Mille Cochin Info

[wwmicasa1]

Quote:
Terry,

I'm so sorry to hear of your tragedy. When I first started hatching & spent tons of $$ on hatching eggs, I was using broodies. I can't begin to tell you how many valuable chicks I lost due to hens that abandoned, stepped on, forgot a chick & let it chill, etc.....After many episodes of the same problem, I decided to use the mechanical way so that I have complete control over the situation. Agreed, seeing the chicks raised naturally is heart warming but when you lose one, you beat yourself up over it.

At least you have two beauties & if you would like to try again, I would be happy to send replacement eggs. Just PM me.

 

[wwmicasa1]

Quote:
I'm with you. I really enjoy following along and I am learning so much! My eggs from Lynne are hatching as we speak!!

They endured a harsh trip from California and the post office informed me they were probably frozen. Yikes!
Two have hatched so far, so I'm declaring success. More would be great. I'm keeping my fingers crossed.

I will post pictures of the little cuties soon!

-Erica

Erica,

How did the hatch go???

 

[Peppermint]

I have one lonely MFC egg (Lynne's eggs) that hatched under a broody. It doesn't look like any of the chick photos many of you have posted...seems to be darker. What do you think? Anyone have an MFC that hatched dark like this one, with light beard and chest?

 

[bantyman]

Hey Terry

Put those pix up of "Bantymans" chicks Gotta see my grandkids

Mike

 

[georgialee]

Mike, look at the type on this girl I hatched from your eggs:

Not the best pic but I think she'll produce some pretty babies!!!

I also ended up getting 2 pretty mf hens and 1 other hen without mottling. I hatched a solid colored roo as well that is gorgeous... no good pics unfortunately.

 

[serendipityfarm]

Quote:
Will do, as soon as my camera battery recharges

Sure does use up a lotta juice taking all those chicky pictures! LOL

 

[newDirection]

Quote:
I'm with you. I really enjoy following along and I am learning so much! My eggs from Lynne are hatching as we speak!!

They endured a harsh trip from California and the post office informed me they were probably frozen. Yikes!
Two have hatched so far, so I'm declaring success. More would be great. I'm keeping my fingers crossed.

I will post pictures of the little cuties soon!

-Erica

Erica,

How did the hatch go???

I split up the eggs and put some under my silkie broodies and the rest in the incubator. I am still trying to make sure I have the formula right in my incubator. I also put some of my own silkie eggs in both places for comparison. The results....the incubator hatched out silkies and the silkies hatched out MFC's. LOL

There was one MFC in the incubator that pipped and I could see the beak poking out. There were bubbles coming out of the nostrils and it never made it out, so sad

Why does that happen? Is there a change I need to make to my incubation? help!
The silkies still have one MFC egg they are sitting on and I haven't given up on the eggs in the incubator, but we are starting day 23 now so I'm not holding my breath.

Finally, I have two adorable MFC chicks and four silkies

and the cutest silkie chick I have ever seen....

-Erica

 

[wwmicasa1]

Quote:
Candace,

That baby is from one of the D'Uccle eggs I sent you. You asked me to throw a few D'Uccle into the box & evidently it got mixed up with the MFC. I'd be happy to send you replacements later in the month. Just PM me to let me know.

 

[wwmicasa1]

Quote:
Erica,

How did the hatch go???

I split up the eggs and put some under my silkie broodies and the rest in the incubator. I am still trying to make sure I have the formula right in my incubator. I also put some of my own silkie eggs in both places for comparison. The results....the incubator hatched out silkies and the silkies hatched out MFC's. LOL

There was one MFC in the incubator that pipped and I could see the beak poking out. There were bubbles coming out of the nostrils and it never made it out, so sad

Why does that happen? Is there a change I need to make to my incubation? help!
The silkies still have one MFC egg they are sitting on and I haven't given up on the eggs in the incubator, but we are starting day 23 now so I'm not holding my breath.

Finally, I have two adorable MFC chicks and four silkies

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/uploads/71239_img_3990.jpg
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/uploads/71239_img_3994.jpg

and the cutest silkie chick I have ever seen....
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/uploads/71239_img_3970.jpg
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/uploads/71239_img_3973.jpg

-Erica

Erica,

The MFC eggs didn't dry down enough before hatching. The bubbles you saw showed that perhaps the humidity was too high in your bator & the baby drowned before it could hatch.

I use a totally dry hatch method with my MFC. When I put them in lock down, I wait until I see the first chick pip & then add the hottest tap water to the water tray. I leave the vents wide open. I live in a very dry climate but for me this has been the best route for hatching. I also have my bator (Brinsea OvaEasy) in the basement with a constant year round temp of 78 & humidity of 30%. I can go into the bator whenever necessary to remove fluffed chicks & it doesn't affect the hatching or temp. change for more than a minute or two. The ones under your Silkies hatched because there was no excess humidity. I know how frustrating hatching can be. I'm still struggling at times & I've been at it for 6 years.

 

[WestKnollAmy]

Quote:
Thank you. I keep reading and trying a few things here but so far I haven't bred enough to grasp what they are talking about. I am very visual and I love the photos so that helps me understand what they are saying. All this info will help me decide who should be bred to whom to help the pattern come in.