California - Northern

[capayvalleychick]

Thanks Kim. How are all of your chickens? How many new babies did you end up with?

My chickens are all fine. I have one very poky Dorking hen that I may cull because she wanders so far from the coop and is always the last one to go in at night. All the rest go in when I want them to, but this young hen is always off somewhere until close to dark.

First hatch: 4 pullets, 4 cockerels, all SGDs. This was out of 50+ eggs.

Second hatch: 9 SGDs, 5 Delawares. I heard that even one of the top Dorking breeders is having fertility & hatching issues, so it's not just me.

Collecting more eggs now.

 

[tommysgirl]

X2! The breast feathers come in at around 4 weeks and by 6 weeks you usually know for sure. It seems like the color works 85% of the time with the SG Dorking chicks. The black or Salmon colored feathers start coming in from under the wing area and fill in towards the center of the breast.

It's good to know that I can figure out the questionables by around 4 weeks

My chickens are all fine. I have one very poky Dorking hen that I may cull because she wanders so far from the coop and is always the last one to go in at night. All the rest go in when I want them to, but this young hen is always off somewhere until close to dark.

First hatch: 4 pullets, 4 cockerels, all SGDs. This was out of 50+ eggs.

Second hatch: 9 SGDs, 5 Delawares. I heard that even one of the top Dorking breeders is having fertility & hatching issues, so it's not just me.

Collecting more eggs now.

weird! 8 hatched out of 50?

Any idea what is causing the fertility problems??? Do they tend to be less fertile in the early spring? Good luck on the next go around.

I have a couple of laggers too but they seem to switch off at lagger duty. Hope your girl picks up the pace

 

[lawatt]

arghhh, the Post Office has "mis-sent" my box of eggs from Molly -- and i can't figure out where the heck it IS, only that they say they will make "every effort" to deliver today. *sigh*

 

[ChickNmamma]

Those have broken air cells (the air cell in that egg has expanded down the side of the egg so it does not need to be repositioned) and will hatch, but since the air cell is bigger than normal the chicks sometimes get too dry and will get stuck and need to be helped out. I am hatching lavender Ameraucana chicks today for a friend and one of the eggs with a big air cell like that hatched with no trouble at all

Cpartist has some very nice Ameraucanas with fabulous egg color

If you want to add another wheaten/blue wheaten line (Paul Smith x Pips&Peeps) to your Ameraucana flock I am sure I will have extra rooster chicks

I am also going to be getting eggs from a hard to get line (Cree) that I have been waiting for 2 years to purchase! I should have plenty of W/BW Ameraucana chicks to share in the near future.

Good luck with your hatch!

arghhh, the Post Office has "mis-sent" my box of eggs from Molly -- and i can't figure out where the heck it IS, only that they say they will make "every effort" to deliver today. *sigh*

 

[chiqita]

arghhh, the Post Office has "mis-sent" my box of eggs from Molly -- and i can't figure out where the heck it IS, only that they say they will make "every effort" to deliver today. *sigh*

NOOOO! HENS ARE WAITING!

 

[tommysgirl]

arghhh, the Post Office has "mis-sent" my box of eggs from Molly -- and i can't figure out where the heck it IS, only that they say they will make "every effort" to deliver today. *sigh*

ohhhh noooooo!!!!! hope they get to you soon!

 

[Ali707]

Hmmmm you gave me a research project

From the Welsummer Club of North America website

You can sex the chicks at hatching ....... remember it all depends on the lines and it is not 100% foolproof to determine sex.
You can tell the differences of the two chicks pictured below, one is pullet on the left and cockeral on the right. The pullet has more refined markings while the cockeral has fuzzy lines. Photo: K. Malinois

ETA Kim and Ron I have read the same thing about feather sexing SGDs. Do you find that to be true?

I couldn't take the time to research so thanks for looking. I am at work ya know!

Hmm.. that is fat end up? Can you see any air cell above the veined area? Its almost as if the air cell is on the bottom - which is not what we want. How narrow is the "pointy end"? When you rotate it slowly can you see anything that looks like an air cell anywhere? Look for that air cell next time you candle - make sure its back at the "top" of the egg. That is what is supposed to get bigger - the clear white will get smaller as the chick grows. I thought you had the egg upside down to check the aircell.. not looking at it from the bottom.

I have still seen ones like that hatch - but I believe you need to find that air cell and put it at the top.

I did not see an air cell above the veined area. I am just scratching my head. I thought everyone here might know for sure! But alas, I am left with the unknown. Enquiring minds want to know..... ya know! Anyone remember that rag magazine? Was one of my mom's favorites!

Those have broken air cells (the air cell in that egg has expanded down the side of the egg so it does not need to be repositioned) and will hatch, but since the air cell is bigger than normal the chicks sometimes get too dry and will get stuck and need to be helped out. I am hatching lavender Ameraucana chicks today for a friend and one of the eggs with a big air cell like that hatched with no trouble at all

Cpartist has some very nice Ameraucanas with fabulous egg color

If you want to add another wheaten/blue wheaten line (Paul Smith x Pips&Peeps) to your Ameraucana flock I am sure I will have extra rooster chicks

I am also going to be getting eggs from a hard to get line (Cree) that I have been waiting for 2 years to purchase! I should have plenty of W/BW Ameraucana chicks to share in the near future.

Good luck with your hatch!

I have drawn a line on the eggs with that development so I can see if it is expanding and so I can tell if they hatch. Cpartist's packaging was great and the color was great and the pictures of her chickens were lovely.

I really appreciate the offer for more Roosters!

But I am not supposed to have them. I would hate to have one get me in trouble and be caught with more than the allotted 6 hens. Because you KNOW there is no such thing as ONLY 6 hens.

 

[lawatt]

NOOOO! HENS ARE WAITING!

she is!!! and it was last scanned, or something, at 11:05 this morning -- had spent all of yesterday just sitting in a west sacramento facility, and this morning's scan has no location attached to it, just "mis-sent." my regular mail has already come today, but hoping they are somehow getting it here -- heck, if i'd known, i could have driven to west sacramento to pick it up!

 

[Ali707]

she is!!! and it was last scanned, or something, at 11:05 this morning -- had spent all of yesterday just sitting in a west sacramento facility, and this morning's scan has no location attached to it, just "mis-sent." my regular mail has already come today, but hoping they are somehow getting it here -- heck, if i'd known, i could have driven to west sacramento to pick it up!

 

[Ali707]

Does anyone have poofy bearded Silkies? (poofy is the technical term)