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I've just about given up on Marans again too. I decided to try them one last time since I had a roo hatch from some eggs from Sally. Both hens laid every other day once they started laying and literally apt 2 weeks layer, they stopped. I lost one of the hens over the winter, maybe she was egg bound, I'm not sure. The other hen has given me ONE egg so far this year. The babies I hatched out are almost ALL cockerels. There are only 2-3 pullets. If these guys don't do any better, I'm not going to waste my time anymore. The eggs are gorgeous, but I can't have birds that don't lay.
 
3 lavender Ameraucana chicks hatched from my split pen on 2/23 and 2 are clearly silkied. 9 more hatched on 3/2, still waiting to see how many of those are silkied. I'm getting lots of eggs from that pen now (5 - 6 / day) but fertility/hatchability has been up and down (maybe weather related). There are 86 eggs incubating now, even at 50% hatch rate and 50% silkied, that should be a nice start for next year's flock.
I've found these to be more sensitive as young birds and want to get next year's breeders grown out early so they are large and heavy by next winter.

Obligatory pic of the older ones, in case anyone doesn't know what I'm talking about.
P1040366.JPG
 
I've got 5 broody hens now. They never got started this early or this many before. 4 are 2 "new to me", 2 each Penedesencas and Kraienkoppes (aka Twentse). The later are known for that, but I didn't figure on any Mediterranean breed being broody much.
I put 8 small eggs under the first Kraienkoppe, then her sister joined in, but is still laying an egg a day.
Guess I need to add "build broody breaking pen" to the TODO list.
 
dheltzel said:
3 lavender Ameraucana chicks hatched from my split pen on 2/23 and 2 are clearly silkied. 9 more hatched on 3/2, still waiting to see how many of those are silkied. I'm getting lots of eggs from that pen now (5 - 6 / day) but fertility/hatchability has been up and down (maybe weather related). There are 86 eggs incubating now, even at 50% hatch rate and 50% silkied, that should be a nice start for next year's flock.
I've found these to be more sensitive as young birds and want to get next year's breeders grown out early so they are large and heavy by next winter.

Obligatory pic of the older ones, in case anyone doesn't know what I'm talking about.
View attachment 1285493
Click to expand...
They are beautiful!
 
dheltzel said:
3 lavender Ameraucana chicks hatched from my split pen on 2/23 and 2 are clearly silkied. 9 more hatched on 3/2, still waiting to see how many of those are silkied. I'm getting lots of eggs from that pen now (5 - 6 / day) but fertility/hatchability has been up and down (maybe weather related). There are 86 eggs incubating now, even at 50% hatch rate and 50% silkied, that should be a nice start for next year's flock.
I've found these to be more sensitive as young birds and want to get next year's breeders grown out early so they are large and heavy by next winter.

Obligatory pic of the older ones, in case anyone doesn't know what I'm talking about.
View attachment 1285493
Click to expand...

Very pretty!
 
ldamp said:
I hear ya. Enough of this nasty weather. I get my energy from the sun. These dreary days wear me down. Blah
Click to expand...
Tell me about it.

So I'm really hoping we don't lose power once this madness hits us. (Just in time for my Birthday tomorrow! Yaaaaaayy!! :rant:mad::barnie) I've got a small problem though. If we lose power, not only do I have my meat chicks in the brooder, but I have a whole incubator full of eggs!! Is there anything I can do to keep them warm if the power goes? I know the turning I can do manually but I'm so scared. Especially since I discovered yesterday when candling them that most of the Biels are fertile (can't tell about the Marans yet) and the last egg that Partridge laid for me is actually fertile and the best developed from what I can tell out of all the eggs! I don't want to lose that egg. I really don't. I just don't know what to do to keep them warm.
 
Today, add heat sinks. Fill every space you can in the incubator. Add containers of water with lids to hold the heat in. Put towels on the incubator (but leave an air hole) to hold in heat. Hot hands are a good idea too. Only turn the eggs once tomorrow. IMO, that’s enough if it’s just a day or two without power.
The babies in the incubator just need a cover over the brooder. Again, air holes. They will be fine.
 

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