A Cornish Cross (Breeding?) Journey

[ABQ chicken keeper]

Waiting for dark Cornish x white rock (crosses or purebreds of either possible). I expect to have them on Monday though they should have been here today . Not expecting a great hatch rate even if they all arrive intact. Incubator can hold 42 if set vertically in egg cartons which is what I’m doing. May very well set a couple eggs on top of the 42 as I’m sure I’ll be removing at least a few duds from mine and likely several from the eBay eggs.

I let the breeding group out to roam and mingle with the main flock and poor Junior was chased around by my EE cockerel. Oddly it seems the main roo is okay with Jr so long as he isn’t caught chasing hens. I think I’ll cull the EE boy on my next day off, been debating on it for a while now so I think it’s time. Hopefully if I let hens hatch some eggs in the future they will either be Junior’s or the blue copper maran, both of which have their own merits genetically.

Thanks for the update, I hope the Corishxwhite rock eggs arrive intact, as in not scrambled.

 

[DemeterAD9]

Added 4 spares eggs so now everyone but the SLW has 5 eggs each. Picked one out to keep track of, #5 from the barred/laced hen. I figure a day apart won’t matter much in the long run seeing as the eBay eggs will be 3 days behind. Good thing I have another incubator I can move them to come lockdown. A quick peek inside when I added the spares. Dry hatch until lockdown so humidity is about 25-30%.

I’m not expecting huge success with the SLW’s eggs as they’ve been looking a little odd ever since she came back into lay this spring. Almost always her eggs have a few small dimples near the pointy end, not too concerning but then I’ve noticed her white and yolk easily separate when I crack the egg open. Upon further inspection last night in her most recent egg there was some calcium deposits inside the shell, messing with the membrane in a way that made the white stick to it. Weird. Also noticed she seems to poo just a bit while laying her eggs, as if she is straining too hard. That being said she is in good spirits so I don’t know what to think of it. She’s on the cull list anyways due to her age. Last fall she got a last minute pass, had her in my hands with every intention to do it but I had a bleeding heart after culling a favorite who was poorly. Why do the messed up one always have to be the friendliest ones?

 

[ABQ chicken keeper]

Added 4 spares eggs so now everyone but the SLW has 5 eggs each. Picked one out to keep track of, #5 from the barred/laced hen. I figure a day apart won’t matter much in the long run seeing as the eBay eggs will be 3 days behind. Good thing I have another incubator I can move them to come lockdown. A quick peek inside when I added the spares. Dry hatch until lockdown so humidity is about 25-30%.
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I’m not expecting huge success with the SLW’s eggs as they’ve been looking a little odd ever since she came back into lay this spring. Almost always her eggs have a few small dimples near the pointy end, not too concerning but then I’ve noticed her white and yolk easily separate when I crack the egg open. Upon further inspection last night in her most recent egg there was some calcium deposits inside the shell, messing with the membrane in a way that made the white stick to it. Weird. Also noticed she seems to poo just a bit while laying her eggs, as if she is straining too hard. That being said she is in good spirits so I don’t know what to think of it. She’s on the cull list anyways due to her age. Last fall she got a last minute pass, had her in my hands with every intention to do it but I had a bleeding heart after culling a favorite who was poorly. Why do the messed up one always have to be the friendliest ones?

WOW!
That is a bunch of eggs! You are doing the tilt method ... ???