The 6th Annual BYC Easter Hatch-a-long!

[ronott1]

If I ever forget to say this while I'm soaking up new information, THANK YOU to everyone that's been patiently answering all my questions. I've had chickens for more than a year but this is all new to me.

Please keep asking!

 

[kbarnes]

My test hatch is doing great out of 24 eggs I have 21 showing development so far. I couldn't wait to candle on Sunday so I did it last night. I am waiting until Sunday night before I toss any though.

 

[myfivegirls]

Quote:
I have my "breeding goals" listed on my website, but basically my goal is for a dual-purpose flock with the additional qualities of being very cold hardy, extremely colorful feathers on both hens & roosters, plus laying a wide range of colorful eggs. While you can basically get the same results from a flock of various breeds, a lot of them are "plain-feathered" or fancy "carbon-copies" of each other. I love the idea of how with Swedish Flower Hens, Icelandics, etc, you never know what the chicks or adults look like until they hatch & grown up. While those two landraces are great, I prefer larger sized hens & roosters, a more colorful array of eggs, and small combs that don't have the tendency to get frostbite in the winter.
It all started with hatching three chicks under a broody hen, Daisy, back in 2012, and I got bit by the hatching bug. One of those chicks became a beautiful rooster, and he's fathered some very nice chicks. Lots of different breed hens and other roosters as well have gone into what I'm now calling "Catskill Homesteaders". But besides one Partridge Chantecler hen & one EE hen (who have stayed due to being great mothers), all of the "CH" hens and roosters are the result of 2-3 generations of this breeding project. It's a fun project, and I've supplied quite a few "locals" with chicks and started pullets. They always love such the variety, and I've had several repeat requests for more!

 

[campingshaws]

I have my "breeding goals" listed on my website, but basically my goal is for a dual-purpose flock with the additional qualities of being very cold hardy, extremely colorful feathers on both hens & roosters, plus laying a wide range of colorful eggs. While you can basically get the same results from a flock of various breeds, a lot of them are "plain-feathered" or fancy "carbon-copies" of each other. I love the idea of how with Swedish Flower Hens, Icelandics, etc, you never know what the chicks or adults look like until they hatch & grown up. While those two landraces are great, I prefer larger sized hens & roosters, a more colorful array of eggs, and small combs that don't have the tendency to get frostbite in the winter.
It all started with hatching three chicks under a broody hen, Daisy, back in 2012, and I got bit by the hatching bug. One of those chicks became a beautiful rooster, and he's fathered some very nice chicks. Lots of different breed hens and other roosters as well have gone into what I'm now calling "Catskill Homesteaders". But besides one Partridge Chantecler hen & one EE hen (who have stayed due to being great mothers), all of the "CH" hens and roosters are the result of 2-3 generations of this breeding project. It's a fun project, and I've supplied quite a few "locals" with chicks and started pullets. They always love such the variety, and I've had several repeat requests for more!

That's so awesome. I have some eggs going right now, FBMC under SS roo. I hope the babies are cute.

 

[La Casa de Pollo]

My Blue Copper Pullets started laying! Yay, if the roo will just hook up with these gals on the double I might be able to set some of these for the HAL. He better hussle! Maybe I should sprtiz some corn smelling perfume all over the gals....

 

[CherMoz]

My Blue Copper Pullets started laying! Yay, if the roo will just hook up with these gals on the double I might be able to set some of these for the HAL. He better hussle! Maybe I should sprtiz some corn smelling perfume all over the gals....

Wow!!

Beautiful egg!

 

[chicken pickin]

My Blue Copper Pullets started laying! Yay, if the roo will just hook up with these gals on the double I might be able to set some of these for the HAL. He better hussle! Maybe I should sprtiz some corn smelling perfume all over the gals....

Congrats on the beautiful eggs. How old is the male? Usually the males will start mating the females a few weeks before they start to lay. Crack it open and see if it has a bullseye.

 

[OneMountainAcres]

My Blue Copper Pullets started laying! Yay, if the roo will just hook up with these gals on the double I might be able to set some of these for the HAL. He better hussle! Maybe I should sprtiz some corn smelling perfume all over the gals....

Congrats! Great color too!
I just picked up some FBCM eggs that I ordered on ebay. I'm hoping for a great hatch. My Marans egg color is not good at all and I'm excited for some gorgeously dark eggs the ones from my Marans are on the left. The rest are the eBay eggs. Wish me luck everyone!

 

[CherMoz]

Congrats! Great color too!
I just picked up some FBCM eggs that I ordered on ebay. I'm hoping for a great hatch. My Marans egg color is not good at all and I'm excited for some gorgeously dark eggs

the ones from my Marans are on the left. The rest are the eBay eggs. Wish me luck everyone!

Good luck on a GREAT hatch!

 

[chicken pickin]

Good luck on a GREAT hatch!

X2 Good Luck!!!