B.Y.C. Dorking Club!

[capayvalleychick]

Made this today, from one of my chick pics:

 

[greenhorn]

Ok we candled our eggs last night, day 7. About half were duds. I think we haven't been storing them at their optimum state while waiting to collect enough to hatch.

• First thing, we haven't been washing our hands before handling or collecting our eggs.
• Secondly we haven't been turning the eggs while storing for incubation.
• We haven't been storing the eggs pointy end down (have been laying them sideways)
• Storing temps have been close to 70 degrees F (Usually 68-71F)

I think our less than diligent egg handling and storing practices have been costing us a certain degree of loss.

Maybe it wasn't all the repti-pro's fault after all. Might sound bad but half is quite a shot better than what we have been doing. Right now I feel kind of like the guys on that Gold Rush show. I didn't have any ideas about getting rich but it appears I didn't do all of my home work first. Not like I wasn't going to do this anyway but I should have put my nose into incubation study before I attempted as many hatches as I have. Guess up until now it wasn't nearly this serious. Should have taken it more serious though cause it was my big chance to educate myself. So here I am now, educating myself after I'm neck deep into it lol. Oh brother......

Things I'm going to do to improve our hatches:

• Weigh all our eggs before they go into the incubator and record weight of each rack. I have already weighed all the egg racks and have written the weights down on each racks with permanent marker. Each rack has been given a number so we can keep track of each rack through the incubation process. Egg weights will be recorded in a log and weights will be taken every 7th, 14th and 18th day and recorded along with humidity levels and final hatch results.
• Adjust humidity levels according to egg weights and hatch success by using the above detailed records.
• Always use proper handling and storage methods.
• Keep learning from our mistakes and keep reading about hatching.
• Feed our birds a more diverse and enriched breeding type diet with green fodder and fermented feed and grains.

I know this is kind of off topic but it might help other folks who are trying to hatch Dorking chicks while it's still season. I blamed my incubator when I should have been researching what was the likely cause. I found many..... Maybe i caught it soon enough to have a successful season.

Here is a link to a great informational page I wish I would have found a long time ago: https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/hatching-eggs-101

Good luck to all who have their incubators fired up full of Dorking eggs for the 2013 season!

 

[greenhorn]

Made this today, from one of my chick pics:

Cute chicks, nice pic, great job!

 

[pysankigirl]

I'm not 'fond" of white animals in general... so, having said that... I noticed something a bit... odd.......

I have embden geese (white)
sebastopol geese (white)
giant pekin ducks (white)
our LGDs are both white
my new eskie puppy is pure white
and I just bought 5 Saanen goats (white again)


I think the universe is trying to tell me white critters aren't bad at all...

and I agree with everyone else.. those white dorkings are BEAUTIFUL !

We have two black (dark grey to be honest) angora wethers and a white one. I love the white one, but he really shows dirt. We gave them some pine branches down from the storm and now he has pine resin all over him. The other two might have as well but you cant tell.

I have always loved seeing the black cows in the field, but the white cows just look dirty all the time.

I NEVER buy white pants. or towels. or shoes

I am not keen on white just because I know I personally cant keep it looking nice. not saying I am a slob. just challenged in that department.

 

[bethbug74]

I've been looking for this exact thing for some time. Do you mind if I post it on my website for reference?

Made this today, from one of my chick pics:

 

[Uisge]

That pic shows a pretty dramatic difference. I am never so lucky to see that dramatic of a difference.
I have some pictures in an album here:
https://picasaweb.google.com/110504617161800857991/Chickens
The first 10 or so pics show some SG chicks at various stages and point out the differences.

Regards,


-Scott

 

[capayvalleychick]

I've been looking for this exact thing for some time. Do you mind if I post it on my website for reference?

That's ok, I don't mind.

That pic shows a pretty dramatic difference. I am never so lucky to see that dramatic of a difference.

Yes, I have some that are obvious and some that are not. That seems to be the norm for my hatches. I still thought people might like to see a photo of the difference in the ones that are easy to tell apart.

 

[SoCal Dorkings]

I've been looking for this exact thing for some time. Do you mind if I post it on my website for reference?

Made this today, from one of my chick pics:

Very nice

 

[ki4got]

well, the 'horde' (over 40 made it to lockdown) has started hatching... the majority are dorking eggs, i think mostly with dorking roos. a few EE, orp and wyandotte eggs too, but i can usually tell them at hatch. dottes are rose combed, orps are buff colored and ee's have fluffy faces. LOL

at least my known pure dork eggs are marked...

that's the hazards of free ranging i guess... the question is now, what to do with the next almost 90 eggs from the free rangers. (and 10 more pure, & 10 bantam cochin...)

 

[dorkings]

Great Pics Scott.
Lisa