February Hatch-A-Long

[JaeG]

Our chicks were due to hatch tomorrow (1st February for me) but they decided to start hatching today (because we were going to be out all day ).

10 have hatched so far with a few more to go. Its evening here so it's not a great photo but here they are:

There are 3 pure OEGBs, 3 bantam wyandotte/OEGB crosses, one booted bantam/OEGB cross, and 3 large chicks that are Orpingtons crossed with a New Zealand breed of chicken. The large dark chick already has a very prominent comb.

 

[juliasflock]

I’m at 48hrs almost exactly and figured I’d peek at an egg or two. Still don’t have much familiarity with what I’m looking for but this is what I saw. Has two dark little dots in these light colored eggs, another egg has just one dot. Summary, my first hatch and first time incubating eggs and first time everything chicken related.

Thoughts anyone?



View attachment 2509860View attachment 2509863

It looks like you have small meat or blood spots in those eggs. Usually you don’t see too much until day 3, and then it’s usually a small circle with light veining and a little blob. Here is from a day 4 egg from this batch.

 

[LadiesAndJane]

Our chicks were due to hatch tomorrow (1st February for me) but they decided to start hatching today (because we were going to be out all day ).

10 have hatched so far with a few more to go. Its evening here so it's not a great photo but here they are:
View attachment 2509960
There are 3 pure OEGBs, 3 bantam wyandotte/OEGB crosses, one booted bantam/OEGB cross, and 3 large chicks that are Orpingtons crossed with a New Zealand breed of chicken. The large dark chick already has a very prominent comb.

Cuties! Quite the size difference.
What is the New Zealand breed? Is it a land race like you see in many European countries or more a game bird like we have here in Hawaii?

 

[gimmie birdies]

I was going to say those looked like meat spots too, at 2 days, you would see just a round dot the size of a pencil eraser head that was reddish clear, not a dark tiny spot.

 

[JaeG]

Cuties! Quite the size difference.
What is the New Zealand breed? Is it a land race like you see in many European countries or more a game bird like we have here in Hawaii?

It's a breed a lady in the South Island developed. She had a hen who laid amazingly well, so she set out to retain that ability. She called them Waipahi (pronounced Why-pah-hee) chickens. We did get rid of the cockerel we had (though he is the father of the larger chicks) as he was grabbing the hens by the combs to mate them, and he was starting to challenge our 10 year old son, but he's made some cute babies. We also have a laying pullet who is an absolute sweetheart, though she hasn't let anyone mate with her yet so her eggs aren't fertile. Yet she squats for us. She's very friendly to humans and loves a cuddle.

This is my favourite chick, one of the Orpington/Waipahi crosses:

I'm going to give the 4 large chicks to one of our Orpingtons as she's been broody for a couple of weeks. She's an old girl now and has a bit of a limp so I'm hoping she'll be alright with them and won't squish any.

 

[gimmie birdies]

Day 2 almost 3 on this egg. embryo is near air cell. Unlike a meat spot it is slightly reddish clear circle.

 

[LadiesAndJane]

It's a breed a lady in the South Island developed. She had a hen who laid amazingly well, so she set out to retain that ability. She called them Waipahi (pronounced Why-pah-hee) chickens. We did get rid of the cockerel we had (though he is the father of the larger chicks) as he was grabbing the hens by the combs to mate them, and he was starting to challenge our 10 year old son, but he's made some cute babies. We also have a laying pullet who is an absolute sweetheart, though she hasn't let anyone mate with her yet so her eggs aren't fertile. Yet she squats for us. She's very friendly to humans and loves a cuddle.

This is my favourite chick, one of the Orpington/Waipahi crosses:
View attachment 2510396

I'm going to give the 4 large chicks to one of our Orpingtons as she's been broody for a couple of weeks. She's an old girl now and has a bit of a limp so I'm hoping she'll be alright with them and won't squish any.

Beautiful chick!
Looked up the Waipahi chickens, cool looking birds, looks like some have small crests.
Hope your broody mama accepts the chicks.
Would be nice for her.
Interesting how Maori names and Hawaiian are very similar. Obviously a common root there. "Wai" means water in both languages.

 

[The Cave]

I can't believe I didn't see this till now! I have 7 Opal Legbars, 8 Mottled orpingtons in lockdown at the moment due on the 2nd

Then I have
5 BCM
3 OE
1 Ameraucana
3 CCL
Due on the 9th!

 

[AusHen]

First batch is on lockdown. I candled and saw I had lost the LF orpington but all others are looking great which includes the bantam Orpington.
I hadn't updated about the second batch but bad news there, day 3 my very large 10 month old pooch snuck in to incubator/feed room behind me and as I was escorting her out her crazy tail catched the incubator cord and sent the whole lot down to the ground, no eggs survived the fall
The incubator suffered no damage and I have put it in a better spot with the cord out of the way. Not sure I'll start another batch for a while but this has made me decide to push forward getting a cabinet incubator

 

[JaeG]

First batch is on lockdown. I candled and saw I had lost the LF orpington but all others are looking great which includes the bantam Orpington.
I hadn't updated about the second batch but bad news there, day 3 my very large 10 month old pooch snuck in to incubator/feed room behind me and as I was escorting her out her crazy tail catched the incubator cord and sent the whole lot down to the ground, no eggs survived the fall
The incubator suffered no damage and I have put it in a better spot with the cord out of the way. Not sure I'll start another batch for a while but this has made me decide to push forward getting a cabinet incubator

Oh, how awful. A cabinet one sounds much safer with a cluelessly clumsy puppy (as all puppies are) 'helping'.

Bantam Orpingtons will be gorgeous (I love little chickens).