The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[aoxa]

Yes. I count my hatch rate based on fertile eggs too.


I honestly believe one size does not fit all when it comes to good fertility. So many factors play a role and basically it will also come down to where in the world you live "this time of year". I collected first laid pullet eggs for this batch in the middle of January. This is dead of winter here. ALL were fertile.
The quitter I tossed last night was a small egg. But it candled before it went into the incubator with a yolk and good air cell. It quit at day four. The eye of the embryo and vein mass clearly visiable in the eggtopsie. Two questionable eggs that may get tossed tonight are normal sized eggs and candled the same. There are ten pullet eggs showing normal development.

Fertility can be lowered for many reasons. Too much fluff on the bum of a hen or a roo is breed specific. Too fat of either the roo or hen. Good eyesight which is compromised on heavily crested birds. And lack of cordination, experience, or willingness from either sex can play a role.

Since you raised silkies years ago, and raise them now, did you notice a very drastic change? The crests are much bigger than the standard called for. Seems they are getting less and less chicken like.

I like my boys to see and my girls to at least see enough to get around.

 

[aoxa]

She hatched out 8 eggs..all 4 Orpingtons..she also had two more eggs peeping..I gave them to the other broody..no way can that leghorn raise 8 chicks..she is just not big enough to keep them warm. So for now..the leghorn has 8 chicks and the Orpinging has 2 peeping eggs and two others I did not bother checking. If the Orpington does not kill those 2 peeping egg chicks, I will give her..her own chicks. I did not take pictures..I was so shocked about the quantity of chicks I sort of panicked. Where did she get all of those eggs. I rushed to get every one all warm.

Wow! Lots of chicks. Sneaky girl

 

[delisha]

Only quitters I have..have been silkies..

 

[aoxa]

Only quitters I have..have been silkies..

They are shipped eggs as well, so they have that against them.

You've never had any quitters other than that?

 

[Toast n Jelly]

Quote: Did you leave the cut grass where they lay and gather it all up after it was dried or put them in your barn to dry?

 

[aoxa]

Did you leave the cut grass where they lay and gather it all up after it was dried or put them in your barn to dry?

I put it in the compost pile in the woods. They rummaged through it often

 

[delisha]

Quote: I have not checked them yet..tomorrow I will know for sure. All the ones I threw out from the shipped eggs have been infertile.

 

[midnightroo]

I think we have gone past talking about red feet, but my daughter took some photos of my roos red feet this morning.



this is today



this was about two weeks ago

 

[aoxa]

I think we have gone past talking about red feet, but my daughter took some photos of my roos red feet this morning.



this is today

Good example!

 

[Mumsy]

I think we have gone past talking about red feet, but my daughter took some photos of my roos red feet this morning.



this is today



this was about two weeks ago

Good pictures! Ok! This is what I learned on this thread in the last 24 hours! Roosters get red legs and feet from sex hormones. And here I was all set to blame the Cayenne!