October-hatch-along 2019

[FortCluck]

You are hopelessly addicted I bet you'll be joining the hatchers anonymous thread before too long

I didn't know there was one

I only check the twins egg every day I think I'll have to assist their hatching if they don't come out 24 hours after 21 days. I've been watching YouTube on people doing it.

 

[igorsMistress]

@BlueBaby I just realized today is day 14 for the first batch eggs, the green ones! That means Monday afternoon will be lockdown

 

[igorsMistress]

For those considering DP birds, this is a Dorking/Red Ranger cockerel. He is roughly 2 weeks younger than a Salmon Faverolles boy I have but is already almost as big. I hope to keep him for breeding to my Turken mix girls for a better breast size in the offspring. The ladies are JG or Bresse mix.

 

[FortCluck]

View attachment 1937073

For those considering DP birds, this is a Dorking/Red Ranger cockerel. He is roughly 2 weeks younger than a Salmon Faverolles boy I have but is already almost as big. I hope to keep him for breeding to my Turken mix girls for a better breast size in the offspring. The ladies are JG or Bresse mix.

Where did you get him? Or did you cross him yourself?

 

[igorsMistress]

Where did you get him? Or did you cross him yourself?

I got him by luck actually. A local friend purchased hatching eggs to add some new DNA to her flock. She kindly included 2 of those eggs to fill out my request for a dozen to hatch from her flock. Hers are Bresse/Turken mixes, the white chicks you see there and the penciled boy. I got one pullet and one cockerel. They're 3/4 Silver Dorking and 1/4 Red Ranger.

 

[FortCluck]

I got him by luck actually. A local friend purchased hatching eggs to add some new DNA to her flock. She kindly included 2 of those eggs to fill out my request for a dozen to hatch from her flock. Hers are Bresse/Turken mixes, the white chicks you see there and the penciled boy. I got one pullet and one cockerel. They're 3/4 Silver Dorking and 1/4 Red Ranger.

Why can't I have neighbors or friends like everyone else's No one I know has chickens and those that do have only hen flocks. There's a farm here that does have barnyard mixes I'm thinking about getting a dozen fertile eggs and keeping some I like just to mix up my flock.

 

[Compost King]

27 out 42 hatched here are some pictures. Ignore the feathered wing of the white chick in the top right corner of the last picture, its a Bantam that was Broody hatched 2 weeks ago and I felt was too small and young to move to the outside brooder without heat.

 

[FortCluck]

27 out 42 hatched here are some pictures. Ignore the feathered wing of the white chick in the top right corner of the last picture, its a Bantam that was Broody hatched 2 weeks ago and I felt was too small and young to move to the outside brooder without heat.
View attachment 1937107 View attachment 1937108 View attachment 1937109

You're making me so excited for mine to hatch! They all look great, can't wait to see updated pics when they're older

 

[FortCluck]

The naked neck in the last picture has stolen my heart. I used to have a naked neck, but i gifted her to a farmer because everyone was picking on her. I'm not sure why they did that but I miss that little chicken. I named her ET

 

[aliciaplus3]

So I'm wondering, those of you who've tried a staggered hatch: has anyone tried adjusting eggs' positions in the bator depending on where they are on their respective timelines? I realized yesterday that the thermometer out at the edge of my bator furthest from the heat element is a good degree colder than the one at the center, so I'm thinking about setting up for First Lockdown with the eggs about to hatch out at that edge (since normally you're supposed to reduce temp slightly at lockdown) and the ones that are three-five days behind directly under the heater. Your thoughts?

I like to write the expected hatch date on the eggs when I set them in the incubator, I incubate in my Old cabinet incubator and hatch in my brinsea. So when I am in the swing of things I will be setting new eggs every weekend and moving the next batch to hatch into lockdown on wed, hatch for the weekend clean and repeat. I have a few due tomorrow with my next planned hatch for new years

Ok, I am not a fan of dual purpose though as my very very small experience shows that they lay small eggs, which do not sell well, less eggs and eventually not much meat after you cull.

There is a difference between hatchery DP and well bred, most hatcheries lean twords egg numbers cuz that's what most of their customers get excited about, that being said freedom ranger hatchery has some new Hampshire reds that are supposed to lean heavy twords meat.
Personally I am working with some white Plymouth rocks and Delawares that I am pleased with. I also have some red broilers that i hatched some eggs from crossed with my Naked necks. I have been keeping only the best biggest cockrels for breeding and watching how fast they mature. Slow growing? Nope soup. Keep the best and eat the rest