Miscellaneous Meeps - Hatching my Dreams

[2ndTink]

I wanted to just toss em but I felt bad with baby chicks in there growing. Idk what day they are all on, I can only guess as they grow. I candled and kept all the ones that were halfway or more. Tossed all the starters that had barely any veins, or the dead ones etc. Ended up with like 15ish eggs

Now we wait. I have like 9 left in the turner.

Speaking of the turner! One hatched in there. I candled and the baby inside looked a day or two out from lockdown. Nope. Walked back in about 12 hours later and there was a baby. There wasn't even a pip when I candled!

Oh wow, that's a fast entrance!

Once these hatch, how many chickens do you have!?!

 

[2ndTink]

Btw. I need silkie eggs with both Chonkers and Grinch dna!

We can figure that out, I'll have more Chonkers babys in a few weeks!

 

[2ndTink]

After having an agreement that we wouldn't hatch anymore eggs this year, @Debbie292d and I have been chosen, along with @casportpony, to test the Brinsea EX Connect. So, we have gone from holding eachother accountable about NOT hatching eggs, to cheering eachother on TO hatch eggs

We are all super excited to test out the latest technology Brinsea is working on, if you would like to follow along come join us at Brinsea Connect—Testers Journey

 

[2ndTink]

Whoop! The two oldest Swedish Flower Hen pullets are laying! Their eggs are exactly the same size and color as my silkie eggs

 

[Debbie292d]

Whoop! The two oldest Swedish Flower Hen pullets are laying! Their eggs are exactly the same size and color as my silkie eggs

View attachment 3891293

Wow, it seems like it's not been that long already since you got those chicks!

Congratulations!!

 

[wrathsfarm]

I came to complain that you haven't been posting but see you have, so scratch that. Maybe my notifications went haywire...

Carry on....

 

[2ndTink]

I came to complain that you haven't been posting but see you have, so scratch that. Maybe my notifications went haywire...

Carry on....

Haha yeah, I've slacked here and there, but I do try and swing by with some photos every so often.

Fresh photos from this morning for you!

Splash girl that decided to molt after being broody instead of laying eggs to put in the incubator so shes in with the grow outs.

I think this is a pullet, her crest isnt rounded yet, I'm hoping it will shape up, shes only 14 weeks at this point. She has some frosty tips on her chest feathers, so I'm curiois if she'll continue to get more color of not.

Boys the splash SFH cockerel was preening, his wing doesn't actually hang like that.

And, little miss wants to be broody, another slacker deciding she doesnt want to provide eggs for thr incubator, she IS the incibator, just give her the eggies! All the eggies, just set them next to her so she can squeal at them I had picked her up out of the nesting box to check for eggs and I also check her body condition. Since fall is on its way, I may let her stay broody for a week or two then break her and see if it triggers her molt. I'd rather she do that now than in January when I've had several do that before. Single digits outside and they are half naked

She did such a good camouflage job, look, you can barely see her

 

[wrathsfarm]

Haha yeah, I've slacked here and there, but I do try and swing by with some photos every so often.

Fresh photos from this morning for you!

Splash girl that decided to molt after being broody instead of laying eggs to put in the incubator so shes in with the grow outs.
View attachment 3897180
I think this is a pullet, her crest isnt rounded yet, I'm hoping it will shape up, shes only 14 weeks at this point. She has some frosty tips on her chest feathers, so I'm curiois if she'll continue to get more color of not.

View attachment 3897181

Both are very pretty..

And, little miss wants to be broody, another slacker deciding she doesnt want to provide eggs for thr incubator, she IS the incibator, just give her the eggies! All the eggies, just set them next to her so she can squeal at them I had picked her up out of the nesting box to check for eggs and I also check her body condition. Since fall is on its way, I may let her stay broody for a week or two then break her and see if it triggers her molt. I'd rather she do that now than in January when I've had several do that before. Single digits outside and they are half naked

She did such a good camouflage job, look, you can barely see her
View attachment 3897183

I don't get it...is there a bird there?....

 

[wrathsfarm]

How many Silkies do you have?
Do you have different breeder groups? For like Paints, and BBS?

Do they do ok in extreme weather, cold and snow? Insulated coops?

Forgive me, I raise real chickens and still learning about these little fragile biting hairballs...

 

[2ndTink]

How many Silkies do you have?
Do you have different breeder groups? For like Paints, and BBS?

Do they do ok in extreme weather, cold and snow? Insulated coops?

Forgive me, I raise real chickens and still learning about these little fragile biting hairballs...

Where's the eye roll emoji!?! I'd pretend to be offended that you are implying silkies aren't "real chickens" but there's too much truth in the "biting hairballs"

I think I have around 30 silkies, I have a handful that will be processed and I think I'd like to be around 20 going into winter. I have enough now that I can start weeding out my ones that aren't heading in the right direction as far as type and faults. I've hatched some good ones from breeders this year and I have a few from my stock that I'll keep that look good! Perfect, no, but I'm working with what I've got!

Yes, different breeder groups. Right now the boys are bach-ing it, except for one pen with my 3 balck hens and the paint rooster. I only have 7 laying hens right now, the rest are juveniles still. Next year I'll will likely need to use the same hens and swap roosters to get the chick colors I want, so a couple hatches with enough time to clear out one roosters genes before adding the next.

Current hens and pullets:
Black - 3 hens, 1 pullet, 1 frizzle pullet
Blue - none, need to fix this next year!
Splash - 3 hens, 2 pullets, 1 frizzle pullet
Mauve - 1 hen, 2 pullets
Wheaten - 1 satin pullet
Partridge - 1 satin pullet

Current roosters and cockerels
Black - 1 frizzle rooster, 3 cockerels
Blue - 1 satin rooster, 1 cockerel
Splash - none
Mauve - 1 cockerel
Chocolate - 1 frizzle cockerel
Paint - 1 satin rooster

I feel like I'm missing a couple

Next year I'll have a true black pen (none of my blacks are from BBS breeding, all are from paint or black x black breeding so I'll continue them and if I hatch a paint pullet this fall I'll add her in there next year), blue / splash pen, Mauve, and chocolate pens. I have a chance if hatching chocolate paint this fall so if I get one of those she'll go in the chocolate pen.

Most of my pens will have a chance of frizzle and / or satin. Most will be trios or quads so it should be a fun year to hatch, grow out, and continue to "improve my lines".