Good luck with your hatch!!! Fingers are crossed for an outstanding result.Hi, all,
Been awhile that I've had a moment to say hi. Looks like a lot of the great ideas floating around. I have gmail as a second account, which is rarely used, but I would add data if someone sets it up. Something new for me is that I now have one set (2 nest boxes) of trap nesting boxes. At first I was concerned that the girls won't go for being locked in. Then for the few days the rooster would go in, get trapped, and freak out!! He's stopped doing that. The girls all lay there, and it no longer surprises me when two manage to get trapped in the same nest box at the same time which defeats the exact parent and egg count purpose! Has only happened twice, hope they get over jumping in together! I haven't started collecting egg data, as this just began last week.
Coincidently egg production is up! Just a coincidence, but a nice one. Now I need to build another for the 2nd flock.
I have eggs in the incubator, my first hatch!My cream legbars started making eggs in July. I waited until they were old enough to throw good eggs before selling. Now I'm excited to see what my girls give me! Keep your fingers crossed. I'm Ok with a lot of either sex, because it's an opportunity to grow and cull to the best. In some ways, isn't it, the better your cockerel the better your stock? He throws half the genetic material for all the eggs.
For those keeping data, I have a kitchen scale that goes to 5lbs and measures also in metric. If a data program begins soon, I might be able to do this. I'll be missing exact parents on this batch, but could get them on the next!
You bring up a REALLY good point. In order to tell the exact parentage, it would take, as you have, a trap nest, or different color of hen's eggs, or a pen that contains only one hen.... Providing that there is a 'flock rooster' like we use a 'herd sire' in the cow herds. I guess we could do some general tracking - generationally...like 1st gen GFF, and next gen our own chickens.... For some knowing the exact parentage won't be a simple matter.
Rooster does contribute 1/2 the genetics. For egg color, it would take - what? knowing the egg he hatched from and knowing what the effect of his genetics are by comparing the egg color of his daughter's eggs with the color their mother lays?
