Chicalina's 2021 rainbow bantam mixed flock hatching thread

Pics

Chicalina

Crowing
Aug 1, 2020
3,508
5,322
451
UK
Hey All - I'm back!!

Update: I've had a little break from BYC for a few months while I raised my new puppy. I've managed to rehome all the cockerels from last year's hatch (I got 5 boys out of 6 chicks that reached maturity) and now I'm planning this year's attempts to increase my tiny little backyard flock in sunny England.

Colour and variety is what I am aiming for. I really don't want to keep any two birds that look the same.

So this is what I've got currently: paint Silkie cock, and hens are frizzle gold laced Polish, blue splash laced Wyandotte, partridge Silkie, cuckoo Polish, and a black as coal Polkie. All bantams.

My Silkie hen is broody (aren't they always) and I've bought 12 hatching eggs. They are a pot luck mix of bantam OEG, Sebright and Serama. I will probably only get 8 or so of them covered by my Silkie and I'll pop one of her eggs under there too as I didn't manage to hatch any pure Silkies last year.

I've kept Seramas before but not the other breeds, and I have always hankered after Silver Sebrights.

On a side note, I've got robins, starlings and wood pigeons nesting in my garden so it will be chicktastic this spring!

I will post on this thread as my 2021 journey progresses. Would love it if people can join me, share their experiences and advice and see what we end up with by Autumn. Wish me pullet hatching luck!!!
 
So, at 3pm today, I checked and marked the donor eggs and slipped them under my Silkie who has been patiently brooding some fake eggs for a few days. The eggs had been sitting for about 18 hours pointy side down after I collected them and had a bit of a rough car journey. Had a 4 hour round trip to get them in order to avoid the seller sending by post and them getting potentially scrambled on the way.

I tucked a silkie egg under there too, so she is covering 13 eggs currently. 12 of which at teeny tiny. She is a proven mama so hopefully all will go well. :fl

I will be candling (far too often) and will update with what occurs.

Does anyone candle before day 3?
 
Day 2 and all well so far with Mama Silkie. She is all flat and sitting strong. I'll take her off for a break at lunchtime.

How long do people let the hen off for? I typically set a timer for 20 or 30 mins but that is usually in the summer when it is warmer (20-25°C). Its spring here now and currently 13°C.

Maybe I'll cover them with bubble wrap while she takes a break.
 
Day 2 and all well so far with Mama Silkie. She is all flat and sitting strong. I'll take her off for a break at lunchtime.

How long do people let the hen off for? I typically set a timer for 20 or 30 mins but that is usually in the summer when it is warmer (20-25°C). Its spring here now and currently 13°C.

Maybe I'll cover them with bubble wrap while she takes a break.
Bubble wrap sounds good, a towel will help keep them warm. 13°C is quite cool I would let her off for 20 max, just make sure she eats lots of food and drinks lots of water and stretches her legs!

I love silkies, what is your broody's name?
 
Lotta lotta eggs!!!


20210419_175651.jpg
 

New posts New threads Active threads

Back
Top Bottom