November hatch-a-long

[Araucana Nest]

Hello! I’m new to the incubating business... had one hatch last month. I have 3 Lavender Orpingtons due on the 6th...

Just set 7 Deathlayer eggs, shipped from eBay. They appeared fresh and in ok shape, only 2 with loose/wobbly air cells. One was cracked, I have attempted a repair with candle wax - is this crazy? I will definitely keep a close eye/nose on that one! I am just so excited about Deathlayers, and I couldn’t find any chicks, so here I go! I have read that they are not the easiest to hatch possibly due to gene pool issues. Anyone out there have any experience with Deathlayers?

Thanks and happy hatching!

Best wishes with your hatch. I hatched Deathlayers a few months ago. It's a gamble with shipping and their gene pool is limited so maybe that means some will have hatching issues due to whatever genetic stuff is happening. They are very beautiful but in the end were just not for me. Mine were way too nervous and I highly gravitate toward calm birds. My hatch was poor and my eggs had come from Greenfire Farms directly.

 

[LadyCraig]

Best wishes with your hatch. I hatched Deathlayers a few months ago. It's a gamble with shipping and their gene pool is limited so maybe that means some will have hatching issues due to whatever genetic stuff is happening. They are very beautiful but in the end were just not for me. Mine were way too nervous and I highly gravitate toward calm birds. My hatch was poor and my eggs had come from Greenfire Farms directly.

Thanks for the input! Sorry to hear that your hatch was less than desirable from even a reputable source! I have never met one, but was drawn to their appearance, stunning chickens! I am starting a new flock, in a new state so I wasn’t quite sure what birds I wanted.

 

[The Cave]

Hello! I’m new to the incubating business... had one hatch last month. I have 3 Lavender Orpingtons due on the 6th...

Just set 7 Deathlayer eggs, shipped from eBay. They appeared fresh and in ok shape, only 2 with loose/wobbly air cells. One was cracked, I have attempted a repair with candle wax - is this crazy? I will definitely keep a close eye/nose on that one! I am just so excited about Deathlayers, and I couldn’t find any chicks, so here I go! I have read that they are not the easiest to hatch possibly due to gene pool issues. Anyone out there have any experience with Deathlayers?

Thanks and happy hatching!

I read in another thread on here people using the fake skin from the drug store to fix cracks and it works great.

 

[LadyCraig]

I read in another thread on here people using the fake skin from the drug store to fix cracks and it works great.

Thanks for the tip! Was it New Skin? That was my first thought since I use it all the time for myself! I wasn’t sure if the medication in it would be contraindicated for chicks... Well the damage is done either way! : /

 

[The Cave]

Thanks for the tip! Was it New Skin? That was my first thought since I use it all the time for myself! I wasn’t sure if the medication in it would be contraindicated for chicks... Well the damage is done either way! : /

Here is the post
https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...c-halloween-hatch-along.1414831/post-23445338

 

[igorsMistress]

The eggs I thought I might have aren't laid yet so I'm setting five Cream Legbar eggs in the mini Brinsea tomorrow.... to stay in practice... and because I know once I have one incubator going, and only have one other mini available, the hens and rooster I'm waiting on, for the eggs I'm waiting for, may become inspired and get to work because I'll only have one mini Brinsea available AND that will make me HAVE to get another Brinsea. This is how my brain works. I just follow along. I just hatched 6 little ones today for the Halloween hatch so my practice sessions are going very well.

I love it! To stay in practice

 

[AUChickenGal]

I have a goofy little Faverolles pullet who decided to go broody last week. She (and all my pullets) is only 28 weeks old, but she is bound and determined, so I gave her four eggs today. My cockerel is a Splash Wheaten Ameraucana; he's only 24 weeks old himself. The eggs are from my Olive Egger, Barred Rock, Delaware, and the 4th one I *think* is from my Buckeye but might be from my Speckled Sussex. Not sure how successful a hatch will be in such a young flock, but fingers crossed.

 

[kelseyk]

Hello! I’m new to the incubating business... had one hatch last month. I have 3 Lavender Orpingtons due on the 6th...

Just set 7 Deathlayer eggs, shipped from eBay. They appeared fresh and in ok shape, only 2 with loose/wobbly air cells. One was cracked, I have attempted a repair with candle wax - is this crazy? I will definitely keep a close eye/nose on that one! I am just so excited about Deathlayers, and I couldn’t find any chicks, so here I go! I have read that they are not the easiest to hatch possibly due to gene pool issues. Anyone out there have any experience with Deathlayers?

Thanks and happy hatching!

No, not crazy to repair a cracked egg. I have repaired and incubated eggs repaired with candle wax and nail polish. Have one in the bator right now that has a glittery blue patch. LOL!Do just keep an eye on the patched ones.

I hatched deathlayers this summer.....and then found out that there is a ton I did not know about deathlayers.....and now second guessing my getting them. Many have said they are a heartbreak breed. They can be temperamental to hatch first of all....and then comes the neurological issues aka "the leg issue" after they hatch (which can show up anywhere from right after they are born until they are 2 years old). I just lost my single 2 1/2 month old silver deathlayer pullets to neuro and the single cockerel from that hatch is starting to show signs of neuro. They are both from my first attempt of hatching deathlayer eggs (2/6 hatched). My 2nd attempt was 0/6 hatched, and my 3rd attempt was 3/6 hatched. The 3 from my 3rd hatch are still okay....but they are still pretty young. I have decided I am going to get out of the deathlayers as I am wanting to sell day old chicks and I do not want to sell chicks that die (due to nuero issues) on my customers. It sounds as though the neuro issues can even be passed on crossing out of the deathlayers. So just something I don't want to get into. Both the temperamental hatching and the neuro issues are caused by the limited gene pool...too much line breeding. If you want to stick with deathlayers, I would definitely look into joining a strictly deathlayer group to learn about the issues they have with the breed.

Wishing you the best of luck with your hatch!

 

[kelseyk]

I forgot to post that I set 8 Ayam Cemani eggs on Tuesday the 27th.

 

[britesidefarm]

I have two Cochin eggs due this next Tuesday. The father is either a Silver laced Sebright, or a Cochin x Polish/Leghorn mix.