September 2022 Hatch-a-long🌞

[AUChickenGal]

@LadiesAndJane, yes, she's a lemon cuckoo. She's a hatchery bird (McMurray), though, and has some feather quality issues that you can kind of see in the photo. It makes her cuckoo pattern fairly difficult to see. She's also nowhere near the size of a really nice breeder quality LCN I used to have.

 

[LadiesAndJane]

@LadiesAndJane, yes, she's a lemon cuckoo. She's a hatchery bird (McMurray), though, and has some feather quality issues that you can kind of see in the photo. It makes her cuckoo pattern fairly difficult to see. She's also nowhere near the size of a really nice breeder quality LCN I used to have.

I saw these on McMurrays when they first came out with them last year. Looks like the barring is more evident on the roos. Are the breeder quality ones as big as a nice English Orp? I was tempted to buy LCN, but changed my mind. I almost bought Bielefelders a few years ago from McMurrray, too, but changed my mind. (I change my mind a lot)
I have a Polish from McMurray that is a good example of the breed. As much as I love the big floofy birds, I am sticking with the smaller floofy ones. Feed is so expensive these days!

 

[LadiesAndJane]

Just took this photo today, DAY 6. All are developing. One of the two I thought was infertile is developing, though seems to be behind the others and I think will likely turn into a blood ring. A few more days and I will be able to tell.

A customer wants to put some of these eggs under a broody and they’re picking them up Monday. That will take me down to 8, though 7 if the one ends up being a blood ring.
I just sold this weeks hatching eggs. Lately I have been collecting the breeder eggs and storing them cool in the drinks fridges highest setting (about 48 degrees). They can keep well in there for about 2 weeks, then the viability goes down. They are turned 3 times a day. Because of my work schedule I have to time setting the eggs when I will be home at hatch time. My teenage daughter tends to the eggs while I am gone. The importance of turning while stored was made real to us when my husband moved the refrigerated eggs to a different shelf in the Drinks fridge, making room for beer. So my daughter thought I had removed them (I was out of town). These were not turned for several days and the hatch rate went way down. She now gets all the money for the sale of hatching eggs, so she remembers now to turn them and the hubby got a talking to as well!

Depending on my wait list, I will set every few weeks, when the Silkie girls cooperate. So far I have had no trouble selling the purebred Silkies. I usually only hatch to order the Polkies.

 

[UThobbyfarmer]

Just took this photo today, DAY 6. All are developing. One of the two I thought was infertile is developing, though seems to be behind the others and I think will likely turn into a blood ring. A few more days and I will be able to tell.
View attachment 3237828

A customer wants to put some of these eggs under a broody and they’re picking them up Monday. That will take me down to 8, though 7 if the one ends up being a blood ring.
I just sold this weeks hatching eggs. Lately I have been collecting the breeder eggs and storing them cool in the drinks fridges highest setting (about 48 degrees). They can keep well in there for about 2 weeks, then the viability goes down. They are turned 3 times a day. Because of my work schedule I have to time setting the eggs when I will be home at hatch time. My teenage daughter tends to the eggs while I am gone. The importance of turning while stored was made real to us when my husband moved the refrigerated eggs to a different shelf in the Drinks fridge, making room for beer. So my daughter thought I had removed them (I was out of town). These were not turned for several days and the hatch rate went way down. She now gets all the money for the sale of hatching eggs, so she remembers now to turn them and the hubby got a talking to as well!

Depending on my wait list, I will set every few weeks, when the Silkie girls cooperate. So far I have had no trouble selling the purebred Silkies. I usually only hatch to order the Polkies.

That’s good to hear your anecdote about turning the hatching eggs. I wouldn’t have thought it would make that noticeable of a difference.

 

[AUChickenGal]

Are the breeder quality ones as big as a nice English Orp?

I haven't ever had my hands on an English Orp, so I can't say. My breeder quality LCN was killed by a raccoon at around 5-6 months of age. She was HUGE. At that age, she was easily larger than my full grown Speckled Sussex and Barred Rock hens are. I really wish I could have seen her at full maturity.

 

[LadiesAndJane]

I haven't ever had my hands on an English Orp, so I can't say. My breeder quality LCN was killed by a raccoon at around 5-6 months of age. She was HUGE. At that age, she was easily larger than my full grown Speckled Sussex and Barred Rock hens are. I really wish I could have seen her at full maturity.

So sorry you lost her.
I had a silver laced breeder quality English Orp that died quite unexpectedly at just over one year of age. Some mysterious illness, I suspect she may have had heart failure. Apparently this is not uncommon in the really big birds. She was close to 8 pounds.
A real sweetheart too with the mellowest personality.
I would really love to get more like her in the future at some point.

 

[Silkiesaz]

Ugh, I wish I could join you all but I already have 4 silkie chicks and 2 ducklings. Good luck with your hatch!

 

[AUChickenGal]

I managed to candle my broody's eggs last night, despite the fact that she nearly ripped my glove off trying to keep me out of the nest. I discarded 1 obvious clear; the other 5 showed definite development, though some looked better than the others. I won't try to check them again until next weekend; it's not worth battling this hen any more than absolutely necessary! Two weeks to go here.

 

[gimmie birdies]

It is already getting cold here at night. I tell my self after July no more hatches. If only I would listen. Lucky for me my roosters are not up to par yet.

 

[greenqueenmom]

I have Mille Fleur D'uccle eggs coming in a week I'll try to post. It'll be my first time using an incubator in years!