Well its day 18 for eggs purchased and sent through the mail. I candled the eggs at day 10 and most had abnormal aircells. At least three eggs had moving chicks in them then. I had to throw out three eggs when one began leaking stinky stuff all over two eggs next to it. Please say a prayer for the remaining eggs. This hatch consists of two dozen blue/black orpington eggs and 1 1/2 dozen purchased welsumer eggs. Next week I hope to hatch 30 of my own welsumer eggs. I need some new hens.
Linda
Eggs in the Incubator Will they or won't they?
Fingers, toes and eyes crossed Momma! If that will help! Ive been through that so many times with the incu., that I just gave up! I think the next time I try ,Im going to find a friend that has had succesful Hatchings with one and then go and take lesssons from them! Good luck!
Oh and when youre Welsummers hatch, Please send pictures! I bought 6 of them at auction a month ago and they are still so little! I believe that I got Short changed , hahhh! I think they are some kind of bantam! I thought a Welsummer should be a large chicken? Or am I wrong?
Good luck with the bator and keep us informed. We've all had are incubating woes...lol. It just seems like such a long time to wait while you keep watching thru some little window...
I think I may be batored out for this year so Welsumers are going to be bumped to next years want list !!
~Julie =0)
I ended up with 10 welsumers, 5 buff Orpintons one black orpington and one blue orpington the rest of the eggs were duds. Oh well. I really wanted blue orpingtons so I may try Sandhill Preservation. They are the only hatchery I know of that has Blue Orpingtons for sale.
I tried to hatch black and blue orpingtons earlier this season as well. I got one black orpington out of it. I was disappointed as well. I did speak to someone who said they are difficult to hatch due to humidity issues, but I found most of the eggs to be unfertile in the batch I bought.
~Julie =0)
Julie where did you get the eggs. I got my eggs from a guy at Backyard chickens. Out of 12 eggs only 2 were fertile. Wonder if its the same person.
Linda
Hi Linda
I had to look to see where I got my eggs...lol. I bought them on eggbid from someone in Colorado.
Looking at my orpington I think it may be a blue, it's sort of hard to tell when they are young and fuzzy. But it's looking lighter and more grey now than black. Of course all my other orpingtons are buff so it really won't matter as far as breeding.
I debated ordering from Sandhill but shipping is so stressful on both the chicks and me...lol. Maybe in the spring I will think about it again. I did print off their order form. To be honest if they had been set up to do online ordering it would have been a done deal...lol. Having to write it out on paper then stamp it and take it to the post office gives you a LOT of time to talk yourself out of it.
Same with Holderreads. I'd have loved to have ordered some of their runner ducks but I looked at the form and debated and talked myself out of it.
I think anytime you go with eggs there are just so many factors. Not all will be fertile. I think a rough ship will ruin a fertile egg. Messed up air sacs etc... and so much can go wrong during the 3-weeks of waiting....
~Julie =0)
I agree waiting for the post office to call is agonizing. I ordered my welsumer chicks from Calico Woods 2 years ago and they were not shipped the week they were supposed to be. The owner never emailed or called me to tell me the delivery was delayed. I was totally frantic until I called him and was told it would be 2 more weeks until they were shipped. Guess what the same thing happened no chicks no email no phone call. It was a whole month before the chicks finally arrived. I have heard Sandhill Preservation is similar in their practices , I sure hope not.'
Calico Woods is now out of the Hatchery business. The owner died earlier this year and the wife sold all their stock.
Linda