March Hatch-A-Long

[cppeace]

Little photo hog

swede wouldn't cooperate for good pictures. It's just so much more tired than the bresse are

This is the third Bresse

And then the swede fell asleep while eating

 

[BlueBaby]

Okay, so I kept seeing you guys saying, breese/bresse, but it just clicked that I know about this breed and read an article about it once online. (I probably should have looked it up before, but didn't think about it)
Apparently the whole thing is that they come from a certain region of France, Bresse, and are a really delicious meat bird, or something. Also, there was a whole section of the article devoted to talking about how these chickens are colored like the French flag with red, white, and blue. (that's probably why your comment made me remember this)
There was a lot more to the article, but I read years ago, so that's about all I remember. Either way, they are pretty cool chickens.

I hatched out some of the White Breese a year ago. Out of the dozen egg's, I ended up with 7 boy's and 3 girl's. I got rid of the boy's, because I wanted to breed the girls to my Naked Neck/Breese cross rooster that is shown in my avatar. I ended up letting those 3 girl's go to new homes, because my Naked Necked one's handled our hot summer desert heat out here way better. The person that I got my Breese hatching egg's bred her's to the Naked Neck's also, and then sold the Breese that she had. She mentioned that she had butchered one of the cockerels before she did, and that they were too greasy, but she liked how the NN/Breese crosses meat was. I didn't butcher mine. Last year I was experimenting with them (including the NN's) to see what one's would get through the summer best. I ended up selling off all of my B/B/S Australorp's, too.

 

[Ms Biddy]

Day 23 and my hatch is complete. Very late last night I was left with an egg that was pipped but again had not progressed after almost 20 hours. Upon inspection the outer membrane had hardened. So, I chipped away a zip line and found the inner membrane shrink wrapped around the chick. The blood vessels were receded so I peeled enough away to make things easier for the baby who was weak and tired. I candled the last egg and could see that it had internally pipped but there was no movement. Upon opening a small hole I could see the chick DIS. It had not been strong enough to break the shell.

So, I ended up with 4 live chicks out of 12 shipped eggs. Only one of these hatched unassisted. I do believe if I hadn't helped there would only be one chick. Shipped eggs are not my friend but I think I made the best of it. I don't have these problems with my own eggs and would never have interfered so much normally. I have to admit I was motivated by the expense and desire to get something for the money and time. Yay for my four beautiful babies. Two are blue, one is black and one is splash.

 

[Ms Biddy]

I hatched out some of the White Breese a year ago. Out of the dozen egg's, I ended up with 7 boy's and 3 girl's. I got rid of the boy's, because I wanted to breed the girls to my Naked Neck/Breese cross rooster that is shown in my avatar. I ended up letting those 3 girl's go to new homes, because my Naked Necked one's handled our hot summer desert heat out here way better. The person that I got my Breese hatching egg's bred her's to the Naked Neck's also, and then sold the Breese that she had. She mentioned that she had butchered one of the cockerels before she did, and that they were too greasy, but she liked how the NN/Breese crosses meat was. I didn't butcher mine. Last year I was experimenting with them (including the NN's) to see what one's would get through the summer best. I ended up selling off all of my B/B/S Australorp's, too.

Bresse x NN sounds like a great meat cross.

 

[Ms Biddy]

I thought I heard a peep this morning. Day 21 is just starting. Maybe I imagined it; I got up and saw no pips.

Now that my first hatch is done, I have about 5 days left on another one. Geez, I hope it goes more smoothly. I won't mess with or worry about my own eggs but I have 3 shipped turkey eggs in there and I really want poults.

 

[notasilkie]

So, I ended up with 4 live chicks out of 12 shipped eggs. Only one of these hatched unassisted. I do believe if I hadn't helped there would only be one chick. Shipped eggs are not my friend but I think I made the best of it. I don't have these problems with my own eggs and would never have interfered so much normally. I have to admit I was motivated by the expense and desire to get something for the money and time. Yay for my four beautiful babies. Two are blue, one is black and one is splash.

Congrats on the four! My first lot of shipped eggs aren't looking great, maybe 3 out of 12 look ready to hatch. Will see in a few days! Think that might have largely been fertility issues as most didn't even start to develop. Some of my other shipped eggs are ALL developing so just shows, some shipped eggs can go well!

 

[Ms Biddy]

Some of my other shipped eggs are ALL developing so just shows, some shipped eggs can go well!

Thank you! Yes, I've heard of some excellent hatches on shipped eggs lately, even above 90%! These were sent from high elevation in CO to much lower elevation in CA. I've also received eggs from MO and LA. There are so many factors in addition to distance...fertility, hen health, egg quality, packing, handling, duration of transit, overland vs air travel, temperatures and of course incubation. Best of luck with your hatch!

 

[cppeace]

Yeah, I had 13 out of 24 that showed good movement at lockdown they just didn't hatch sadly. It happens.

 

[notasilkie]

Thank you! Yes, I've heard of some excellent hatches on shipped eggs lately, even above 90%! These were sent from high elevation in CO to much lower elevation in CA. I've also received eggs from MO and LA. There are so many factors in addition to distance...fertility, hen health, egg quality, packing, handling, duration of transit, overland vs air travel, temperatures and of course incubation. Best of luck with your hatch!

There is a lot of chance involved isn't there! Seemed excited at first but now its nail biting at lockdown

Yeah, I had 13 out of 24 that showed good movement at lockdown they just didn't hatch sadly. It happens.

Aaah its horrible! You try not to get your hopes up (not counting your chickens and all) but how can you not! At least if my sablepoots hatch ok then I'll know my old incubator must be functioning, and its just the first lot of eggs at fault (or the shipping).

 

[juliasflock]

21 of the 25 hatched!
I am in love with all the colors!