The inevitable humidity question, day before lockdown, help please!

[WVduckchick]

4 more BCMxCCL, one other pipped yesterday but no progress....yet. I know those pips can be apparently 'dead' until it zips and pops. Time will tell.
Yes, guaranteed OE was the goal(was using EE before)and the sexlink is a bonus and just luck that there is a CCL breeder right in my town as I don't want to deal with shipping birds or eggs and can't really afford high priced breeds. Getting 3 more CCL pullet chicks from him, hopefully today. Wanted to do this from the start 4 years ago, now finally have pure breeds. Would love to sell OE pullet chicks.

Also have 5 of 6 olive eggs hatched(from Welsummer x blue laying EE) sired by BCM, gotta wait 6 weeks for M to F ratio, then 6 months to see what they lay.

And there are 5 Marans eggs in there too out of the 1 Marans hens I have, tho I'm not impressed with her plumage. Brittle feathers I think, her tail and butt are almost bare and no bugs.....might just be picking, but still think feathers are 'weak'.

@oregonkat thanks for letting me 'take over' your thread, so nice to commune with you and WVD...I'm not much of a chatter, until I am. Time to go sort some chicks gonna pull the dry ones, band them, and pop em in the brooder.

Awesome! Sounds like some good goals. I was hoping for more CL pullets, since I have 3 BCM cockerels for sure now, I could have made some OEs too, but I found a friend that needs one of the BCM boys, so that will get rid of one.

We did kinda divert this thread, but it's about our crews that hatched at the same time, so that's nice. i like seeing and comparing size, actions, etc.

 

[oregonkat]

Awesome! Sounds like some good goals. I was hoping for more CL pullets, since I have 3 BCM cockerels for sure now, I could have made some OEs too, but I found a friend that needs one of the BCM boys, so that will get rid of one.

We did kinda divert this thread, but it's about our crews that hatched at the same time, so that's nice. i like seeing and comparing size, actions, etc.

Me too, hijack my threads anytime you like. I will post pics of my crew today. My goal also was the OE potential. @aart, sorry about that tell tale spot on the head. I am keeping my fingers crossed for some pure black noggins for you! I am going to be setting some more of my BCM/CCL in the next couple of weeks to try for some more of these pullets!
@WVduckchick I sent you a message in our conversation re a little BCM chick with a leg issue but I dont think you saw it, but anyway, I fixed her.You would never know there was anything wrong. I was a little concerned for a while.

 

[aart]

Thanks!
Having a bit of trouble keeping humidity up, added sponges.
Opening the bator doesn't help, but still...
....H was low(~55-60%) first thing this morning despite channels being full.
Think the dividers may reduce airflow and affect distribution...not sure tho.

Banded and moved the 5 BC to the brooder, all have good bellies and feet.
Glad you got your chicks feet fixed @oregonkat .

The 2 BCMxCCL 1 male 1 female...the males white spot is small but pretty obvious.
Tried to get pics, clear lid on Incuview is great but it can skew the focus.
Will take better pics when I band them later today.
Male.

Female...looks pretty black to me.

Confirmed afternoon pickup of 3 CCL pullets chicks hatched yesterday.
3 more BCMxCCL are pipped, Marans pip enlarged...so exciting and nerve racking!!
Thanks for letting me blather!!

 

[WVduckchick]

Me too, hijack my threads anytime you like. I will post pics of my crew today. My goal also was the OE potential. @aart, sorry about that tell tale spot on the head. I am keeping my fingers crossed for some pure black noggins for you! I am going to be setting some more of my BCM/CCL in the next couple of weeks to try for some more of these pullets!
@WVduckchick I sent you a message in our conversation re a little BCM chick with a leg issue but I dont think you saw it, but anyway, I fixed her.You would never know there was anything wrong. I was a little concerned for a while.

Jeez, I'm so sorry I missed that. I suspect I accidentally marked it "read" without actually reading it. for me! So happy she's ok.

 

[aart]

Gonna have to wait until chicks are good and dry, and maybe a couple days, to tell males from females. SMH..the broody chicks were so obvious, these I just can't be sure!
Anther just hatched and I can't tell.
Maybe Male..is it a white dot, shine from light, gunk and fluff stuck..(lots of fluff in bator odd for so early)

Pretty sure female

 

[oregonkat]

Yes, I think the first pic is male. Hard to tell really though, but def. female on the 2nd.

Here are my pics: Sorry one pullet is a bit fuzzy she moved at the wrong moment! One of my little cockerels. Pics of mom and dad too! I just love my CCL's earrings!

 

[oregonkat]

And here, completely off topic, these guys have been busy impressing the ladies outside my kitchen window. I have a deep love for themand this year the males are exceptionally colorful. My pic does not do them justice.

 

[WVduckchick]

Yes, I think the first pic is male. Hard to tell really though, but def. female on the 2nd.

Here are my pics: Sorry one pullet is a bit fuzzy she moved at the wrong moment! One of my little cockerels. Pics of mom and dad too! I just love my CCL's earrings!
View attachment 1354900 View attachment 1354901 View attachment 1354904 View attachment 1354905

And here, completely off topic, these guys have been busy impressing the ladies outside my kitchen window. I have a deep love for themand this year the males are exceptionally colorful. My pic does not do them justice.View attachment 1354927

I wanted turkeys this year. Wanted some royal palms. Doesn't look like I'm going to get them.

 

[aart]

Did a chick check this morn while cleaning brooder,
everyone's vent and umbilicus look good.
Think this is the first time ever there's not been even one pasty butt.
So separated out the BCMxCCL crosses 3 males and 3 females.
Tho one female has a couple of white 'hairs'.
Notice how the males have light beaks/combs and the females' are dark,
wonders if that is consistent with sexlinks?

 

[oregonkat]

Beautiful chicks @aart. Interesting about the beaks, I did not pay attention to mine but I will next hatch.