A fellow BYCer encouraged me to start a thread for this hatch. There is much debate as to whether Gauloise outside of the Bresse region can measure up to their reputed quality. These eggs were from the UK, which reportedly has German and French lines that can be traced to the Bresse Centre of Selection.
Shipped eggs have the same awful hatch rates here in Europe as they do there in the states, especially when they go through the air. I usually get between 25 and 35%. This batch of eggs has been obsessively candled because the air sacs were all amoeba shaped except for one. So I have been hand turning them, and trying to avoid making things worse.
Of the 12 original eggs, 3 were clears, 5 quit at various stages, all by day 7, and 4 are still going as of today. I have no idea if any will make it to lockdown or even hatch, but these 4 seem to be developing normally. They are alongside some RIR/BR cross eggs from my own birds. The shipped eggs seem to be between 1 and 2 days behind the others, maybe the rough handling caused less than optimum internal egg conditions. I rested the eggs for 24 hours, but the air sacs remained irregular. In the egg suppliers defense, they were experiencing extreme weather conditions and it may have created some fertility issues.
If any successfully hatch, I will post pictures at various ages. I am especially curious to see how fast they grow and feather out, as they are supposed to be particularly fast growers. The other RIR/BR crosses I have hatched seem to grow really fast, so it will be interesting to see them side by side.
I am certain that none of the Gauloise birds from this hatch are destined for the table, so if you are curious how they dress out and taste compared to other breeds, I will not have that information for you for quite a while.
Shipped eggs have the same awful hatch rates here in Europe as they do there in the states, especially when they go through the air. I usually get between 25 and 35%. This batch of eggs has been obsessively candled because the air sacs were all amoeba shaped except for one. So I have been hand turning them, and trying to avoid making things worse.
Of the 12 original eggs, 3 were clears, 5 quit at various stages, all by day 7, and 4 are still going as of today. I have no idea if any will make it to lockdown or even hatch, but these 4 seem to be developing normally. They are alongside some RIR/BR cross eggs from my own birds. The shipped eggs seem to be between 1 and 2 days behind the others, maybe the rough handling caused less than optimum internal egg conditions. I rested the eggs for 24 hours, but the air sacs remained irregular. In the egg suppliers defense, they were experiencing extreme weather conditions and it may have created some fertility issues.
If any successfully hatch, I will post pictures at various ages. I am especially curious to see how fast they grow and feather out, as they are supposed to be particularly fast growers. The other RIR/BR crosses I have hatched seem to grow really fast, so it will be interesting to see them side by side.
I am certain that none of the Gauloise birds from this hatch are destined for the table, so if you are curious how they dress out and taste compared to other breeds, I will not have that information for you for quite a while.
