June Hatch A Long

[Mosey2003]

Honestly, I would be MUCH more tempted if I didn't know that the more different lines I get in my breeding, the worse off I'll be. I'm already playing with fire by crossing two and starting a third 'flock' with these shipped ones...

 

[CluckNDoodle]

It makes me super jealous when someone ups all of our chicken rooms with entire chicken barns. Hehehehe.

Beautiful birds!!

lol, Give it time. At this rate we'll all have chicken barns by next year.

Honestly, I would be MUCH more tempted if I didn't know that the more different lines I get in my breeding, the worse off I'll be. I'm already playing with fire by crossing two and starting a third 'flock' with these shipped ones...

So...the fact that I'm always going out of my way trying to get different bloodlines so I'm not inbreeding chickens is the WRONG approach?!
You always spur me to ask random questions but you're such a wealth of knowledge! lol

 

[Mosey2003]

So...the fact that I'm always going out of my way trying to get different bloodlines so I'm not interbreeding chickens is the WRONG approach?!
You always spur me to ask random questions but you're such a wealth of knowledge! lol

Well......depends on what your goals are, I guess. I'm still new to the serious breeding, but all I've read from the experienced and expert says to stick with one line and just keep working it, because if you introduce a new one, you'll ruin all your progress (at least in the short term). But, they also say to start where you are, so... Myself, I'm trying to balance that concept with the fact that I simply cannot afford to hatch and grow out 200 chicks every year in order to cull them down to the ten best. Yet So I have a new cock for my old line hens and I'm just going to see what I get, and go from there.

Done thoughtfully, inbreeding is not a bad thing in chickens at all, you concentrate down your traits and really see what you have.

I don't know what you're doing with your chickens. Are you breeding to show standards? Are you breeding for health and laying? It just depends on what you're doing and how you want to do it.
I got a LOT of info from the Heritage breeding thread(s) started by the late, great Bob Blosl:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/bob-blosls-heritage-large-fowl-thread.400344/
Plus the old Plymouth Rock Breeders thread started by Fred's Hens, in the Exhibition forum.

 

[SueT]

Day 20 update We have a pip! Broody was off the nest so I peeked at eggs and saw this! I picked it up and it began peeping loudly.
When she returned, and jostled the eggs as she hopped into the nest, it peeped loudly again. She kept chuck chucking like she's done all along. I improvised a cardboard barrier in front of her nest, which is about 24" wide. I made a small opening for hen so she won't feel trapped. I don't want the big hens jumping up there and interfering. I don't want to move her before they all hatch.

 

[PirateGirl]

Day 20 update We have a pip! Broody was off the nest so I peeked at eggs and saw this! I picked it up and it began peeping loudly.
When she returned, and jostled the eggs as she hopped into the nest, it peeped loudly again. She kept chuck chucking like she's done all along. I improvised a cardboard barrier in front of her nest, which is about 24" wide. I made a small opening for hen so she won't feel trapped. I don't want the big hens jumping up there and interfering. I don't want to move her before they all hatch.
View attachment 1809347 View attachment 1809346

Thanks for sharing your coop picture. I have one week to decide exactly what I want to do with my broody in terms of separation (or not) and how best to divide my coop (or not). Worst case scenario I have a large wire dog crate I could set her up in. I’m hoping to keep the ducklings a few weeks before they go to their new home, but that might be complicated since they will be in the chicken coop.

 

[PirateGirl]

Just got a message from the ducklings human mama to be, she still wants them. This is good. I do have a random buyer off CL lined up as a backup. We are going to meet soon so she can learn about caring for ducks because she has never had them. It’s a friend of mine and I have become a bit of a duckling pusher and enabler!

 

[SueT]

Day 20 update We have a pip! Broody was off the nest so I peeked at eggs and saw this! I picked it up and it began peeping loudly.
When she returned, and jostled the eggs as she hopped into the nest, it peeped loudly again. She kept chuck chucking like she's done all along. I improvised a cardboard barrier in front of her nest, which is about 24" wide. I made a small opening for hen so she won't feel trapped. I don't want the big hens jumping up there and interfering. I don't want to move her before they all hatch.
View attachment 1809347 View attachment 1809346

Half an hour later, we have a Spitz baby! Moonshine stood up long enuf for me to see it completely out and it walked a few steps, peeping, and she and it settled back down. I removed the cardboard and put up some plastic mesh, locking her in. By the time I got the camera, she was asleep and apparently so was the baby under her.. I am scrambling to get things ready, even a brooder just in case.

 

[Mixed flock enthusiast]

@Trux IM DROOLING. I LOVE laced birds.... and used to have some Wyandotte’s but I do not prefer the personalities of every Wyandotte that’s been on my property.

I have several Wy's SL, GL, and Columbians. 4 of the chix are a cross with Columbian hens. Since you like laced birds I will share a pic of my favorite girl

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• Trux
• Mar 8, 2019

Tilly Silver Penciled Rock

This is Tilly, a Silver Penciled Rock, She will be the next to grace Sir Samuels abode.[/QUOTE]
What an amazing feather patten!

 

[Mixed flock enthusiast]

Did she go back to her nest? I don't have any experience with guineas but I know they can be fussier than chickens so I imagine she wouldn't just allow you to stick her back on the eggs? lol
I hope she's back on her nest this morning and that the eggs made it!

The good news this morning is that they didn’t abandon the whole nest. Bad news is that only two are sitting on it, so they might have abandoned the portion that I disturbed; they are so sensitive! I’m trying to stay out of there, which is hard since that’s where feed is kept, in hopes that they’ll consider the nest “undiscovered”. I can’t look for cracked eggs unless they all get off at once... ah, Guineas!!!!

 

[two j farm]

My babies from April are growing up to fast