My last 2 eggs will hatch this weekend most likely as they really are hatching out on day 19-20 pretty consistently, but hatch-day is next Tuesday. The five in lockdown which was yesterday have 2 hatched (day 19) and 2 pipping. One is still silent. This is wonderful as I have no patience once the eggs hit lockdown. There's one girl and one boy in there. The girl, from my cream girls eggs, will probably be a keeper but not the boy, golden girl egg. Though I have one juvie boy from the same pairing that is about 12 weeks and he has a nice crest and I'm watching his comb and color right now, he is getting come chestnut on the saddle and wing but so far not a lot on his hackle - so he's probably not going to be a keeper. Depending on what hatches next I'll have some decisions to make as one of the two eggs are from my golden girl. I have 5 boys from my younger girls eggs that I plan on watching grow out. There are also 4 other females that I plan on holding on to. I'm gonna watch the other girls and boys for a while and then decide what I want to do - they may go into a layer flock or into a flock that I can use to make chicks/layers for local sale next year or I may use them to breed as the eggs they came from are nicely sized and larger and maybe I can breed out the gold as I go forward... so much fun ahead.
I will have to line breed going forward to try to 'cream' my flock as I am planning on breeding towards the UK APA and Punnet's Cream coloring. I think it'll definitely be at least a few years before I even start to be satisfied with my flock. I really don't keep the kind of detailed records that are being discussed - I just don't have that kind of time. I have definite opinions on the color and type I want to breed towards so I'm gonna just try and keep working with what I have but will be willing to share any information that I can in order to help forward this breed in a positive way.
I'm wondering if the dry incubation is having an effect on this early hatch-day phenomenon I am having or is this par for the course for some? I know earlier this year my hatch-say was closer to day 21+. Dying to try it out on some BCM eggs.
My larger coop is almost done but I have the chicks brooding in it right now...the hubby is so happy that the chicks are not in the basement with his new pool table.