Making Lemonade [Selective Culling Project - very long term]

[U_Stormcrow]

Seven.

Two eggs left in the Incubator. Not holding out any hope. Can still see veining, air bubble, mostly filled otherwise, no clear evidence of either a blood ring or infection - but also no movement.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

See the striped yellow bird with the oblong halo on its head??? Close inspection shows cinnamon tinting at the shoulders, and if you turn his butt over, there are feathers on the feet. I may already have a red base bird with some penciling!!! Or, this could be a near miss... We'll know in two months.

 

[Auntiejessi3]

See the striped yellow bird with the oblong halo on its head??? Close inspection shows cinnamon tinting at the shoulders, and if you turn his butt over, there are feathers on the feet. I may already have a red base bird with some penciling!!! Or, this could be a near miss... We'll know in two months.

Woot woot!

 

[U_Stormcrow]

So, I know there haven't been updates of late, I've been out of high speed data. Last hatch has been moved tot he barn, and the recently rebuilt grow-out pen (which still needs a new door built, which means milling more lumber...)

The 12 in the incubator go into lock down today, with a hatching expected Sunday/Monday. Did a final candling last night, its now 10 in the incubator. Strangest thing - it looked like one of the eggs (in spite of relatively small size) had been a double yolk, developed two dark areas with associated veining, then both quit. Another was infertile. I really should have candled these MUCH sooner, I seem to have misplaced an entire week somewhere...

I'll get back to work on updating my biodiverse polyculture (my acres of weeds), too, now that I can usually upload a photo without it taking 10 minutes.

Otherwise, flock seems healthy, there are feathers everywhere from birds in molt, I'm only seeing 9-10 eggs per day, haven't seen duck eggs in "a while" (and have them penned up as a way to ensure against hidden nests) - starting to wonder if my little dinosaurs aren't hunting and eating those eggs. In addition to "Sleepy" of P1-02 laying, I've two birds of P1-03 laying. Eggs are still growing in size, and often have that not quite symetrical oblong to them as their plumbing works out the kinks. Not much else to report, I'll try and get some pictures up later today.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

Last hatch, now in the grow out pen inside the barn (haven't opened the door to the pen yet - since the big birds would rush right in looking for easy food, as I don't have a door to the pen up yet. The goats broke the last one).

Age 17 days, they are standing in a 2# "spreadable butter" tub full of feed, for reference. The flooring material is some scrap house wrap, spilled feed, feathers from molting birds, straw, some leaf litter, and their droppings, of course. I think we decided the area is just over 4' by about 11.5' (or maybe 13.5', I forget), so there's plenty of room for them, even if they can't play outside today.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

Two have hatched so far - mostly black with a white shirt, and the soft yellow all over I associate with the dominant white gene [maybe, bird needs to fluff out more before the color will be clear]. Neither are Brahma mama birds.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

Number Three has hatched. Hard to tell with feathers matted, but I think white with black stripe. Again, not a Brahma mama.

I'm less confident that Two has dominant white, its more tawny orange as it fluffs out than the pale yellow I first thought.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

I know its hard to see here, but here are the babes - one still not hatched (and may not). Four black tux w/ wihite shirts, a few with gloves. A brown chipmunk. A white chipmunk. A ginger chipmunk. Two cinnamon.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

Oh, and Fred is coming to visit this afternoon, not sure whether I'll have a lot of time on my hands to make some updates here, or no power and internet. Could go either way. Guarantee there will be plenty of rain.

 

[Molpet]

Oh, and Fred is coming to visit this afternoon, not sure whether I'll have a lot of time on my hands to make some updates here, or no power and internet. Could go either way. Guarantee there will be plenty of rain.

Shame you couldn't tell Fred to stay out in the water. A very unwelcomed visitor