Anyone doing a later year hatch that wants to share stories,experiences and pics?

[oregonkat]

I'll put the 'real' eggs under them tomorrow.

Perfect! You have nothing to worry about storage wise.
As for the Barnevelders, the ones that I have hatching now are the double laced blue which to me, are the most beautiful so far as plumage but really, they are just a gorgeous breed! I know, enabling again. I have been trying to get blue laced birds into my flock with much frustration up to now. I am very, very excited to see how these chicks feather up. Yes, the winter laying is another bonus! I think that this stock that my eggs are from is really, really good. I was very worried after the disastrous shipping experience but, if all 6 hatch, that will be a 50% hatch rate, and for shipped eggs, you can't expect much different.

 

[Shamo Hybrid]

My hen is currently depositing eggs into the nesting box, I think I have about 5 or 6 in there right now. This is my first time so even though I'm excited, I'm not counting my chickens before they hatch...... I do hope the hen goes broody and set the eggs because if they are in my hands, who knows what the outcome will be as I've never incubated eggs before. Anyway, we'll see how everything goes. *Fingers Crossed*

 

[oregonkat]

Do you have an incubator on hand? Usually, it is best to wait for the hen to display broodiness for several days to a week before trusting her to a clutch of eggs so if hatching out those eggs now is super important to you, you might want to have an incubator as a backup. IMHO, of course!

 

[Shamo Hybrid]

Do you have an incubator on hand? Usually, it is best to wait for the hen to display broodiness for several days to a week before trusting her to a clutch of eggs so if hatching out those eggs now is super important to you, you might want to have an incubator as a backup. IMHO, of course!

Yeah, I'm looking at incubators...... are those Chinese ones any good? Maybe I should just make my own, I dunno. Or maybe I should just cough up the dough for a Brinsea incubator, those look nice, but are they good with hatch rates? Thing is, I don't really need anything fancy or that can hold a thousand eggs, I just need something cheap and simple (but effective, of course).

 

[bhopper]

So I came home this morning to three baby chicks (one dead for an unknown reason) the final egg is pipped but no bird yet. Also, my last guinea egg is finally hatching.

 

[Jules929]

Sorry about the little one that didn't make it. Congrats on the ones that did!

 

[oregonkat]

Yeah, I'm looking at incubators...... are those Chinese ones any good? Maybe I should just make my own, I dunno. Or maybe I should just cough up the dough for a Brinsea incubator, those look nice, but are they good with hatch rates? Thing is, I don't really need anything fancy or that can hold a thousand eggs, I just need something cheap and simple (but effective, of course).

If this is something that you may be engaging in on a regular basis you can have a good incubator for not much money that will do the job. Look at Hovabators and Incuview, there is a thread on here comparing the two. I have a Hovabator and it does the job.
I dont trust the Chinese cheapies at all, but others may have a different opinion. Eggs can be a precious commodity so I think it's worth having something you can trust. Brinsea are very, very good but also expensive so decide how much you want to incubate and go from there.

 

[8 Chicks 1967]

Holy Moley where does my wife come up with these names. Our little Black Double laced Barnevelder is Weeza. The two Double laced Blues are Dora and Ling,Ling. I saved the best for last our Black cockerel is Jimmy. What?pronounced Jim-a

 

[oregonkat]

Holy Moley where does my wife come up with these names. Our little Black Double laced Barnevelder is Weeza. The two Double laced Blues are Dora and Ling,Ling. I saved the best for last our Black cockerel is Jimmy. What?pronounced Jim-a

Is that Jim-a with a flat 'a' like 'hay'? Love the names. Please post pics of your barnies if possible. I will post pics of my newly hatched chicks tomorrow once they have filled in and fluffed up a little. They are cuter than ...... well, anything really!

 

[8 Chicks 1967]

yep, and i'll take some pics of our crew.