***Crevecoeur Thread***

[ontimeborzoi]

I think he is just agreeing with your assessment of the situation. See the 2x?

My girls are still all loud chatter and checking out the nest box, but no eggs yet.

 

[poularde]

I was just agreeing with you. I am not a breeder by any means yet. I would love to get more info from experienced breeders. Oh yes, and I am a female.

 

[Heritage Hens]

Ok, now I get it. Missed the 2X. I'm thinking that I will check out the Crevie pictures on the sight and see how the combs look there.
One of my cockerels has a comb that crosses. I named him Zorro!

 

[ontimeborzoi]

My cockerel is practically drawing the girls pictures and still no egg has been laid. He breeds them, and shows them to the nest box. " Here, look!" Gets in the box, hunkers down. " See? Its nice! ". They chat back and forth. One of the girls gets in next to him, snuggles close and *they* talk awhile. And then everyone leaps up and goes back to pacing in and out of the coop and bawking at the top of their lungs! LOL But soon, I'm certain of it.
Then I have to learn how to incubate eggs! Ack! Have an incubator, borrowed from a friend. Have listened and read, but have not DONE it. So. Awaiting eggs with both anticipation and trepidation. I refuse to eat them, and have no broody yet, though I did buy some bantam Cochin's and silkies hoping to luck into a couple who will fulfill that purpose...they are just too young to help out yet.

The roosters are so spectacular, but I would like to see other peoples pullets. I only have two and while they are not identical, I don't know which is better or why.

 

[Heritage Hens]

Basically, that is where I am at, too. I am probably very fortunate that my pullet SEEMS to have great type and comb. And fortunate that I have 4 cockerels to choose from. I will isolate the best one that I can guess is the type, and hope for fertilized eggs. Josephine seems to lay an egg one day on, 4 or more days off. The 4 cockerels are so busy running around like Roadrunners mounting the chicken and guinea hens that they don't seem to notice Josephine.
Do yourself a favor and plunge into the world of incubation, Ontime. You will not regret it. I recommend a Genesis Hovabator with turner. It is the best I have seen for the money. I have a Brinsea 40X, but it was expensive and unless you are sure you like incubating, save the money for now.
Check different supply companies because some have a better deal than others. I have bought from Strombergs mostly but have also bought from others.

 

[ontimeborzoi]

I have an egg, I have an egg!! : )) Now what? I have an incubator. Do i put the one egg in the refrigerator and wait for more eggs? Store it in the cellar? Leave it as a hint to the other pullet??

My borrowed incubator is a Little Giant with fan and egg turner. The person who lent it to me has used it lots, successfully. The weak link here is ME.

 

[Heritage Hens]

OH, NO! I wish I had seen this sooner. I hope you didn't put it in the fridge!
Just keep the egg in a cool place, around 55 degrees. I use a paper egg carton because you should mist them on and off while you are waiting for more eggs. Also, prop the carton on something so one side is higher up, then in a few hours prop the other side up. This mimics the setting hen moving the eggs around underneath her.
Howver, CONGRATULATIONS ON THE EGG!!
So happy for you that you have lift off!

 

[ontimeborzoi]

TWO eggs now! : )
What a piece of luck....I did not put the egg in the frig, but decided to leave it on the nest. We have been between 40 and 70 degrees. I can do as you suggest and put them in a cardboard egg carton in the storm cellar, which stays about 60. Waiting on more eggs and a hygrometer/thermometer for the incubator.

So, are you going to walk me thru this experience please?! LOL

 

[Heritage Hens]

I think you have a good plan. You could add eggs from another breed to that egg carton. I'd set up the Little Giant at least three days ahead. I had a difficult time controlling the temp in the LG. I have a few good quality hygrometers that I bought through Strombergs, plus I use some plain inexpensive ones from Walmart. I usually put two in each incubator.
The website for the LG company should have some good incubator information. Oftentimes they have a technical assistance person there to answer questions by phone or email.
I will be segregating my Crevie hen with the best cockerel this weekend because so far her eggs are not fertile. She is so petite compared to Orpington hens that the other roosters leave her alone, including the Crevie roos.

 

[poularde]

You may want to wait a while for hatching eggs. Pullet eggs are not the best for hatching. I wait a couple months once they start laying before I would try and hatch them. You want to set normal sized eggs not little pullet eggs. IMO...