She said/He said Who's right? Who's wrong? No one!

[rossfam06]

Good luck! Are you selling many Polish? I'm having a harder time selling this last batch than any batch this year

I have no polish to sell!!! LoL!!! Only the one hatched and then it died a week later. So I am kinda disheartened by the whole thing. Thats why I stopped or a bit. Now figure I would try it again.

 

[NTBugtraq]

Wow! Outside would not matter much, but 103 is too high for the egg shell and would cause a great deal of stress if the chicks made it, especially if they are in lockdown that hot. That could be the culprit this whole time.

Now the bator says its 97.5, but checks with my temperature gun say 99.5-100.5 (left side, right side). It would be great is this is the reason...no wait, I am going to say this is definitely the reason for my massive last hatch failure, its been nailed, no doubt about it...full steam ahead!!

 

[RubyNala97]

Now the bator says its 97.5, but checks with my temperature gun say 99.5-100.5 (left side, right side). It would be great is this is the reason...no wait, I am going to say this is definitely the reason for my massive last hatch failure, its been nailed, no doubt about it...full steam ahead!!

So what do you think your temps were running for this past hatch?

 

[WalnutHill]

Check again in a few hours, as the thermal mass of an egg can be deceptive. The incubator itself may be too cool but as heat transfers from the inside of the egg, the shell will read somewhat warmer.

 

[Alaskan]

I agree with @WalnutHill as to your Marans and Breeding in general.

I also think that the Marans breeder thread is a bit too harsh... Because these perfect birds do not fall out of the air.

I bought a few eggs from a supposedly good breeder, to help with the issues that my flock has.... And I culled every single bird out of that hatch, at hatch, except for one.

You simply have to decide to hatch out as many as you can, and then pick the best ones from that pile.

 

[NTBugtraq]

So what do you think your temps were running for this past hatch?

I haven't changed temperature on that bator since I bought it 5 weeks ago, it was factory set to 100F and the manual suggested leaving it there, so I did. I got 19/41 in the first hatch, but I was taking chicks as they dried. Quite possibly the temperature has been 103F all along...since today is the first time I double-checked it. The toys we forget we have...lolz...

 

[chicapee]

Still having a problem with that cyst?? Poor guy.  

Here is a picture of Bubbles today.

 

[WVduckchick]

Me again! Still can't catch up on the whole thread, so if anyone has asked me anything, I'll get back to ya (haha, I'm pretending I've been missed!)

But I have more good news.... the little guy that pipped on the wrong side (it was the wrong side to hit the air cell, not really the wrong end of the egg, because his head was in the correct end, his body was just turned around backwards)... Its out! It was the hardest zip, bang, pow I have ever seen! He punched it like a true champ. It is a super tiny little fella though, but looking good! Still have one polish pip working. And still nothing on Blobby McFizzle.... but its still just the last few hours of day 21, so I'm not panicking yet.

 

[scflock]

Me again!  Still can't catch up on the whole thread, so if anyone has asked me anything, I'll get back to ya (haha, I'm pretending I've been missed!)

But I have more good news.... the little guy that pipped on the wrong side (it was the wrong side to hit the air cell, not really the wrong end of the egg, because his head was in the correct end, his body was just turned around backwards)...  Its out!  It was the hardest zip, bang, pow I have ever seen!  He punched it like a true champ.  It is a super tiny little fella though, but looking good!  Still have one polish pip working.  And still nothing on Blobby McFizzle.... but its still just the last few hours of day 21, so I'm not panicking yet.   

Great. How many total did you set so I can let you know the parade requirements? Might as well make you too big for your britches, too

 

[WalnutHill]

I agree with @WalnutHill as to your Marans and Breeding in general.

I also think that the Marans breeder thread is a bit too harsh... Because these perfect birds do not fall out of the air.

I bought a few eggs from a supposedly good breeder, to help with the issues that my flock has.... And I culled every single bird out of that hatch, at hatch, except for one.

You simply have to decide to hatch out as many as you can, and then pick the best ones from that pile.

Thanks, Alaskan...but I'm not breeding Marans, or any "breed" at all, I am simply crossing up from my stock to create rainbow egg layers from mixed stock of Easter Eggers and production reds. Even without pedigrees, I still breed for the characteristics I am looking for, dual purpose birds with hen weight 5-6 pounds and roo weight no more than 8 at one year, with a sustained rate of lay at least 75% for 18 months, for minimal broodiness, for ability to roost, for cold hardiness, and for a variety of egg shell colors. Gen 2 is on the ground with crosses of EE-EE (2 roos, 2 hens, 12 chicks) and EE-RSL (2 roos, 7 chicks from Golden Buff hens, 8 chicks from ISA Brown hens).

When Gen 2 matures, I will send off my Light Brahma / Ameraucana rooster as I have the size I want along with the feathered feet and some silver gene that is currently sex linking, and don't want to encourage the slow development characteristic of the breed. Plus his conformation isn't stellar, the line of the neck and head is abrupt. I will either isolate or send off my Salmon Faverolle / Ameraucana rooster, but I love the colors he brings out. His conformation and carriage are excellent, and he is a very nice boy (for a mutt). All the chicks have rose or pea comb, which is a great feature here in the cold north winters as are feathered feet.

Of the chicks I've hatched this spring, surplus males will go to freezer camp or to a friend who wants some roos on his farm. Those that fit the program for fast development, moderate size, great conformation and good temperament will stay to build the next generation. My goal is to phase out the RSLs completely and replace them with homegrown birds that are suited to the climate, lay enough to pay their feed bills, and aren't as fragile as the commercial birds. Only time will tell if the economics are there, as I don't have space to pasture my birds full time so commercial feed is required.