BYC's 2026 Valentine's Day Hatch-Along

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Dad is a black showgirl… so far zero NN babies out of 5 and only one black! Several of the eggs still waiting to hatch will be guaranteed black.

So friggin' cute

 

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I candled last night so I'm calling day 9 and 3/4s

The 4 bantam eggs from my own flock are developing. Most of the CCLs look like they quit. There are two that I can't say for sure if they quit or not, egg 3 from the first set and egg 8 from the second set. Could y'all take a look and tell me what you think?

 

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I took another look at the two questionable CCLs today and it was more obvious this morning that they'd quit.

I decided to put some of my own eggs in the incubator. I chose 24 of my largest eggs which are 56g and over. I'm assuming these are from my Jersey Giants (3 Black Pullets and 1 Blue Pullet), but they could be from my Buff Orpingtons (5 pullets).



The males that I've seen do most of the breeding are my Black Jersey Giant and my Easter Egger. If any hatch with beards or muffs we'll know who the daddy is. I also have 2 BYM bantam cockerels in the yard, but I'm not convinced they'd be able to breed the bigger pullets . . we'll see.

This has turned into a mystery hatch. Bantam eggs in the last row are at day 10. Mystery eggs are in the other 4 rows at day 0.

 

[Slothinc]

I took another look at the two questionable CCLs today and it was more obvious this morning that they'd quit.

I decided to put some of my own eggs in the incubator. I chose 24 of my largest eggs which are 56g and over. I'm assuming these are from my Jersey Giants (3 Black Pullets and 1 Blue Pullet), but they could be from my Buff Orpingtons (5 pullets).

View attachment 4295078

The males that I've seen do most of the breeding are my Black Jersey Giant and my Easter Egger. If any hatch with beards or muffs we'll know who the daddy is. I also have 2 BYM bantam cockerels in the yard, but I'm not convinced they'd be able to breed the bigger pullets . . we'll see.

This has turned into a mystery hatch. Bantam eggs in the last row are at day 10. Mystery eggs are in the other 4 rows at day 0.

View attachment 4295081

So fun!!! Did you report back to the CCL breeder?

 

[Slothinc]

I have 8 chicks now! 4 black, 1 lav, and 3 paint/white. The most recent 2 that hatched have the NN gene. One has two copies of the NN gene, making it a “stripper” rather than a “showgirl”. Never had a stripper before, I am not a big fan of them lol. I hope I can find it a great home

 

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So fun!!! Did you report back to the CCL breeder?

I already messaged her when they didn't look viable on day 7. She started holding orders when I, and a few other customers, told her about the eggs getting cold during shipment.

I'm back on the list and only paid for the shipping of the new set of eggs. It'll be a long wait though because temps in Kentucky (where the eggs got delayed) will continue to be in the high 20's to low 30's for at least two weeks.

I'm ok with it, though. I need to test hatch some of my own eggs before I start selling hatching eggs. I plan to sell chicks and pullets when the weather warms up so I can get some of those going while I wait.

 

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I have 8 chicks now! 4 black, 1 lav, and 3 paint/white. The most recent 2 that hatched have the NN gene. One has two copies of the NN gene, making it a “stripper” rather than a “showgirl”. Never had a stripper before, I am not a big fan of them lol. I hope I can find it a great home

I thought about getting NN for the laughs, but I saw the chicks in TSC and they looked like little fluffy snakes. I was not prepared to their little naked necks. I assumed they'd lose the fluff when they feathered out, not be naked from the start.

 

[Slothinc]

I thought about getting NN for the laughs, but I saw the chicks in TSC and they looked like little fluffy snakes. I was not prepared to their little naked necks. I assumed they'd lose the fluff when they feathered out, not be naked from the start.

Oh that is too funny! I adore silkie showgirls - the ones with only one NN gene and a “bow tie” on the front. Not a big fan of turkens though, I don’t like the red skinned NN or NN without a crest… but there is just something so cute to me about a dark skinned silkie NN, with a crest on the head. Here are some pics of my NN girls. They truly are so hilarious and entertaining to watch!

 

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Oh that is too funny! I adore silkie showgirls - the ones with only one NN gene and a “bow tie” on the front. Not a big fan of turkens though, I don’t like the red skinned NN or NN without a crest… but there is just something so cute to me about a dark skinned silkie NN, with a crest on the head. Here are some pics of my NN girls. They truly are so hilarious and entertaining to watch!

The white one gave me Cruella DeVille vibes, with her white mink coat. "Fabulous darling, simply fabulous!"

 

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The white one gave me Cruella DeVille vibes, with her white mink coat. "Fabulous darling, simply fabulous!"

She is my oldest girl (well her and one other who hatched at the same time.) Nearing 6 years old. She had slipped tendon as a baby and by a complete miracle was able to be healed and has never had any adverse effects. She is such a good broody mama. She recently adopted a 6 week old baby that was a singleton raised by another broody mama. The other broody was sick of the baby and done raising her. She raised the 6 week old baby as though it was a brand new chick, for about 6 more weeks Here they are together.