The Moonshiner's Chick Chat

[WallyG74]

I only candle when going into lockdown. I throw out clears, clearly early quitters and obvious blood rings.
10 out of 35 is at least 2Xs what I get on an average week.

Yeah, that’s a really bad number. Can you have a defective hen? Maybe 1 of the 3 don’t like the rooster?

 

[Iluveggers]

My hatch date is next weekend. Still have 34 going at home (including some BBS Silkie eggs I bought), and another 12 in my classroom hatch.

 

[Iluveggers]

Yeah, that’s a really bad number. Can you have a defective hen? Maybe 1 of the 3 don’t like the rooster?

That is definitely odd. We have close to 50 hens and 3 roosters, and I’ve only had a handful of clears in all my hatches this year. One egg was a girl just coming off her molt, but the last few of hers I set were fertile.

 

[The Moonshiner]

I'm sure someone has asked this before, but how often do your leghorns go broody if at all Moony?

I usually have 2 or 3 a year. It's mostly been black hens for some reason.
Right now I have a broody Silver duckwing though.
I've only ever had one stay the course until hatch. I can't remember if she hatched 3 or 4 chicks.

 

[WallyG74]

This will likely be my last hatch this year. This one is for a special order and that’s the only way I would do another. The cockerels are stacking up and I’m running out of places to stash birds. I have plenty of possible replacement birds for next year. I have also managed to keep a solid dozen pullets for new layers.

 

[The Moonshiner]

Must be hatch day for everyone! I have 5/14 BCs hatched so far

I'm at 43 now

 

[The Moonshiner]

I can usually start seeing development at day 2-3 ish so I candle to take out clears and add more eggs

Now you're giving me ideas.
I set every week so at any given time my incubator has 3 sets of eggs.
When I get ready to set a new batch I can candle the week befores set.
Throw out those clears and add eggs there too.
Hmm let me think.... would that work ongoing?

 

[WallyG74]

Must be hatch day for everyone! I have 5/14 BCs hatched so far

I’m excited for BCs next year! I will have a quad of blues and finally have a shot at producing splash since I finally got a blue cockerel.

 

[The Moonshiner]

I finally got a blue cockerel.

Just one, though?
You should hatch some more.

 

[WallyG74]

Just one, though?
You should hatch some more.

Stop enabling!