|
|
Post by Kickingbird on Feb 1, 2004 14:57:06 GMT -5
I finally got my first hatch of the year, four chicks on the ground and four more eggs that should hatch by tomorrow ;D I was going to get the incubator going on Jan 1st but then a hen went to setting so I put a batch under her and started the bator a week later. The best news is a bred a rooster I thought was splashed blue but I realy couldn't tell for sure (he looked pure white). Bred him to bbred hens and all the chicks are the coolest blue I have ever hatched  I love it when things come out the way I thought they would.....makes me look smarter than I am!...LOL KB   |
|
|
|
Post by PoultryGuy on Feb 3, 2004 11:11:05 GMT -5
Congrats Mark! I know what you mean about "things just working out", lol. Here's a pic of my first hatch of Blue & Black Ameraucanas. Oddly enough, the ratio was 1:1:1, so there were 4 blue, 4 black and 4 splash. I've got two more hatches of these to go, can't wait to see what comes from them.  BTW, my first set of phoenix are due to hatch on the 13th. I can't wait to see what they look like. Dan |
|
|
|
Post by Kickingbird on Feb 7, 2004 10:41:06 GMT -5
Dan,
Are the phoenix your blacks? Your chicks look good, post some more pics when they are feathered out.
My second hatch is underway, out of the bator this time. Just started but I'm hoping for a good hatch, I set 45 eggs and after candling only sent 30 to the hatcher.... It is real cold though and that may be affecting fertility a little.
KB
|
|
|
|
Post by PoultryGuy on Feb 7, 2004 10:55:24 GMT -5
The picture I posted was of my Ameraucanas. The Phoenix eggs that I set are from my Blacks though and I'll post photos of them when I get them. At second candling, they're doing very well though. They will be going into the hatcher on the 10th and should hatch by Friday. I've got another clutch of 12 just about ready to set. My three hens aren't in full lay yet either, so collecting enough eggs to be bothered setting is kind of a pain right now, lol.
Dan
|
|
|
|
Post by Kickingbird on Feb 7, 2004 12:46:55 GMT -5
Sorry about the confusion..LOL. I meant the blacks that are going to hatch on the 13th.
As a side note my first hatch I got 7 chicks out of 8 eggs set. That is why I love setting eggs under hens!
I have a similar problem. One of my pens I set eggs every two weeks because I have plenty of hens from that breed. The other pen I set on wednessday instead of friday and I set them every week....so in a week I'll have chicks hatching every week and every other week will be twice a week!
KB
|
|
|
|
Post by PoultryGuy on Feb 8, 2004 1:34:59 GMT -5
Yeah, I think I bit off a little more than I could chew last year. Now I've got several F2 generations that require large hatches and I don't really have the places to put them all until they're culled. I stay within my bi-weekly setting times sot hat I'm not staggering too many hatches but I'll still end up with more brooding pens than Im' normally accustomed to. Last year I hatched around 500 or so chicks during the course of the year, this year I'm probably looking at double that, at least. My new hatcher unit will be on order as soon as my tax returns get here, lol. That will make things a whole lot easier for me and will also free up my other bator.
Oh, my Blue Sumatra pullets started laying today. I'm pretty excited about getting to hatch chicks from them this year. Nicely shaped eggs so far, hopefully they'll all be that way. There's nothing more depressing than a bird that can't lay a decent egg, lol.
Dan
|
|
