Somehow it’s already June. It’s absolutely crazy how fast May disappeared.
But that also means that im hatching late babies. Again. Ugh.
I’m suppose to have all my chicks hatched by February to have aged birds for summer/fall shows, but haven’t been able to accomplish this the past 2 years, and 2020 is no exception. I only have 6 chicks on the ground. I had 9, but have lost three in the past 2 weeks.
I’ve been having awful hatching rates. I’ve filled the 40 egg incubator twice now, and only 7 hatched the first time, and two the second. Only two of these chicks are moderns (lemon blues) the other are old English (three Brown reds and 1 LB)I only have 1/3 not fertile, the other 2/3 either stop developing, or don’t hatch, and I’ve tried upping the humidity, the temp hasn’t been wavering, the turning is working just fine, and I’m finally over it... So it’s time to give the hens a chance!
I no longer have any fluffy cochins/Wyandotte to hatch my babies, I sadly had to cull my last two mommas from last year. My very first year with moderns, I swore I’d never let them try and hatch babies again, due to utter lack of maternity skills they had (leaving the nest, kicking eggs out, breaking eggs, abandoning/killing chicks). This year, over half of my hens have tried going broody, and I have struggled to break them (especially my show pullets for this summer, they are driving me mad!!), and finally gave up and decided to let one of my hens sit on 7 eggs. Fingers crossed she does good! I let her sit on junk eggs for two days, and I’ve only seen her off once to eat, so I think she’ll do just fine.
I also have an incubator due to hatch Monday (7th). There are about 20 or less eggs, and I’m hoping (praying at this point) I have some moderns, especially brown reds(pullets pullets pullets!
) hatch!
My Lemon Blue Sport, Nona, on her first clutch of eggs!
But that also means that im hatching late babies. Again. Ugh.
I’m suppose to have all my chicks hatched by February to have aged birds for summer/fall shows, but haven’t been able to accomplish this the past 2 years, and 2020 is no exception. I only have 6 chicks on the ground. I had 9, but have lost three in the past 2 weeks.
I’ve been having awful hatching rates. I’ve filled the 40 egg incubator twice now, and only 7 hatched the first time, and two the second. Only two of these chicks are moderns (lemon blues) the other are old English (three Brown reds and 1 LB)I only have 1/3 not fertile, the other 2/3 either stop developing, or don’t hatch, and I’ve tried upping the humidity, the temp hasn’t been wavering, the turning is working just fine, and I’m finally over it... So it’s time to give the hens a chance!
I no longer have any fluffy cochins/Wyandotte to hatch my babies, I sadly had to cull my last two mommas from last year. My very first year with moderns, I swore I’d never let them try and hatch babies again, due to utter lack of maternity skills they had (leaving the nest, kicking eggs out, breaking eggs, abandoning/killing chicks). This year, over half of my hens have tried going broody, and I have struggled to break them (especially my show pullets for this summer, they are driving me mad!!), and finally gave up and decided to let one of my hens sit on 7 eggs. Fingers crossed she does good! I let her sit on junk eggs for two days, and I’ve only seen her off once to eat, so I think she’ll do just fine.
I also have an incubator due to hatch Monday (7th). There are about 20 or less eggs, and I’m hoping (praying at this point) I have some moderns, especially brown reds(pullets pullets pullets!
) hatch!My Lemon Blue Sport, Nona, on her first clutch of eggs!
I put 4 new eggs under her, and hope this time around will be better!
