Ameraucanas from Huckleberry Farm

[Fleabuskitty]

I recently ordered a dozen BBS Ameraucana eggs from Huckleberry Farm. They were shipped yesterday so they should be here soon, and I was wondering if anybody here has any experience with them. If anybody has gotten Ameraucanas from them, photos would be appreciated

 

[Fleabuskitty]

I assume nobody has gotten chicks/eggs from them, then.
My eggs arrived today, packed very well and none were broken, and they are very blue. So far I am satisfied, but I won't know exactly how good they are til some hatch and grow up... I will be setting them tomorrow with a frizzled bantam EE egg and possibly some frizzled Phoenix eggs.

 

[BlazeJester]

I have talked to them but didn''t end up getting birds from them. Just a matter of logistics, not opinion or stock. Would LOVE to have a Marans and an Ameraucana from them.

 

[Fleabuskitty]

I set the Ameraucana eggs yesterday afternoon (along with 14 frizzled Phoenix, 10 Serama, 5 Silkie mix, and 2 frizzled bantam EE eggs). I'm going to update this even if nobody now is interested because I haven't been able to find much about them here and if someone else is looking for opinions/experiences with Huckleberry Farm in the future, hopefully this will be helpful.
I am using a homemade incubator (75 watt bulb, water heater thermostat, 6" fan) and the temperature has been good - usually about 99.7 but staying between 99 and 101. Humidity has been between 40 and 50% most of the time. They are in egg cartons that are leaned against a ledge in the incubator so that the eggs rest sort of on their side and I've been turning them three times a day (6:30AM, 4:30PM, 11:00PM). I plan to stop turning, place the eggs on the bottom of the incubator, and raise humidity to 70% on day 18. I know incubation methods vary somewhat, which is why I've added so much detail

I will probably candle on day 4 (Wednesday). I know I could wait a little longer, but candling is my favorite part of incubating eggs so I will probably candle a few of them every other day, which I know some people consider often, but did I mention that I really like candling?

 

[BlazeJester]

She frequents the "South Carolina" thread in the "where am I? where are you?" section of the forum. I am definitely interested in seeing how your eggs turn out - I'm hoping my araucana banty will go broody for me and be a little bitty mama!!!

 

[Fleabuskitty]

Good to know I'm not the only person who actually wanted their hens to go broody

I thought bantam Cochins were annoyingly broody but nooo, mine has to be a rebel and not only not be broody but also only lay one egg about every other week

At least she's fluffy.
I know I'm going to be disappointed candling them tonight since their so blue... Does anyone have any tricks for candling dark eggs besides the brightest light you can find?

 

[Fleabuskitty]

Well, I candled eggs tonight and the Ameraucana eggs were indeed too dark to see anything. However, all of the other eggs I candled are looking good (I can see veins and it's only day 4), so I know the incubator is fine. I decided to stop adding water because the last time I hatched eggs I couldn't keep the humidity up past 30% because it was January and I actually had all 6 eggs make it to day 21 and 5 out of 6 hatched. The first time I hatched eggs I kept the humidity at 40-50% and had 8/20 hatch, although that may have been due to other mistakes because it was my first time incubating. Temperature is still good.

 

[cracked egg]

Enjoying your posts. Thank You!
Have not incubated myself .... feel a little intimidated still. but feeling braver I've heard of ppls practicing on store bought eggs, might be worth a try for practice again I am enjoying your posts and the updates.

 

[elrn50]

Very interested to find out how it goes with your eggs. I just spent a lot of money on eggs from a "show-quality" flock of Ameraucanas on eBay and not a single one hatched, despite my other eggs (from my flock) hatching fine.

 

[Fleabuskitty]

elrn50, wow, I know that was disappointing! I ordered 3 dozen Coturnix quail eggs in December and incubated them with 6 chicken eggs. Only two quail hatched, one was three days late with completely curled feet that died two days later and one SIX days late and had slightly curly toes, which I was able to fix, and then developed wry neck. He's doing fine now, and I think it might be because he was cramped up in the egg too long or something because all 6 chickens made it to day 21 and 5 of them hatched (would all be alive now if my Pyr puppy hadn't played with one of them to death

).

cracked egg, don't be intimidated! Even if you don't have very good luck the first time, practice makes perfect (and a good excuse to get more chickens

). This is my third time hatching eggs. The first time the light went out for a little while and half the eggs were from a local person so I didn't know about fertility, feed, etc, and 8 out of 20 still hatched, which is pretty good I think. The second time, as I said above, I had 5/6 (85%) hatch. All in a homemade incubator that I spent about $20 making, too