February Hatch-A-Long

[ChloeSilkie08]

Don't fear, your silkies will start laying soon! But, they will go broody immediately after. Quick! I need to break Layla and get a couple eggs from her!

Haha! No kidding! Thankfully I have 8 girls and if they all go broody then I give up!

 

[PioneerChicks]

Haha! No kidding! Thankfully I have 8 girls and if they all go broody then I give up!

That isn't impossible! Throughout this winter, I had 3 out of four silkies go broody, plus my two bantam orp pullets! So much for winter layers...

 

[ChloeSilkie08]

That isn't impossible! Throughout this winter, I had 3 out of four silkies go broody, plus my two bantam orp pullets! So much for winter layers...

Thankfully mine stopped being broody in October. No eggs since sadly.

 

[AusHen]

I currently have 10 Cream Legbar, 3 Marans and a single egg each of Lavender Sussex, Speckled Sussex, Polish, Orpington and Bantam Orpington with a hatch day of February 3rd.
I purchased these from a local breeder since I have replaced most of my older roosters with some young ones I hatched that aren't working yet (older ones went to my mothers so her hens can hatch some chicks) and although I have nice working Silkie roosters their hens are all either with chicks already or haven't laid in months after raising some.
If I get any Silkie eggs or see any fertile eggs from the rest of my flock I'll be popping them in as well, oh plus I'm waiting on some eggs to be posted which should also be a February hatch, various chicken breeds and some ducks

 

[PioneerChicks]

I currently have 10 Cream Legbar, 3 Marans and a single egg each of Lavender Sussex, Speckled Sussex, Polish, Orpington and Bantam Orpington with a hatch day of February 3rd.
I purchased these from a local breeder since I have replaced most of my older roosters with some young ones I hatched that aren't working yet (older ones went to my mothers so her hens can hatch some chicks) and although I have nice working Silkie roosters their hens are all either with chicks already or haven't laid in months after raising some.
If I get any Silkie eggs or see any fertile eggs from the rest of my flock I'll be popping them in as well, oh plus I'm waiting on some eggs to be posted which should also be a February hatch, various chicken breeds and some ducks

I can't wait to see the chicks!

 

[wolfwalker]

I put in 50 Aloha eggs and 18 Welsummer eggs last night with an expected hatch date of the 6th

 

[AusHen]

Did a quick candle and it looks like all are developing except 2 cream legbar, but they are darker and I misplaced my good candler so they could still have wee embryos i couldnt see. I'll be happy with 8 legbars but will do a better check at next candling

 

[PioneerChicks]

I put in 50 Aloha eggs and 18 Welsummer eggs last night with an expected hatch date of the 6th

Did a quick candle and it looks like all are developing except 2 cream legbar, but they are darker and I misplaced my good candler so they could still have wee embryos i couldnt see. I'll be happy with 8 legbars but will do a better check at next candling

 

[PioneerChicks]

Yesterday I announced to my family, "I'm collecting eggs to hatch!" And the reply was, "isn't it too early for chicks?" Along with a couple eyerolls.

Anyways, I have a few silkie eggs, a couple bantam-orp silkie eggs, and a couple mystery ones from my flock. The only dad is a silkie roo. Also a few from the past week with no dates or breed ID written on them. This is so fun!

 

[LadiesAndJane]

This is sooooo tempting!
With all 3 silkie girls laying again after 2 went broody, I am tempted to try incubating some. They are all new layers, but egg size has normalized to around 40 grams. What do you think, worth a try in the incubator? I have a list of folks who want purebred silkies!