The 4th Annual BYC Easter Hatch-a-long

[CherokeeFlats]

I can't set many because I'm using a broody hen and she isn't that big (she's my bantam Cochin.) but am looking forward to setting some EE eggs for the hatch a long

 

[cluck-cluck]

I went to a primary school just down the road from me to see if the children would like to hatch my eggs for me as an Easter project. It turns out they already do incubation projects. I never got to do that at school. Lucky devils.

I've separated two pens ready to start collecting eggs in a week or so. One's a project pen of a very poor quality araucana carrying dominant white (the gene I want) with some Vorwerks. The other is a recessive white araucana on a white araucana hen to see if she's dominant or recessive white. I'm hoping I can figure out how to get another couple separated, so I've brought the hen home in case I think of a way. That would be probably an araucana roo carrying S (but also E/e+ so will throw some rubbish, but he has amazing type) on a black-red hen for some silver duckwing girls (that's the aim, anyway!).

You just made my head explode, LOL. I'm trying to understand what kind of genetics are in my single colored birds, the white Sultan and black Crevecoeurs. There are modifiers and such, and all kinds of ways to be black or white, it seems, but how do you know what is inside a breed?

 

[Jessshan8]

Tell her half of what hatches doesn't even count..............since they're boys (sorry, I know you're a boy ).

Aww Jess! She obviously needs a lesson in chicken math.

First of all, shipped eggs, especially from an inexperienced shipper (one of the eggs was BROKEN, for heavens sake!) are totally unreliable, so they don't count.

These eggs are just to test the new bator to make sure it is functioning for the real hatch which is the Easter Hatch-a-long!

Besides, if any of these hatch out chicks, SOME are bound to be roosters and will not count either.

I'm thinking you really need to fill those empty spots!

You ladies know what I mean when I say if a woman has something in her head it pretty much takes an act of god to change it! Well that's the case in my house. I love her like no other but if she has her mind made up Lord help you if you try to convince her otherwise. I am an old stubborn guy and she can outlast me as far as stubbornness goes. I just got her to eat home raised chicken this year. She says she doesn't eat pets! I told her they are not pets. "I Lied"

 

[debs_flock]

I told her they are not pets. "I Lied"

My biggest problem is not viewing every egg as a potential chick. I try to only eat eggs out of my egg flock.

Although, I'm getting so many eggs right now (4-5 dz per day), I do get excited when I have a recipe that uses LOTS of eggs. Tonight we had eggs benedict for dinner, four poached eggs and another two used for the hollandaise, yay!

I just recently had some remodeling done, it was hard for workman to get away without eggs in their hands. I'm starting to get ready to chase the UPS & FedEx drivers down the driveway, LOL

 

[mama2my4]

My biggest problem is not viewing every egg as a potential chick.

My problem is that is how my kiddos feel!!

 

[EPetrilli]

We have our first pips and rollers from our test hatch

I am so very excited looks like all of the eggs we placed in lockdown will hatch!!! And only 3 of our original set were clears

 

[Jessshan8]

My biggest problem is not viewing every egg as a potential chick. I try to only eat eggs out of my egg flock.

Although, I'm getting so many eggs right now (4-5 dz per day), I do get excited when I have a recipe that uses LOTS of eggs. Tonight we had eggs benedict for dinner, four poached eggs and another two used for the hollandaise, yay!

I just recently had some remodeling done, it was hard for workman to get away without eggs in their hands. I'm starting to get ready to chase the UPS & FedEx drivers down the driveway, LOL

I'd pay a dollar to sit on the sidelines to see that. You can sell hatching eggs on ebay if you want to deal with that. Just a thought.

 

[Jessshan8]

We have our first pips and rollers from our test hatch

I am so very excited looks like all of the eggs we placed in lockdown will hatch!!! And only 3 of our original set were clears

Pics Please!

 

[EPetrilli]

Pics Please!

Hope to have a chick to post a pic of in the morning!!! I'm not sure I can get a good picture of the pips, I suppose i can try lol!

 

[Time-Out]

You just made my head explode, LOL. I'm trying to understand what kind of genetics are in my single colored birds, the white Sultan and black Crevecoeurs. There are modifiers and such, and all kinds of ways to be black or white, it seems, but how do you know what is inside a breed?

You need to talk to people who have been working with these breeds for a number of years. My guess is sultans are recessive white, because their colour is so pure. Solid black can either be E/E (extended black) or ER/ER (birchen) with melanisers. You *should* be able to tell from the chick down.
I have no idea whether black araucanas are on ER or E and it seems that neither does anyone else. I've hatched chicks from different sources that look like they are on both. Very frustrating! So I'm forgetting black for now and carrying on with what I know I've got lol