Incubators Anonymous

[ki4got]

well, looks like maybe 15 if the last one finishes hatching. he's pipped and working it.

 

[Arielle]

Quote:
You are sure to find out we hatch and hatch and hatch!!! THough I'm planning to take a break for now, I'm sure to get going in the spring again!!

Be sure to use the google search feature and find lots to read on hatching.




Happy Holidays to all!!!

 

[ki4got]

Quote:
You are with sure to find out we hatch and hatch and hatch!!! THough I'm planning to take a break for now, I'm sure to get going in the spring again!!

Be sure to use the google search feature and find lots to read on hatching.

Happy Holidays to all!!!

I need to take a short break too... giving my dorking roo a chance to start breeding his dorking girls again... he's in love with the bantam girls instead. (and yes, you can substitute another word for 'dorking'. i've been using that more anyhow.

) but at least they're all penned again for now. yesterday and today were my first 2 days in a row to collect 3 eggs! and a reminder how pitifully small the dorking eggs are! one of my bantams (not sure who yet) is laying bigger ones! this breed needs a LOT of work.

 

[Arielle]

Glad to see you are supporting this old breed. How do you go about increasing the egg size of the Dorking? Keep hatching the eggs and hope for a hen to produce a little bigger egg, then select mostly her eggs?

 

[ki4got]

Quote:
well, for one, selecting for bigger birds should result in bigger eggs. and yes, selecting hens that lay larger eggs should also help. of the 2 hens, (don't know which one really) the eggs average 42-45g and 47-50g. so by incubating bigger eggs, that should in turn result in larger eggs down the road, I would think. but right now i'm hatching everything I can, simply because I need birds to start with. I don't plan on culling many hens initially, and will keep 2-3 roos as backups too for 'just in case'. i've heard too many times they culled all but the best roo, then he died. so what then?

the plan is to keep a few trios/quads in breeding pens (i hope to switch to trap nesting down the road too, to track hen progress) and the 2nd and 3rd choice birds will be in an 'egg pen'. everyone else will be culled. so probably 12 good birds for breeding and as many in reserve. I plan to ID by banding so I know sire/dam, so that if a problem crops up I'll know which direction to go...

 

[CapricornFarm]

My Christmas chicks are hatching early! 6 so far, most are Lav. Orps but i also have my first Marans chick to hatch !

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[DMRippy]

I have sold my first dozen hatching eggs

Till Dec 31 I will collect for ME EE roo x leghorns and anything else I want to hatch.

Marans are in lockdown, due 26th but will probably start the 25th. Then in late Jan I can start hatching from my breeding pens for spring sales

Got 15 eggs today that is a record. But when I do the math with the ones molting... I should be getting about 30 a day... got to sell some hatching eggs

or chicks

 

[discoveregg]

Quote:
Congratulations!

 

[CapricornFarm]

I have 22 Chicks for Christmas so far

 

[KandiandJerry]

I have 35 internallly pipped just waiting. to many chics and eggs now need to take a break but just wont let myself quit loading the bators LOL!!!!!!