The Island Project

[Lauravonsmurf]

The RC RIR Hatching Eggs arrived! Resting them as I type this. Hopefully I will get a good hatch %, and at least one of each gender.

 

[Lauravonsmurf]

Well I tried to weight the babies… they are just to feisty now. Going to order a different scale set up.

I did get two birds to hold still…

I did get pictures of the wings to show the difference in the two SC RIR chicks feathering…

And here they are foraging…

Their buddies…

 

[Lauravonsmurf]

Rhode Island White eggs arrived today

 

[Lauravonsmurf]

The RIR hatching eggs are from Dick Horstman (PA) lines. Sugar Feather did not tell me the history of their birds.

 

[FoodFreedomNow]

Rhode Island White eggs arrived today
View attachment 3052813

I have to ask - how did these eggs fare, packed like that? Were they sandwiched between layers of shavings?

 

[Lauravonsmurf]

That’s just a photo of the eggs after I unpacked them… mainly to show colour difference from the RIR.

Here is the packaging photos complete…
RIW from Sugar Feather Farms (Heritage Preservation Hatchery/Breeding Farm)

After removing half the wood shavings… each egg was wrapped individually in little foam pouches and sticker taped sealed.

What the eggs looked like after unwrapping

Several of the eggs are stained looking, indicating to me probably had some sort of nasty gunk or mud on them prior to shipping. I am hoping they hatch okay.
In the second Incubator

RIR complete packaging from Greer Farms (breeder)

Eggs packed in big foam piece, individual egg shapes cut out, eggs in each egg shaped hole with top of foam on them, very snug.

After top plugs removed, you can just see them packed down nicely in the thick foam.

RIR eggs completely out of box

The RIW eggs are a bit darker than the RIR. In general I think the RIR show less signs of having had mud or feces on them. Only one RIW egg looked labeled, all RIR were labeled… this is not a big deal as each order was for 1 specific breed, and I have pencils and marker pens if I had needed to mark them.

Incubator #1 started Saturday Night RIR, middle white egg is secondary temperature monitor.

Incubator #2 started RIW eggs Wednesday night, it has a small secondary monitor inside it as well..

Side note we prefer incubator #1 for ease of use but have had success with both of these incubators. #2 can hold more eggs. To bad the hatching eggs did not arrive on same day… but that’s okay.

The live chick order should be here soon, as well. That order will include SC non SOP complaint RIWs amongst other breeds.

I am very tempted to bring one of these hens inside and put her with the babies… both are bantams that want to hatch chicks… the bottom hen has been broody for months now.

She was very upset at me after I removed the morning eggs a few days back… if looks could kill…

I think she would be thrilled to have a few chicks to be mum to.

 

[Lauravonsmurf]

The live chicks started their trek towards me on the 6th expected arrival date Saturday the 9th. It looks like this time we will be getting the whole order… (last time there was a low hatch rate of a breed so we did not get that breed)

Praying they arrive healthy little chicks.

 

[Molpet]

That’s just a photo of the eggs after I unpacked them… mainly to show colour difference from the RIR.

Here is the packaging photos complete…
RIW from Sugar Feather Farms (Heritage Preservation Hatchery/Breeding Farm)
View attachment 3052881
After removing half the wood shavings… each egg was wrapped individually in little foam pouches and sticker taped sealed.
View attachment 3052882
What the eggs looked like after unwrapping
View attachment 3052883Several of the eggs are stained looking, indicating to me probably had some sort of nasty gunk or mud on them prior to shipping. I am hoping they hatch okay.
In the second Incubator
View attachment 3052884
RIR complete packaging from Greer Farms (breeder)

View attachment 3052885
Eggs packed in big foam piece, individual egg shapes cut out, eggs in each egg shaped hole with top of foam on them, very snug.

View attachment 3052887
After top plugs removed, you can just see them packed down nicely in the thick foam.
View attachment 3052888
RIR eggs completely out of box
View attachment 3052889

The RIW eggs are a bit darker than the RIR. In general I think the RIR show less signs of having had mud or feces on them. Only one RIW egg looked labeled, all RIR were labeled… this is not a big deal as each order was for 1 specific breed, and I have pencils and marker pens if I had needed to mark them.

Incubator #1 started Saturday Night RIR, middle white egg is secondary temperature monitor.
View attachment 3052890
Incubator #2 started RIW eggs Wednesday night, it has a small secondary monitor inside it as well..
View attachment 3052884

Side note we prefer incubator #1 for ease of use but have had success with both of these incubators. #2 can hold more eggs. To bad the hatching eggs did not arrive on same day… but that’s okay.

The live chick order should be here soon, as well. That order will include SC non SOP complaint RIWs amongst other breeds.

I am very tempted to bring one of these hens inside and put her with the babies… both are bantams that want to hatch chicks… the bottom hen has been broody for months now.
View attachment 3052891

View attachment 3052892
She was very upset at me after I removed the morning eggs a few days back… if looks could kill…
View attachment 3052893
View attachment 3052896
I think she would be thrilled to have a few chicks to be mum to.

@Faraday40 uses small broodies to raise chicks

 

[Faraday40]

@Faraday40 uses small broodies to raise chicks

My "serama mamas" work well. It doesn't matter how many chicks hatch, they will adopt all. Because they're small, it's easier to just add a little broody hen to a large brooder.

* I also add a "mama heating pad" for the overflow chicks

My seramas have raised mixed hatches like turkeys, ducklings, LF English orpingtons, other seramas, silkies, and even quail.

 

[Lauravonsmurf]

I think I will put one in with the arriving chicks along with the heat source of course. I think the Phoenix hen will be a good mum