EDUCATIONAL INCUBATION & HATCHING CHAT THREAD, w/ Sally Sunshine Shipped Eggs

[Lazy Farmer]

+ 2 pips
(one of the pipped eggs was also peeping)
My silkie pullet stayed on the nest this morning, so I'm hoping for more hatching later today.

 

[DwayneNLiz]

@DwayneNLiz You haven't been online in 5 days. Starting to worry.... don't make me call you.

you'd never call me
it'd cost too much AND you dont even have a phone out there in the VWN!!!

 

[Lazy Farmer]

you'd never call me
it'd cost too much AND you dont even have a phone out there in the VWN!!!

 

[Faraday40]

Still trying to figure out the genders from my last hatch.
Sept 22; Almost 10 weeks old!
Any guess would be appreciated!

I nicknamed them by colors. I sold Black & Green, so I have 5 left.
Here they are: (You can click to enlarge pics)

BLUE
??? gender



PINK
??? gender



PURPLE
I think male.



Teal
possible male?



White
*This one is from another hen. The mama (Jewel) had very large wattles & pink comb as a chick. "White" has always looked & acted like a female. The comb is pale.
Leaning toward female.



You can click on pics to make them larger.
One problem I keep having (besides all being lavs) is that they can look completely diff from one second to the next.

Here's what I mean:
See the possible male walking along the fence? Now look at the chick, front left. See how the wattles hang down?

One second later, you can see the same 3 chicks...... But where did those wattles go?

 

[Faraday40]

For comparison...
Here was the father at 10 weeks (Wish I had an easy to sex male like him in this batch)

Here's one of the moms at about 10-11 weeks

 

[Lazy Farmer]

For comparison...
Here was the father at 10 weeks (Wish I had an easy to sex male like him in this batch)
View attachment 1199556

Here's one of the moms at about 10-11 weeks
View attachment 1199557

We have been doing wing/feet/mass for age calculations lately for sexing at young age.. we like to call.. the wonder yrs. The dust has settled from our breeding season. All pullets are in the egg house and roos are herding like cattle. Once they crow, to the freezer they go. The biggest and Show Bird quality are spared for the spring, to do their thing.
That is a good looking fella you have there. Is he a gentle breeder?

 

[kesrchicky16]

I am looking to get a candle to go with my broody hen plans for spring. Need reccomendations. I started a forum here...
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/candle-recommendations.1210205/
I have EE, buff Orpington, RIR, a few random other light layers and ducks. Want to buy Aracuna chicks in spring and maybe Marans someday.

 

[Faraday40]

We have been doing wing/feet/mass for age calculations lately for sexing at young age.. we like to call.. the wonder yrs. The dust has settled from our breeding season. All pullets are in the egg house and roos are herding like cattle. Once they crow, to the freezer they go. The biggest and Show Bird quality are spared for the spring, to do their thing.
That is a good looking fella you have there. Is he a gentle breeder?

Thanks. His name is Moose. Here's a pic when he was 10 months old.

I kept him to breed lavs this year. He's good with the hens (no messed up back feathers) & great with the kids (swings & kids running around, don't freak him out). He's massive but had one minor flaw for us: He liked to beat up his father (the former head rooster). The father is a pet. Not only is the dad a beautiful 3 yr old blk/lav split, he's an awesome protector & I've never had to worry about him being held by my kids. He'll let them do anything to him.

The blk/lav split is DD's fav & it was sad watching him get bullied all summer. Moose didn't bully any other roos, just his dad. So we decided to keep the dad and grow out another lav roo to replace Moose. I found a home for Moose. The family wanted a roo to guard their flock, and I was happy not to have to process a good roo like Moose.

It's nice to see him as flock leader again.

 

[BantyChooks]

you'd never call me
it'd cost too much AND you dont even have a phone out there in the VWN!!!

Do too, and I would call if you were MIA long enough

I am looking to get a candle to go with my broody hen plans for spring. Need reccomendations. I started a forum here...
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/candle-recommendations.1210205/
I have EE, buff Orpington, RIR, a few random other light layers and ducks. Want to buy Aracuna chicks in spring and maybe Marans someday.

I replied on your other thread.

 

[BantyChooks]

Thanks. His name is Moose. Here's a pic when he was 10 months old.
View attachment 1199865

I kept him to breed lavs this year. He's good with the hens (no messed up back feathers) & great with the kids (swings & kids running around, don't freak him out). He's massive but had one minor flaw for us: He liked to beat up his father (the former head rooster). The father is a pet. Not only is the dad a beautiful 3 yr old blk/lav split, he's an awesome protector & I've never had to worry about him being held by my kids. He'll let them do anything to him.

The blk/lav split is DD's fav & it was sad watching him get bullied all summer. Moose didn't bully any other roos, just his dad. So we decided to keep the dad and grow out another lav roo to replace Moose. I found a home for Moose. The family wanted a roo to guard their flock, and I was happy not to have to process a good roo like Moose.

It's nice to see him as flock leader again.
View attachment 1199862View attachment 1199866

How pretty.