American serama thread!

[nchls school]

I don't know what's up. There's been all kinds of equipment & predator failures but they also don't seem to be doing well in incubators.
I'm advising people to only hatch with a broody until we figure it out.
I hatched eggs under broodies in bone dry conditions due to a space heater so I'm wondering if Tribble eggs need less humidity?

I'm sorry to everyone. It's got to be so disappointing.
Tribbles lay like crazy & are great Mothers. They're extremely popular but it's sure hard to establish colonies.

Ra_, I do not believe it is your eggs. You sent me five-Florida to Wisconsin-and all started development. That means the eggs/embryos are strong. I lost mine from bad luck-a squirrel. Three of those five had internally pipped. It's just bad luck. But yes, people should try broodies. There is just to many variables that can go wrong with incubators. That's me-I hate using incubators because something almost always goes wrong. More bad luck. Another thing-I was having a 90% hatch rate now it's down to 50%. Why? ...bad luck. Luck will change. I believe that luck runs in streaks-at least for me it does.

 

[Lil Duece Coop]

First off I have been cruising BYC for several months. I love all the info on here and used it to build my coop and get all set up for my first flock. My wife and I have been wanting chickens for quite some time and I am now ready to buy. My wife is getting 3 silkies from a local breeder and I have order 2 cochin bantams. I am really looking to get a couple American seramas, but cant find a breeder. I want the smooth dark colored versions so I am hoping you all can recommend a place to get a few chick. Great pics and awesome thread. Thanks BYCers for all the awesome info!

 

[prizepete]

First off I have been cruising BYC for several months. I love all the info on here and used it to build my coop and get all set up for my first flock. My wife and I have been wanting chickens for quite some time and I am now ready to buy. My wife is getting 3 silkies from a local breeder and I have order 2 cochin bantams. I am really looking to get a couple American seramas, but cant find a breeder. I want the smooth dark colored versions so I am hoping you all can recommend a place to get a few chick. Great pics and awesome thread. Thanks BYCers for all the awesome info!

Welcome to BYC!

Most serama breeders will not sell chicks, But A lot will sell adults. Seramas do not breed true to color, so you could have two black birds and get a pure white one! Its pretty interesting with seramas. you never know what you are going to get!

 

[Scovy Momma]

I don't know what's up. There's been all kinds of equipment & predator failures but they also don't seem to be doing well in incubators.
I'm advising people to only hatch with a broody until we figure it out.
I hatched eggs under broodies in bone dry conditions due to a space heater so I'm wondering if Tribble eggs need less humidity?

I'm sorry to everyone. It's got to be so disappointing. 
Tribbles lay like crazy & are great Mothers. They're extremely popular but it's sure hard to establish colonies.

That's a bummer, I'm sorry to hear all the troubles. I ran the RCom dry with these guys so if it needs to be dry, maybe my incubator doesn't get dry enough.
No access to a broody so I guess no Tribbles for me.
They are truly special.

 

[TJChickens]

I don't know what's up. There's been all kinds of equipment & predator failures but they also don't seem to be doing well in incubators.
I'm advising people to only hatch with a broody until we figure it out.
I hatched eggs under broodies in bone dry conditions due to a space heater so I'm wondering if Tribble eggs need less humidity?

I'm sorry to everyone. It's got to be so disappointing. 
Tribbles lay like crazy & are great Mothers. They're extremely popular but it's sure hard to establish colonies.

Take heart everybody. All Seramas are hard to hatch in an incubator and shipped eggs are even worse. I find that if I can get one or two to hatch out of any Serama egg shipment, that's the best I can do. Eggs of all types do tend to do much better under a Broody. However, if the air cells are messed up from shipping, they need to be incubated upright to give them the best chance. The air cells are more often than not, damaged during shipping. It is imperative to candle these eggs when you get them. Normal looking air cells can go under a hen, otherwise, they'll need to at least start developing in an upright position in an incubator. Eggs that ship best are less than two or three days old at the time of shipping. Their air cells are smaller and less likely to become unattached.
About humidity. I run a fairly dry incubator for most eggs OTHER than Serama. They lose moisture rapidly through their thinner shells and seem to do much better with higher humidity. It's also quite humid under a hen. But again every place is different and the only thing you can go on is the size of the air cell.
So, keep trying to hatch those babies! But know what you're up against with the air cells and the scrambling from shipping.....

 

[nchls school]

Good Morning Everyone. It's a beautiful Sunday morning!

Ra_. I know that W is Worf, P is Powder, T is Trace, D is Data, but which is La, De, and T2?

I'm pleased with my newest chicks. At two weeks they are 22 grams; that's 8 grams less than my previous chicks of that age. Of course I know that does not necessarily mean they will mature small, but so far, it has. Now to breed for more vertical wings. A couple of my young pullets have better wings and are just starting to lay-I'm hoping.

Midget with chicks. Her wings are poor. but she has the most vertical tail. Reminds me of a road runner; and it's always held vertically.

 

[Ra_]

8 grams is a big difference.

Lagertha is a mostly white smoothie.
T2 was meant to be F2, for Flygirl 2, who is with Trace.
She is a silver & blue smoothie with nice patterning, or whatever the word used for poultry is.
De is Deanna. She's like a smaller version of Gyda.
She may be the Mother of the tiny generation that is almost 4 months old.
She is back in with George & Gyda now & I've begun putting the month old chicks in a cage alongside Gyda half the day.

I'm anxious to know if the Worf & Powder eggs are fertile.
I never know around here until hatch time.
Gracie & Beverly are due to hatch some in 7 & 11 days.

 

[nchls school]

8 grams is a big difference.

Lagertha is a mostly white smoothie.
T2 was meant to be F2, for Flygirl 2, who is with Trace.
She is a silver & blue smoothie with nice patterning, or whatever the word used for poultry is.
De is Deanna. She's like a smaller version of Gyda.
She may be the Mother of the tiny generation that is almost 4 months old.
She is back in with George & Gyda now & I've begun putting the month old chicks in a cage alongside Gyda half the day.

I'm anxious to know if the Worf & Powder eggs are fertile.
I never know around here until hatch time.
Gracie & Beverly are due to hatch some in 7 & 11 days.

Thank you for the response. This post I have saved to my desk top. I will be candling the eggs Friday or Saturday and I will let you know the results. My silkie is the best of broodies; if being shipped hasn't made the eggs scrambled they have the best of chances to hatch with this hen. I do not like to use her in that I will not be able to handle the chicks safely after they hatch; the hen absolutely freaks and attacks if I get too close which is hazardous to the chicks in the hen's temper.

I wish you the best of luck with Gracie and Beverly.

 

[Poultrybonkers]

Out of two attempt tries one with 6 eggs second batch with 9 this is the only one......and lets face it...its prolly a male.

 

[nchls school]

Out of two attempt tries one with 6 eggs second batch with 9 this is the only one......and lets face it...its prolly a male.

It's more likely a hen/pullet. When there's a survivor, like this one, often it is female. Female embryos are stronger. My single egg to hatch this week was knocked from the nest, so I won't get the one. Maybe next time. Maybe next time for you too.