BYC's 2021 Spooktacular Halloween Hatch-Along!

[Pensmaster]

But we don't know exactly how an embryo will perform. Each egg comes with its own circumstances and individual genetic setup. It's such a miracle.

It truly is

 

[Wickedchicken6]

Well my lavender chick is dying so gonna be culling the other three and the parents been trying 4 years to get a lavender chick and now its all a waste of time so done with it just gonna stick to my mottles.

So sorry to hear about your lavender chick.
I'm sure this feels disheartening. But every time we learn, we add to our knowledge base. That is never a waste of time.

I should of figured as three of the four needed help. Wont be doing that again if it cant hatch it can die in the shell helping never ends well they always end up dying anyways.

It's a challenging call on hatching and genetics. Especially when incubating is involved. I think robust, well-balanced genetics are to be championed. In my opinion, it's one of the most important selection aspects when selecting genetics.

Incubating is an amazing process but it's still an artificial process in regards to not only hatching but the health and vigor of the chicks as well. This may be something to consider. There have been times the hens can hatch and raise what I cannot. Chick health raised naturally by a hen is second to none. I have great respect for the process. There are limits to our abilities to recreate the perfect environment a hen can.

 

[Poultrybonkers]

So sorry to hear about your lavender chick.
I'm sure this feels disheartening. But every time we learn, we add to our knowledge base. That is never a waste of time.

It's a challenging call on hatching and genetics. Especially when incubating is involved. I think robust, well-balanced genetics are to be championed. In my opinion, it's one of the most important selection aspects when selecting genetics.

Incubating is an amazing process but it's still an artificial process in regards to not only hatching but the health and vigor of the chicks as well. This may be something to consider. There have been times the hens can hatch and raise what I cannot. Chick health raised naturally by a hen is second to none. I have great respect for the process. There are limits to our abilities to recreate the perfect environment a hen can.

Already tried broodies all those chicks are nothing but stunted everytime so will not use them again. And its what I get for adding orps i to my line. This is the third time trying to add lav with orp in it first two roosters used never bred one drowned the other disapeared so they are not smart at all better off just buying lavender wyandottes at this point. But I will stick with my mottled and forget lavender all together. Its getting to cold to keep hatching and Im not feeding the adults all winter so they can go.

 

[Wickedchicken6]

Already tried broodies all those chicks are nothing but stunted everytime so will not use them again. And its what I get for adding orps i to my line. This is the third time trying to add lav with orp in it first two roosters used never bred one drowned the other disapeared so they are not smart at all better off just buying lavender wyandottes at this point. But I will stick with my mottled and forget lavender all together. Its getting to cold to keep hatching and Im not feeding the adults all winter so they can go.

It sounds like you've made a wise decision based on what you've experienced.

 

[Poultrybonkers]

It sounds like you've made a wise decision based on what you've experienced.

I should of got three lavs from the same breeder i got my chocolates from instead of 6 chocolates lol

 

[Wickedchicken6]

I should of got three lavs from the same breeder i got my chocolates from instead of 6 chocolates lol

If we could only know what the future holds.

 

[Wickedchicken6]

An update on my eggs...I'm still surprised how close she came to hatching on Halloween, with her just setting on her own schedule. She hatched 5. A couple of the eggs were not developed and a couple of the chicks did not make it out. I do not know if it was because she got off the nest and they were a bit later at hatching or if they DIS. I was gone until late in the day.

I rigged up a temporary door before we left to keep the chicks safe from the cats. The guard cat moved next door into the cat house where I discovered she's guarding a young hen who hatched this spring that has decided to go broody.

 

[Poultrybonkers]

If we could only know what the future holds.

But out of those chocolates the males all died before a year two couldnt walk and the last just had heart issues. So that put me back farther in those as you need a cho male or a split male to get chocolates but finally got my chocolate male with my line mixed in it

 

[Wickedchicken6]

But out of those chocolates the males all died before a year two couldnt walk and the last just had heart issues. So that put me back farther in those as you need a cho male or a split male to get chocolates but finally got my chocolate male with my line mixed in it

Not everyone's selection of desirable traits will necessarily match with yours. If at all possible, it's a good rule of thumb to try to align with breeders whose selection values match as close as possible with yours. As careful as I've been when sourcing breeding stock over the last 30 years, the majority do not live up to the expectations I hold for our own livestock.

 

[casportpony]

Winners announced!
BYC's 2021 Spooktacular Halloween Hatch-Along—Spooky Treats and Halloween Eats!