Breeding plans for 2019

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Ontario Chick
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Re: Breeding plans for 2019

Post by Ontario Chick » Thu Apr 18, 2019 4:07 pm

kenya wrote:
Thu Apr 18, 2019 2:09 pm
I would try the columbian male with the black pullets first in the hopes of improving the columbian. After all its the columbian colour you love the best, then rearrange the males and try the different combo to see what you get.
I have done that last year, lovely Blacks, the usual Columbians was the result, it would appear that the Columbians are resistant to any kind of improvement efforts I was able to conjure up for them :)
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Re: Breeding plans for 2019

Post by Blizblaz » Sat Apr 20, 2019 9:51 am

I currently have 17 viable eggs going into lockdown on Sunday. I bought some ameraucana eggs, and while I was at it, I of course threw in some of my own mystery flock eggs.

What do people do to keep the different varieties separate in the same incubator while hatching? I was thinking of putting some sort of divider down the middle, but I don’t want to mess with airflow or heat, etc.

Then, when all the chicks hatch, how do you still tell them apart? I’ve heard of painting their toenails with nail polish, but it sounds a little smelly or toxic for the little chicks to deal with.
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Re: Breeding plans for 2019

Post by Ontario Chick » Sat Apr 20, 2019 10:45 am

This question has come up regularly over the years, and I must say, I have actually NEVER managed to do it successfully, even when hatching Wyandottes and Ameraucanas together, it turned out to be a guessing game until the chicks were few weeks old. :)

This will lead to a "guessing game", which we all love and you will be required to take many pictures, while we all take wild guesses at what you got. :-)
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Re: Breeding plans for 2019

Post by Jaye » Sat Apr 20, 2019 3:25 pm

I've heard some use different coloured bingo dabbers on the chicks' head fluffs. It's temporary, but I guess you could reapply.
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Re: Breeding plans for 2019

Post by kenya » Sat Apr 20, 2019 5:41 pm

The only way you can do it is put some in a separate incubator to hatch, maybe a broody hen .I use coloured nail varnish to tell them apart. I suppose you could dye the chicks just before hatch, the dye wears off as soon as they lose their down.
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Re: Breeding plans for 2019

Post by Kbr42 » Sun Apr 21, 2019 8:23 am

Well, I'm going to be in the same boat on Wednesday/Thursday this week. I have 19 eggs hatching (fingers crossed). I have a bunch of BCM (9) that I'm putting in a separate incubator to hatch. The rest are going into my other one. The only reason I'm separting out the BCM is cause I can tell which are which😉
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Re: Breeding plans for 2019

Post by WLLady » Sun Apr 21, 2019 8:38 am

i made a wire divider for my old incubator. worked great.....but have to be careful to clip off any sharp points. now with the sportsman different lines go on different shelves-it has 4 plus a bin in the bottom for bigger eggs like turkeys etc. so i have 5 shelves to play with :-)
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Re: Breeding plans for 2019

Post by Kbr42 » Sun Apr 21, 2019 9:01 am

Dixie and her chicks from this week's hatch!
20190420_114959.jpg
Not sure if you can tell.....no silkies in the picture....what a nightmare this week! Had Dixie in the house sitting on 2 silkie eggs......I hadn't tracked the eggs, cause they were under 3 broodys in the hen house. So, I didn't think they would develop- wrong!
Anyway, I was candling the eggs under Dixie, all's looking good. I go out to the hen house and I'm super itchy all over my face, arms, neck...you get the idea. I had found a tick on my hand the night before.....I'm thinking #/%& I have ticks hatching all over me. Run into the house, find something crawling all over me..tiny, tiny, tiny. Can't see what it is. Jump in the shower wash all my cloths. Then I checked Dixie...sure enough., mites! Frigg. I have to get her out of the house and dust her....what to do with the ready to hatch eggs. Put them under one of the other 3 girls in the coop. Dust, Dixie, put her box out in the garage and go to work. Come home, put Dixie in the garden so she can have a dust bath back and check the eggs...crap! One has pipped. Left the egg under the broody, put Dixie back in the coop with everyone and dust the coop for mites. Fast forward to the next morning...chick hatched! Yahoo! Other egg still good. I left the egg and the just hatched chick and went to work.....Fast forward...anyone seeing my mistake.....if you haven't guessed.....Come home from work, the chick is dead :speechless: the other egg is stone cold. I candle the other egg....sure enough isn't the darn thing moving :eek: back in the house get the dog crate, garb Dixie and the egg. Next morning.......now this is Friday....doesn't the darn thing pip! Saturday it hatches. Can't have just one...look around like crazy for just hatching or day olds...drive to Brighton, get 2 legbars(cause I know they are pullets) and some mystery chick got put in the box, drive back home. And so now I have Dixie and her chicks. And 19 hatching on Wednesday :sAng_banghead: :sAng_banghead:
Last edited by Kbr42 on Sun Apr 21, 2019 11:33 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Breeding plans for 2019

Post by Ontario Chick » Sun Apr 21, 2019 9:12 am

I was there with you right thru the whole thing, feeling the panic.
We have all been there in one way or another, nothing as horrifying as seeing clearly how fast things can go pear shaped.
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Re: Breeding plans for 2019

Post by Killerbunny » Sun Apr 21, 2019 9:43 am

Oh yes we have OC!
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