Tis Time for a March 2020 Hatch-a-long!

[julskinka]

I’m so sorry to hear that. It’s so so hard. This was the first time I did it myself and it sucked.

I've done adults but never chicks. I imagine it's difficult in a completely different way. Hope you're taking care of yourself tonight.

 

[gmjarvi]

I love how compassionate everyone is on this thread! ❤

 

[jolenesdad]

Hugs to you @BluebirdHomestead. Fingers crossed for the Gypsy hen eggs!

 

[UThobbyfarmer]

So either we sexed them wrong or for some it was too early to tell but out of 15 chicks only one was male. Any other day that would have been exciting. But since they were all leghorn mixes I didn’t want so many females since I wanted to keep trying for a different breed.

How old are they? I always like guessing on my birds early. As soon as I notice any male traits I make a note. Then grow them out to verify if I was correct. I was pretty accurate with the BC Marans line I raised.

I swear there's one in every batch of chicks! There's always a peeper and it's usually a rooster. lol

That was my first thought too. "Sounds like a rooster!"

Just did a quick candle on one of the eggs my silkie is sitting on (D6) There's an embryo in there! I didnt candle any of the other eggs because it's cold outside, but I am so chuffed that at least one is developing. Means my rooster is doing his job and not missing the mark!

I will be collecting approx 9 of their eggs after this hatch to refill the Janoel 12, and 7 cayuga eggs will be shipped out to me on Monday .

Hoping to get some frizzles out of my flock's eggs, otherwise they will just be interesting barnyard mixes! My understanding is that frizzle is a feather type, not a breed, so I have no idea what breed my frizzle roo really is. A mutt most likely, but his colors almost remind me of blue copper marans.View attachment 2044200

The feather color is right but nothing else looks quite Marans to me. Comb type, leg color, feathering (yes, I know some are without), and build don't fit with a Marans. What other breeds could be in there? He's so handsome. I hope he makes some lovely frizzles for you.

 

[hysop]

How old are they? I always like guessing on my birds early. As soon as I notice any make traits I make a note. Then grow them out to verify if I was correct. I was pretty accurate with the BC Marans line I raised.

Half hatched on Tuesday, half hatched on Wednesday. 15 total. I wing sexed them and it’s been pretty accurate in the past. I will wait two more days and verify again. I knew that one was a male since he hatched because his comb was pronounced. Should have taken a pic. Now the fluff hides it but when he was wet it was obvious.

I’ll keep track and make a thread saying if I was right or wrong in a few months.

 

[UThobbyfarmer]

Alright guys. I'm popping my head up to check in. There's no way I'm going to be able to stay caught up on this March hatch a long but I'll do my best to stay as current as possible.

Well I've given up hatching duck eggs before I even got started. We'll buy a couple at the farm store and call it good. They seem really fiddly with the spraying and the cooling they require. Just not up for that type of learning curve right now.

So....I got some Showgirl eggs!!! They arrived Wednesday. 1 dozen. Started incubating yesterday. Some saddles aircells but otherwise look ok. Now I said Showgirls but it was a mixed pen. They could hatch Showgirls, Silkies...even a Stripper. Which I'd never even heard of until I ordered these. Super excited to see what hatches!

 

[gmjarvi]

The feather color is right but nothing else looks quite Marans to me. Comb type, leg color, feathering (yes, I know some are without), and build don't fit with a Marans. What other breeds could be in there? He's so handsome. I hope he makes some lovely frizzles for you.

Yeah, feather color is the only thing that reminds me of Marans in him, and he's so striking it's hard to notice much else . The woman I got him from had him in a huge pen with probably a hundred chickens in it (her husband has the worst case of chicken math I have ever seen! There were pens and coops everywhere). There were olive eggers, Easter eggers, Icelandics, and more in the pen he was in.

Anybody have any thoughts on him? He really could just be a complete mutt . I love mutts, though ❤

 

[FortCluck]

I'm sorry to everyone who has had to put their chicks to rest We had to do one last hatch and it was rough... Here's a hug for everyone

Hoping my silver sebright has a turn around because I want to breed him with a few of these bantams when they're older. I can see a sebright silkie in my future

 

[hysop]

So I asked my husband’s aunt how many olive Eggers she’d like for free since I wanted to incubate some for the annual hatch-a-long and I thought she would say 10 maybe even 6. She said 3 or 4 !! Like what?? I just hatched 15 and bought 6 so I can’t keep anymore. Guess I will just have to incubate 10 since my hatch rate is 70%

 

[Trisseh]

Icelandic eggs in the bator for me tonight! trying again (with far less dubious eggs!). Still in the game for this one, maybe... haha.