sanrossscot Posted January 11, 2009 Report Share Posted January 11, 2009 How eggciting! (Sorry, couldn't resist ) Can we have a naming party, when you know how many there are? Chook thread is addictive, I even did a crossstitch of a couple of hens last night Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phoebejo Posted January 11, 2009 Author Report Share Posted January 11, 2009 We'll be able to name the Cream Legbars at birth because they're an auto-sexing breed which means baby girls and baby boys look different. Of the mixed bunch I probably will not know for weeks, it depends what breeds they are. I don't think I'll name the boys, I can't get attached to them at all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Katiebob Posted January 11, 2009 Report Share Posted January 11, 2009 (edited) Good luck Cheryl It's all very exciting. My experience with an incubator and buying in 'fertilised' eggs was about a 20% success rate but it does very much depend on loads of things so I'm hoping you have better luck I've used a similar incubator to yours - or so it would appear from the pictures - but yours may be more up to date. I've used DEFRA approved hen producers and just people I've found on e-bay for the eggs with no discernible difference in hatching rate so I do think there's an element of luck, regardless. I never bothered to candle my eggs so just waited for the result. Be interesting to see how you get on with that One of the reasons I didn't candle them was because I thought I wouldn't be able to interpret the results accurately! My hens were soooooo happy that today at last the ground had defrosted sufficiently for them to scratch properly in the soil and look for grubs. I don't think there were any grubs anywhere near the surface but it didn't stop them having fun Edited January 11, 2009 by Katiebob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
celeste Posted January 11, 2009 Report Share Posted January 11, 2009 I've just joined a chicken forum .......PoultryChat..........they are a very friendly bunch, but it's strange being a newbie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BOB Posted January 12, 2009 Report Share Posted January 12, 2009 My hens were soooooo happy that today at last the ground had defrosted sufficiently for them to scratch properly in the soil and look for grubs. I don't think there were any grubs anywhere near the surface but it didn't stop them having fun Yes my lot wandered home with a ton on mud stuck to each of their feet and they didn't bother to wipe them before they went to bed . That's all of my hard work mucking out on Saturday wasted! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phoebejo Posted January 17, 2009 Author Report Share Posted January 17, 2009 Day 7 today and the candler I'd bought online hasn't arrived so I've attempted candling with the brightest light I had, the one on my mobile phone. The easiest to do were the Cream Legbars because of their pale coloured shells. I think there are definitely two fertile of those. Of the others, well it was a bit hit and miss, some I didn't have a clue, others were probably fertile. I think in total there are seven fertile eggs out of the eighteen which isn't too bad. I'll try again when my proper candler arrives. One of the Legbars was fantastically clear, I could definitely see a tiny chick the size of my little finger nail forming They'll probably both be boys I was looking forward to seeing if the green egg was fertile but the shell is thicker than elephant hide and I couldn't tell. One of the white ones is so that's good. Only fourteen days to go Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wendbert Posted January 17, 2009 Report Share Posted January 17, 2009 Please can you have a boy chick and name it Foghorn Leghorn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phoebejo Posted January 17, 2009 Author Report Share Posted January 17, 2009 Nooooooooooooooo! No boys are having names because they're not staying I guess it'll be easier that way Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Katiebob Posted January 17, 2009 Report Share Posted January 17, 2009 Nooooooooooooooo! No boys are having names because they're not staying I guess it'll be easier that way Depending on your neighbours, maybe you could just keep one? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wendbert Posted January 17, 2009 Report Share Posted January 17, 2009 Depending on your neighbours, maybe you could just keep one? I think that especially with Bejo's horrid neighbours, she should have a boy called Foghorn Leghorn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Katiebob Posted January 18, 2009 Report Share Posted January 18, 2009 I think that especially with Bejo's horrid neighbours, she should have a boy called Foghorn Leghorn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phoebejo Posted January 19, 2009 Author Report Share Posted January 19, 2009 Good news! I decided to have another bash at candling last night. I'd been scared by tales of exploding mouldy eggs so I thought I'd better try harder to determine what was and what wasn't growing. There was a huge difference from day 7 to day 8 which made it so much easier. I was right in initially saying only 2/6 of the Cream Legbars were fertile so I reluctantly admited defeat and removed the useless 4. Of the mixed batch of 12, it was still impossible to see what was in the green egg. I think it's fertile but I'm not 100% sure so that one stayed in. Of the other 11 I'm pretty sure 9 are fertile, the 2 that definitely aren't are the white eggs which is a shame. The blue one definitely is though! So basically I think I've got 11, possibly 12, fertile eggs in total which is just amazing I'll leave them alone now until next weekend when I'll candle again to remove anything dead. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dirtychicken Posted January 19, 2009 Report Share Posted January 19, 2009 Oooh how very exciting, Bejo How long is it now till you're a Grandma? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phoebejo Posted January 19, 2009 Author Report Share Posted January 19, 2009 Chickens take 21 days to hatch so I should be a granny on Saturday 31st. Only 12 days to go Here is an interesting link which shows what the chick looks like at each day of gestation. Not for the squeemish but just like any pregnant mother I like to see pictures of how my baby looks at each stage Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dirtychicken Posted January 19, 2009 Report Share Posted January 19, 2009 (edited) Here is an interesting link which shows what the chick looks like at each day of gestation. Not for the squeemish but just like any pregnant mother I like to see pictures of how my baby looks at each stage I was preparing myself to go but instead I went and and I suspect I may be due my period Edited January 19, 2009 by dirtychicken Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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