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[Yorkshire Coop]

Hope everyone is well; sorry to have been so quiet recently. Now have 24 eggs in the incubator and just set one of the silkies; @PouleChick is right, all three of mine have been broody over the last few weeks.

I think my big maino was from them, @Yorkshire Coop; its done well for me, despite mixed reviews. I'm so anal about temperature and humidity, @MSirrell91, you can get wafer hygrometers from an agricultural store for a few quid, if that. I've two ancient ones that still read true. I tried buying a combined thermo/hygrometer probe last year but it was way off and impossible to recalibrate.

I’m good thanks. All excited & busy here with a new tortoise called a Malcolm. I too have one that has mixed reviews (Chinese one) but once you get the knack with it and ignore the incubator settings it’s not too bad. I use a reptile thermometer & hygrometer in it. Both quite cheap but work well.

 

[MedicDog]

Hi @Sneebsey! Wondered where you had been! Have you got araucana eggs in the incubator? @MSirrell91 did you set any eggs? Definately right though, get another thermometer and separate hygrometer. So long as you know that you have something that you know reads true it will make thing so much easier!

Not yet, I’ve got it in the back of the car as I’ve not told the wife yet! She should be fine with it but she’s easily annoyed during the week with her new job so I’ll wait til Friday. I bought one online and the guy who used it included one exactly the same which is a bit strange. Eggs wise, I found a guy on Facebook which sells 30 white star hybrid hatching eggs for £20. At that price you can afford half of them to be naff.

 

[PouleChick]

just set one of the silkies; @PouleChick is right, all three of mine have been broody over the last few weeks.

I hope she can keep them warm enough - my girl had to abandon when the temps dropped! What sort of eggs have you put in the 'bater?

 

[Sneebsey]

Just some mixed eggs at the moment, as everyone is still running together until it's a field rather than a quagmire. Araucanas will get penned soon; I'll have a nice little blue cockerel from last year (Julio) covering black hens and my black, Reg, covering two of each, though really need to improve the lacing on the blues; the blacks (particularly Reg) seem to have lacing genes which ought to help a lot.

Selected out eggs from the early pullets last year so hopefully something different will pop out. I'm trying to push toward two separate groups with my free-rangers this year; a dp brown/green egg laying type and a light mediterranean pink egger type, and will be splitting them accordingly in the spring all being well. Also have a cream legbar Cockerel now, so some barred pullets would be nice. Always a science experiment here!

ETA: @PouleChick, I considered setting her inside due to the temp, but we'll give her a go out there where she can see the others. There's always spring if she gives up.

 

[PouleChick]

Just some mixed eggs at the moment,

Sounds fab! I need to work out some system for breeding the coloured eggs I'm hoping for - mine are also just all in together for the moment!

 

[Sneebsey]

Sounds fab! I need to work out some system for breeding the coloured eggs I'm hoping for - mine are also just all in together for the moment!

Getting some really nice greens from an araucana × bcm from last year; almost a dark turquoise, I shall have to get pictures.

 

[PouleChick]

Getting some really nice greens from an araucana × bcm from last year; almost a dark turquoise, I shall have to get pictures.

Ohhhh I'd be really interested in seeing that - that is exactly what I'd love to have - just love that colour! I thought that mix would come out as olive green so really excited that that isn't always the case

 

[CCUK]

Not yet, I’ve got it in the back of the car as I’ve not told the wife yet! She should be fine with it but she’s easily annoyed during the week with her new job so I’ll wait til Friday. I bought one online and the guy who used it included one exactly the same which is a bit strange. Eggs wise, I found a guy on Facebook which sells 30 white star hybrid hatching eggs for £20. At that price you can afford half of them to be naff.

Sound like a plan! If all else fails you'll have to do some sneekybating!! Just don't say anything until you have a brooder in the living room full of chicks!! Whitestars are fantastic. I have 3. They are by far my best layers.

Just some mixed eggs at the moment, as everyone is still running together until it's a field rather than a quagmire. Araucanas will get penned soon; I'll have a nice little blue cockerel from last year (Julio) covering black hens and my black, Reg, covering two of each, though really need to improve the lacing on the blues; the blacks (particularly Reg) seem to have lacing genes which ought to help a lot.

Selected out eggs from the early pullets last year so hopefully something different will pop out. I'm trying to push toward two separate groups with my free-rangers this year; a dp brown/green egg laying type and a light mediterranean pink egger type, and will be splitting them accordingly in the spring all being well. Also have a cream legbar Cockerel now, so some barred pullets would be nice. Always a science experiment here!

ETA: @PouleChick, I considered setting her inside due to the temp, but we'll give her a go out there where she can see the others. There's always spring if she gives up.

Sounds like your going to be very busy this year then!

Getting some really nice greens from an araucana × bcm from last year; almost a dark turquoise, I shall have to get pictures.

I want to try some eggs from my cuckoo Maran hens. I have neville my white cockerals. He has a red splash on his back so it will be interesting to see what appears! I'm hoping for some lovely dark green eggs!

 

[Sneebsey]

Ohhhh I'd be really interested in seeing that - that is exactly what I'd love to have - just love that colour! I thought that mix would come out as olive green so really excited that that isn't always the case

I'll get some pictures tomorrow, but she's lovely, nice and big like the Marans father. Her mother and aunts lay a brilliant blue egg, moreso than any of the other lines I have, and the father's sisters produce dark eggs with a ton of bloom so could explain the teal colour. I have more olive tones out of my araucana x rsl hens honestly.

I want to try some eggs from my cuckoo Maran hens. I have neville my white cockerals. He has a red splash on his back so it will be interesting to see what appears! I'm hoping for some lovely dark green eggs!

Knock on wood for olive eggs; could get at least some black sex links too, as long as Neville's white isn't hiding barring. I really like the size and form of the Marans, as well as the nice dark egg.

 

[Sneebsey]

Pictures, as promised (or is it threatened?)

The blue in front is Lakshmi; I like the marans influence in her hefty carriage. The blue behind her is Dawn, from my huge RSL cockerel over BlCM. You can see what I mean when I say it's a quagmire here at the moment.

Dawn's egg is in the lower right hand corner, with Lakshmi's next to it. When wet, her egg does appear darker, more like the green ones on the far left, but the picture doesn't really capture the deep turquoise colour it has to it. Above are two araucana and one marans egg, for reference.