup, this here is a genuine grocery store chicken, straight from the egg cases at Whole Foods. Mine are feathering white as well so far. Judging from their adorable wittle flopped to the side combs, they're some sort of leghorn hybrid. Tetra Tints and California Whites are leghorn hybrids and start out looking like this too.

I wonder if California crosses breed true? Probably not, but then again, maybe?? I hope they make great egg layers for you! I absolutely LOVE my leghorns. Maybe because they were my first and I spent a lot of time with them? I don't know, but I love to cuddle them so much, and they have their moods where they come up to be pet, or I even suspect they want to be picked up and cuddled but have the slightest instinct to get away, but once I have a hold of them , they relax and let me pick them up. Very unusual for the breed I understand, but just goes to show that the time you spend with them can indeed pay off

I put off turning off the incubator when I did the eggtopsies. I still have one serama alive! The heat that killed all of the other eggs didn't get this one! It's one of my super secret seramas that CPL sent me. Wish me luck everyone. I think I'm going to need it.

Oh man, crossing my fingers and my toes, my legs, arms and eyes for you, Razadia! (not getting any emotes here, but picture the one with fingers crossed!)

 

[cluck-cluck]

Ok I am so confused with my chicks hatched. The only 2 roosters I had breeding when I set my eggs were a GLW and a Dominique, both rose combed. Somehow I managed to get chicks with single combs... How? I didn't think that was even remotely possible. Anyone got any ideas?

Are rose combs dominant? What do the hens have? I read somewhere in a book on genetics that combs were handed down 50/50?

 

[wolfytm2002]

Well my orpington and the mixed breed ee's and the white hens (unknown breed) all had straight combs but I had thought the rose combs were dominant because all the chicks I have hatched prior to this particular set all came out with rose combs. So mysterious...

 

[chiqita]

I can't get that link to work for me it just keeps on spinning the net 'round and 'round.
Anyway to get it to post here?

gaa, its posting the wrong way
sec
this?
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/gform?key=0AuiiQDvORURBdHNQYklmX2dPaWFaLXJpVThDS0w0WGc#edit

 

[wolfytm2002]

Well my orpington and the mixed breed ee's and the white hens (unknown breed) all had straight combs but I had thought the rose combs were dominant because all the chicks I have hatched prior to this particular set all came out with rose combs. So mysterious...

I suppose strange things just happen sometimes lol. But whats really baffeling is the fact that a few of the chicks are also feather footed and I have no feather footed chickens at all. I think the white hens had some feather footed bloodlines because they had a brother who was cochin but he is no longer with us. The hens were gifted to me as chicks so I had no idea what they were but I do know the white ones were from the same blood lines so I think that explains the feathering on the feet and legs. Combs are still a mystery to me though

 

[heirloomorps]

Just opened the bator and had more chicks! 3 paint silkies, 1 grey or partridge silkie, 1 blue silkie and two unknowns. Definitely NOT silkies though!

 

[TMNfarm]

gaa, its posting the wrong way
sec
this?
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/gform?key=0AuiiQDvORURBdHNQYklmX2dPaWFaLXJpVThDS0w0WGc#edit

Now its sayng I am denied access to the page, that I need to request permission to access...

 

[RavenWood]

Well ...

I egg-topsied my unlucky #13 ... and he was unlucky for certain

Not sure when he died, but he was all ready to hatch - yolk absorbed, blood vessels empty, pipped internally. His membranes seemed dry - so I can only surmise he became entombed in his membrane. I must have killed him with an untimely opening of the lid despite having excellent humidity levels throughout hatching and an excellent hatch rate. Or it's possible that my attempt to candle him yesterday morning was what left him shrink wrapped ... I don't know, but I'm sad. It sucks to know I was responsible for his not making it. I realize now that I should have helped him yesterday morning when I noted his air cell was not visible, but I was afraid to act too quickly and instead acted too late. I had a little funeral for him before I pitched him in the garbage and then broke it to his siblings that their brother didn't make it. Lesson learned. DON'T OPEN THE INCUBATOR LID DURING LOCKDOWN. And here I thought I had been so clever. The old adage rings true about not counting your chicks before they hatch. Still, 1 lost out of 13 isn't too bad, I guess.

The rest of the posse all seem to be doing well. We had someone with runny green poo and someone with foamy brown poo ... if that means anything ... but no pasty butts that I can see. A couple seem sleepy, but pretty sure everyone is eating and drinking. Will keep an eye on the sleepers (the last two hatched) just the same. Geez they crap a lot!

I'd love some suggestions on 'WESTERN-THEMED' names - chick #1 started it all because she couldn't stay on her feet so we called her Tumbleweed, followed by Cactus, Hoss (all three Ameraucana Xs), Tex (Maran) and Slowpoke (Ameraucana X) - but the rest all look the same so we sorta stopped there until they have some distinguishing features! LOL Note that they are mostly ambiguous names - in case they aren't what we thought they were!

 

[ronott1]

Quote:

I might die of happiness now!

Do you think I can get Mike to let me hatch some of his Bielefelder hatching eggs when he gets them?

I will have quite a list of rare and exotic breeds that I have hatched soon.