Anyone hatching April 5-7 or so? ALL DONE, READY TO BE LOCKED

[snazzyboots]

Oh no! Poor girl

 

[speckledhen]

Hi, Suechick! I started with 86 eggs, removed 10 infertiles at first candling, most from my own BBS Orp pen. They are due April 6. Running two Hovabators, turner in one of them and I'm hand turning the ones in the second bator.

Among the chickies growing in there are:

Barred Plymouth Rocks
Blue, Black & Splash Plymouth Rocks
Buff Orpingtons
Easter Eggers and Ameraucanas
Silver Laced Wyandottes
Blue Laced Red Wyandottes
New Hampshires
Porcelain D'Anvers
Lav Ameraucana x Black Copper Marans (Olive Egger)

The BBS Orps were not fertile (from my own hens--my rooster is aging) and no Delawares this time. All are quality birds from five different breeders in four states--everyone packed super well and I can't believe that I didn't have to remove more at first candling.

 

[Suechick]

Thanks for stopping by Speckledhen and welcome to the party

It sounds like a beautiful assortment of birds!
Do you mind if I as a you a few questions?
So, when do you do your first candling? Is that when you set your eggs or several days into incubation?
And, do BBS Orps tend to broodiness the way that the Buffs do?

 

[Suechick]

Quote:
Thanks snazzyboots. We got them separated pretty quick and treated the wounds. I'm not sure if my broody got her comb cut when when tried to get through the wire fence that was in front of her pen or if my other hen took a bite out of her. She was bleeding pretty bad and now has a big black streak between her eyes from the dried blood.

It looks awful but I think she'll be OK.

To top it all off, the hen she was fighting with is now sitting on my decoy eggs in the nest box, she didn't go up to roost tonight, so it looks like I have another broody. Maybe she picked a fight because she was jealous of the first one having her own eggs to sit on. Chickens are never boring that's for sure!

Quote:
that's true, good point.

 

[HHandbasket]

Quote:
I have 6 barnevelders and 2 ameraucanas from mediazeal. I'm wanting to expand my barnevelder population. I hatched out 1 this last time, had some temp/humidity issues so hoping to get a better hatch rate this go 'round.

In the end, I'd like to have 2 roos and 6 girls, but I'll be happy with what I get.

 

[speckledhen]

Quote:
I usually do the first candling at 7-8 days into incubation, but this time, I did it at the end of Day 6. My BBS Orps have both been broody, yes. I find the birds from breeders go broody better than hatchery stock, but not many hatcheries even have the BBS colors in Orps. I have had three grown Buff Orps, two hatchery and one from Jody Hinkle (hinkjc). One hatchery Buff went broody her first and second years, but not in the last three years at all. One never did and she died last year. The one from Jody has been broody three or four times, twice just last year-in fact, she just laid her first post broody egg yesterday from the last set of chicks, which she kept for over 12 weeks! Great girl. My Buff Orps in the bator are from that same stock and I highly recommend her if you want Buff Orp eggs in the future.

 

[Suechick]

That's good to know! I have 3 Buff Orps, 2 of them are Broody right now, I'm very pleased with them overall. Beautiful friendly birds. I got the eggs from a farm in Carolina, I think. I'm incubating some mixed Orps from Washington state. Can't wait to see what they look like.

So, week 1 is just about over now. Hope the incubating is going well....

 

[mstricer]

I candled my little Porcelain D'Uccles out of 12 from Teddiliza (BYC member) I have 10 growing, my 2 not so much. I have 4 BCM that I didn't candle due to dark shell will do later. Good Luck everyone.
Michele

 

[speckledhen]

Tell me why every time I incubate a bunch of eggs, we have a tornado watch? Why, oh, why?! I have 76 eggs that need electricity, for cripes sake!

 

[Alas]

I have 9 Americauna eggs due to hatch the 9th. Didnt put too many in because its my first time incubating. Hopefully they hatch