Experimental & other Hatch-a-long

[Cloverr39]

Doing my last hatches of the year.

First I have 3 silkie eggs, 3 store bought eggs from some local farmer, and 4 mixed breed bantam eggs. 10 eggs in total, due to hatch around 04.05 - 05.05. They're under my broody hen Okakley, so I'll be calling it Oakley's batch.

Second I have 6 silkie eggs and 2 frizzle mix eggs. 8 eggs in total, due to hatch on 08.05. They're under my broody hen Chrissy, meaning I'll be referring to it as Chrissy's batch.

Third I have 8 silkie eggs due on 17.05. This will be Smokey's batch.

Lastly in the incubator I have 9 store bought eggs from a bigger farm, (no idea if they're fertilized or not. Probably not.) and 2 brahma bantam mix eggs due on 17.05. as well.

And then I have 14 eggs given to me by my relatives to hatch for them from their backyard mutts. Possible fathers of those chicks are either their mutts or the 4 bantam roosters I've given them over the years. They're due around 18.05.

So the experimental eggs are the store bought ones and the ones given to me to hatch. No idea what will come out of them.

 

[GreenJay]

We have our first two babies!! The blueish one is the mystery chick and the light one is from my mixed breed flock. I'm wondering if it might have the same thing going on with its color that Aphrodite did from my previous hatch. Cause I still don't have any whites in the flock.
I saw a small pip on one of the silkie eggs as well.View attachment 3820578

welcome little ones!
The mystery chick is a gorgeous color!

 

[Cloverr39]

On second thought, after candling the blue egg, I wouldn't give up on it yet. It's a lot darker than it was on day 1. Even though I see no blood vessels, more then half of the egg is dark. For day 14 I'd say it could very well be developing. We'll see.

 

[scyllarus]

On second thought, after candling the blue egg, I wouldn't give up on it yet. It's a lot darker than it was on day 1. Even though I see no blood vessels, more then half of the egg is dark. For day 14 I'd say it could very well be developing. We'll see.

I raise quail, so I know the struggle of "what the $^!&#^@&@ am I looking at??" when candling eggs. For me, if it's not obviously empty, I just go ahead and incubate 'til there's no debate.

 

[Cloverr39]

I removed an egg from Oakley's batch because it was obviously clear and I think the blue egg is most likely empty as well.

But we have our first internal pip!!
It's one of the store bought eggs. Hopefully we'll get to meet him/her tomorrow.

 

[Cloverr39]

We have our first two babies!! The blueish one is the mystery chick and the light one is from my mixed breed flock. I'm wondering if it might have the same thing going on with its color that Aphrodite did from my previous hatch. Cause I still don't have any whites in the flock.
I saw a small pip on one of the silkie eggs as well.

 

[Torisgloomyplace]

Awwww your baby’s are too cute.

 

[Cloverr39]

Took a picture of Oakley's babies today. I think the mystery chick is going to be lavender. The white one almost looks dominant white. The feathers have a brownish off white color with flecks of black. That's odd considering the pen it's egg was collected from has no dominant white birds in it.

 

[Cloverr39]

7/8 of Chrissy's eggs hatched. 2 black, 3 blue, 1 of the frizzles, and a cuckoo or blue cuckoo male. Not sure why so many blue silkies all of the sudden. I was under the impression I only had one blue hen and she couldn't have layed all the eggs, but maybe my dominant white which I suspect is a daughter of the blue hen is hiding some blue. Who knows. It's a little strange cause in my first hatch I only got black and paint. That was before I added the blue hen in the pen.
I also have a slight suspicion the white chick from Oakley's eggs may be a frizzle.

 

[Cloverr39]

I'll be honest I had completely forgotten Smokey was sitting on eggs. Which is why I was surprised to see chicks in the nest this morning. All but one have hatched and the last has pipped.
Now unfortunately more than half (silkies) have single combs. At this point I'm not sure if it's easier to restart my silkie flock or to try to breed it out. That's not a decision to make today, but I'm still a bit upset about how many chicks will have to be culled. There have been more toe faults this year as well. I'm not sure what's at fault there, as all parents have nice toes. If I end up continuing the flock, I'll only have a handful of keepable chicks this year.
The incubator eggs are in lockdown, due to hatch tomorrow.
Also we lost one of Chrissy's frizzle chicks to a dog.