Trish, you need to secretly send me some hatching eggs in Fall lol. I told the wife I would cut back on my chickens. Only suppose to keep 4, but chicken Math is harder to solve than you think. I counted my chickens today and am glad my neighbors haven't said anything to me. I would LOVE some blues. Love blue chickens.
Last year, when I hatched some black Araucanas from Edd's stock, I had planned on crossing it with an OE splash hen that I had that had a pea comb. However, when they were growing out I didn't like their eye color. Some chicks hatch with blotchy black specks, etc. Sometimes it gets better with age, but I I don't have time to deal with culls? Better to cut away and try again next time with someone else. Too much money goes into feed, beddings. mealworms, veggies, melons, time, etc.
I have the new juvie Araucanas that are still growing, some BCM that hatched with my OE Araucana mix and this past week had a hatch of 9 BBS Ameraucana. Hatch rate was lower than I anticipated (25ish % hatch rate), but they were shipped from East coast all thr way to CA.
In my book, any hatch eggs 25 % and above is solid. This year has been tough with shipped eggs. CA heat, USPS handling of packages, etc. Worst one was some Marans ebay eggs I won this past Winter. All eggs recieved intacted, but only 1/24 hatched. No extra eggs sent either. The 1 is a pretty Blue Copper Marans. I emailed the seller that he should check for fertility. I guess it was my fault for wanting to hatch during Winter, when fertility is usually down. Shame on me for having an addiction.
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