The 9th Annual BYC Easter Hatchalong!

[ronott1]

View attachment 1284545 View attachment 1284540 View attachment 1284542 I brought out one of my incubators today to get set up and tested. Excitement already building! Here are some of the eggs being collected to hatch.

Thanks for the update!

 

[ronott1]

I’m using a still air for the first time. I have 11 pekin eggs in. Would I be able to put a bunch of chicken eggs in there next week to help with the temperature? When the chicks hatch will they make it harder for the ducklings to hatch when they start kicking them around?

Ducklings and chicks hatch fine together.

 

[Eryniel]

Some one will want them if you can't keep the chicks

That is a VERY good point! I love the way you think... Don’t think hubby will, tho.
Guess I’ll be having more chicks than originally planned.

 

[ronott1]

That is a VERY good point! I love the way you think... Don’t think hubby will, tho.
Guess I’ll be having more chicks than originally planned.

Poor Hubby!

 

[ZurcherFarms]

I set 12 White Layer Duck eggs on Saturday! (Sorry I forgot to post earlier)

 

[ronott1]

I set 12 White Layer Duck eggs on Saturday! (Sorry I forgot to post earlier)

I hope they hatch!

 

[pjnbill22]

Have you tried trimming feathers on the hens butts?

Never thought of that, it’s sure worth a try! Thanks!

 

[pjnbill22]

About checking the fertility of a rooster, sorry for the slightly graphic question...
Is it possible to manually collect semen from a rooster so that it can be checked under a microscope? I know it can be done easily with horses and such.

Is it impossible with roosters due to anatomical issues?

I’ve heard of that, not sure if it’s really done though.

 

[lomine]

I'm worried my rooster might not be doing a very good job. I've been checking for fertility on eggs I've been using for cooking and they don't look fertile. I've had fertility issues before so I trimmed the fluff from his butt as suggested. Though I didn't trim any girls as the ones I want to hatch from aren't super fluffy. I also have 25 girls and only one rooster. I had a cockerel I was planning to keep, which is why I had so many girls, but he turned naughty and was culled. I have observed my rooster mating but I don't see a very distinct tail twist. The girls do squat and shake so they do their part. I also know he can reproduce successfully because I hatched eggs from him. I think I'm just going to fill my whole incubator and see what happens. I'd like to hatch another Ameraucana to have a back-up rooster but those girls aren't laying right now.

 

[ronott1]

I'm worried my rooster might not be doing a very good job. I've been checking for fertility on eggs I've been using for cooking and they don't look fertile. I've had fertility issues before so I trimmed the fluff from his butt as suggested. Though I didn't trim any girls as the ones I want to hatch from aren't super fluffy. I also have 25 girls and only one rooster. I had a cockerel I was planning to keep, which is why I had so many girls, but he turned naughty and was culled. I have observed my rooster mating but I don't see a very distinct tail twist. The girls do squat and shake so they do their part. I also know he can reproduce successfully because I hatched eggs from him. I think I'm just going to fill my whole incubator and see what happens. I'd like to hatch another Ameraucana to have a back-up rooster but those girls aren't laying right now.

If he is not mating, remove him from the pen where they are and make a new one for him and 5 girls. He may be overwhelmed with that many girls.