For seven years now I've raised several different breeds of chickens. I'm not a newbie but this has me stumped. I have a couple hundred hens for eggs. I have a small breeding pen where I select my better hens for breeding and hatching. I have a Sportsman incubator and have hatched almost 1000 peeps in less than a year - I love it. Anyway, I acquired (through Craigslist) a trio of Coronation Sussex from Greenfire Farms. One hen wasn't laying eggs yet and the other was giving me pullet eggs. They are in their own small coop away from all the other egg layers. In the evening, since they are in a small pen I let them free range through the yard since there are only 3 no major problems in the flower beds or garden yet!! Anxious and curious I put a hen with them so I could hatch some of their eggs. Odd colored feathers for sure - picture a black star with the lavender mixed into the black... So I know the rooster is doing his job. I am now getting nice eggs from both hens. I put them in the incy... I marked the eggs so I knew which were which. At candling time, no development at all in any of the CS eggs. I've hatched birds for a fellow who showed chickens. I remember his words... It's hard to hatch show birds' eggs. Now I see what he means but don't understand why. I'm thinking lots of "fluff" near the vent area and the rooster can't get his job done? Any ideas and suggestions?
