April 2023 Hatch-A-Long

[Honora]

Maybe the fertility is still just ramping up? I'm not sure since this is my first year incubating from my own flock. I wonder if different breeds might have higher fertility earlier or later in the season? My Bresse have been 100% from as early as February/March but Light Sussex a lot less. I would say the awful weather we've had so far this year might have an effect as well.

I don't think a tea towel would cause the humidity to stay too high. Do you have the vent open on the incubator? In my very limited experience, dry hatching seems to give the ideal humidity in this climate so I'm sure it will be fine.

It looks like warmer weather might be on the way next week, if you can believe that!

Yes, I have the vent open, hopefully things go ok.

I was in Portugal last week and it was so sunny and warm and then I came back to this pouring rain I was definitely wishing I could have stayed longer! Hope things warm up next week.

 

[Honora]

Did you happen to take weights before setting?

No, I have actually never done that, I just go by air cell size. Maybe next hatch I will try weighing them.

 

[Dinoroar]

Well, speaking of the bantam eggs, we had a broody who had 4 of the other turkey eggs, but since she keeps switching nest we were afraid something would happen to the turkey eggs so I put them in the incubator, now the incubator has 8 turkey eggs . The turkey eggs arent mine, so its very important I hatch them if you know what I mean. But, I gave her 6 of the bantam silkies eggs, and kept the other 6 in the dozen inside, possibly might give them to another hen ( I have two more hens who seem like they may go full broody soon )

I wonder if your broody will notice the slight difference in egg size

 

[lilwanderer]

I wonder if your broody will notice the slight difference in egg size

I believe I would have, but I don't think she has , yet. Next time she gets off the nest if I'm around ill see what she does.

 

[Josip]

Am so excited and i have mixed flock with more then 30 breeds so chiks will be fun with all that coulor combinations.. hope my Jersey giant rooster who is dominant will not make all black babbies i have also 4 other roosters Brahma, EE , Australorp and nacked neck.

 

[Canadian Wind]

Am so excited and i have mixed flock with more then 30 breeds so chiks will be fun with all that coulor combinations.. hope my Jersey giant rooster who is dominant will not make all black babbies i have also 4 other roosters Brahma, EE , Australorp and nacked neck.

That's quite the mixture! Can't wait to see what the babies will look like!

 

[Josip]

That's quite the mixture! Can't wait to see what the babies will look like!

I just loveee mixes this is my favorite from last year.. so she is mix of few breeds ..
And she is Broody now.Her name is Anne Boleyn. And yes all my 40 chickens have name!

 

[Canadian Wind]

I just loveee mixes this is my favorite from last year.. so she is mix of few breeds ..
And she is Broody now.Her name is Anne Boleyn. And yes all my 40 chickens have name!

She's gorgeous. Most of mine have names also, but mostly the ducks do. The chickens are more my daughter's project and she keeps forgetting to give them names, so I end up calling them things like Big Red, Little Blue, Pretty Girl/Boy... But they are mostly mixes, also. The only purebred ones we have are five bantam Cochin.

I just candled the eggs due this weekend and next, and a few of the air sacs have started to go down. Also had to pull three quitters. Wondering if the banty eggs are going to go early...

 

[Poodlemum]

Buffy the buff silkies eggs are hatching! First one pipped and I’m so excited to see what they’ll look like Potential dads are blue silkie or blue Cochin

 

[dominiquePL]

Day 5 on my shipped eggs and I can only see development in 3 ugh. 3 are marans, 2 welsummer and rest are Ameraucana and orpingtons. Hoping for some indication on other eggs in the next couple days.

Any update on the eggs?