"Springing in the Chicks" 2016 April Hatch-a-Long Hosted by Mike & Sally

[DwayneNLiz]

Lost my other quote but not ALL chicks are fully feathered:


wee!!!!!! Emu babies

It's like a NN chicken only GINORMOUS!!!

 

[DwayneNLiz]

@Cynthia12 Rooster Collar?? What's that for?

@darkbluespace Seems like your pep talk with #2 worked!

@firedragon1982 Good Luck with your hatch! and as far as the 30 eggs, they were there the whole time, husbands pay so little attention Tehehe

 

[junebuggena]

Well I finally got the courage up to write a note to the people I bought my beautiful black Americauna "infertile" rooster from. It is hard, because I don't want to insult at all, yet I would want to know if it was from me. I was very kind and just explained, and asked if they have any thoughts. I'm hoping they will stand behind it, or at least let me get another. I have owned him for a month now, and have tried everything, but he just won't do his job. When I bought my trio, they had him in an isolated pen by himself, and his eyes looked a little droopy, but he was beautiful show quality, and I figured he would be fine. I do wonder though if he was separated out due to some issues. These people are professionals, who have won many awards, and I'm sure they will understand. I'm bummed though because the best part of hatching season for this year's fair is already over. I would be happy with getting some hatched for next year though. But, I can't do it unless I have a fertile rooster.

I also went into school and checked on my incubator. I ended up moving my eggs back to the mini advance before leaving school yesterday, because the humidity was fine when I took the eggs out and let it sit for a while. Sure enough, the humidity was back up again this morning. I have a paper towel under the eggs, and that was pretty wet too, and there is condensation around the outside of the incubator. The cracked egg is in there (membrane is not broken) so I do wonder if that made the humidity go back up. I did take a paper towel and sop up all of the water from one side of the reservoir, so there is less water surface area, and hopefully that will bring it down a bit. I am going to just let them in there until this afternoon and see what happens. I will check again later today.

Anyone who uses the Brinsea mini, do you get a lot of condensation during lockdown? It is even in the little tube where the electrical seems to be on the outside edge? That seems strange to me.

So you've only had him a month, and you already know for sure that he's infertile? It can take time for hens to accept a new rooster. They can actually reject his sperm, if they don't like him. It might not be the rooster's fault that the eggs aren't fertilized yet. Give him at least another month to win his ladies over.

 

[Honora]

I went to bed early because I was exhausted and then woke up at 3am. This is all happening quickly, but #2 is OUT! #3 is pipped and # 1 is definitely internally pipped. No word from #4 yet.

Someone wants to say hello...

Wow, she is beautiful!

 

[darkbluespace]

That is soooo cool! Thank you for posting pictures!!!! I can't wait to see more photos when they are up and moving around! Very excited for you!

I am just wishing I had a puppy pen or something like that. My normal brooders are just not going to cut it. I had just started to really think about these things, I'll have to see what I can sort out. Maybe another one will hatch today!

 

[Honora]

Mama is a CCL. Papa is a Cream Brabanter or a Wheaten Ameraucana.

Aw, cute babies!

 

[weegarden]

So you've only had him a month, and you already know for sure that he's infertile? It can take time for hens to accept a new rooster. They can actually reject his sperm, if they don't like him. It might not be the rooster's fault that the eggs aren't fertilized yet. Give him at least another month to win his ladies over.

I actually got him on Feb. 1st, so actually it's been more like 2 months. Hmm, that is interesting, and it is also new to me. Nothing would make me happier, because he is beautiful, and I would really like him to be a daddy. I do see him dancing around the hens a lot, but I never ever see him mounting a hen. I had him in with the two hens that I got with him and about 8 Easter eggers. All of the Easter eggers eggs went from being fertile before him, to infertile with him. I wondered if he was just intimidated by those hens. Then I moved him into a coop with just his two hens (the ones I got him with) for about a month, and they produce infertile eggs almost every single day. I have set every single egg that I have gotten from them, and they are all clears.

 

[DwayneNLiz]

I actually got him on Feb. 1st, so actually it's been more like 2 months. Hmm, that is interesting, and it is also new to me. Nothing would make me happier, because he is beautiful, and I would really like him to be a daddy. I do see him dancing around the hens a lot, but I never ever see him mounting a hen. I had him in with the two hens that I got with him and about 8 Easter eggers. All of the Easter eggers eggs went from being fertile before him, to infertile with him. I wondered if he was just intimidated by those hens. Then I moved him into a coop with just his two hens (the ones I got him with) for about a month, and they produce infertile eggs almost every single day. I have set every single egg that I have gotten from them, and they are all clears.

Have you trimmed the ladies feathers around their vents?

 

[weegarden]

Have you trimmed the ladies feathers around their vents?

The hens seem fine because the other rooster was fertilizing them, but no I didn't, and maybe I should. Should I be trimming the rooster? Do Ameraucanas need trimming?

 

[DwayneNLiz]

The hens seem fine because the other rooster was fertilizing them, but no I didn't, and maybe I should. Should I be trimming the rooster? Do Ameraucanas need trimming?

It may help him to 'find his way'