When the weather started getting cold, I put a light in the chicken coop to extend their day, help the chickens lay better. Guess I upset the balance and my slate hen started laying eggs. I saw the tom get on her several times, so I felt confident at least some of them would be fertile. Collected the first 6 and put them in the incubator. Then a week later I put 5 chicken eggs, and a day or so after that, the last 6 turkey eggs. She stopped at 12 eggs, and started sitting on the golf ball I had in the nests. So one day when I went out, got a warm chicken eggs and put it under her to see what happened. She has been sitting like a dedicated mother. Just not sure how cold the egg got in the few minutes she has been off to eat.
So tonight, 12 December, I candled the eggs. It looks like I have 2 of them that are developing, numbers 6 and 12. Cracked open #1, and it was just yolk. So Im pretty sure none of the rest are growing. Guess I need to look at them to see if I can determine if they are fertile and didnt develop, or just not fertile. But looks like I have 2 growing. One should hatch 27 December, and the other should hatch a week later. So .
Not sure how many of the chicken eggs will hatch. Candled them but couldnt see anything. OR more correctly, could see no light. So either they have really thick shells, or they are all developing. Time will tell. So I could have 2 turkey poults and4 or 5 chicks in January. Should be pretty good sized by the time the weather gets warm enough for them to be on their own. If the hen is still setting on her egg (she is now, and has done a pretty good job of staying there so far, I may put one or two chicken eggs under her a day or so before they hatch. Just to see how she does. Wonder if that will affect her ability or desire to go into heat again in the spring. Oops. Well see. Have to take the opportunities when they present themselves.
Others talked about eggs this fall. Any of them hatch? All of my birds were hatched the middle of June this year, so they are pretty young.
So tonight, 12 December, I candled the eggs. It looks like I have 2 of them that are developing, numbers 6 and 12. Cracked open #1, and it was just yolk. So Im pretty sure none of the rest are growing. Guess I need to look at them to see if I can determine if they are fertile and didnt develop, or just not fertile. But looks like I have 2 growing. One should hatch 27 December, and the other should hatch a week later. So .
Not sure how many of the chicken eggs will hatch. Candled them but couldnt see anything. OR more correctly, could see no light. So either they have really thick shells, or they are all developing. Time will tell. So I could have 2 turkey poults and4 or 5 chicks in January. Should be pretty good sized by the time the weather gets warm enough for them to be on their own. If the hen is still setting on her egg (she is now, and has done a pretty good job of staying there so far, I may put one or two chicken eggs under her a day or so before they hatch. Just to see how she does. Wonder if that will affect her ability or desire to go into heat again in the spring. Oops. Well see. Have to take the opportunities when they present themselves.
Others talked about eggs this fall. Any of them hatch? All of my birds were hatched the middle of June this year, so they are pretty young.
