So far so good

We are now into the second week of June and despite the awful, changeable, unpredictable weather the birds are coping well. Egg numbers are high and the chicks and growers are - growing.

Sales have been amazing with the young birds selling as soon as they are ready and a waiting list for more. I have been hatching all the eggs I can only selling the odd dozen hatching eggs here and there.

There has been a lull in broodies recently so I have had to resort to using the incubator for the turkey eggs. They are due in a couple of weeks along with a few Exchequer Leghorn eggs. It is the first time I have set a mixed hatch a week apart in the incubator, so I hope all goes well.

 It will be the last hatching of Exchequer Leghorns this season as I have broken up the breeding pen. I have swapped my breeding cock for a younger cockerel.He is a little younger than I was expecting but if he grows well I may do a late test hatch.

My latest hatch was this weekend  - 10 very lively, strong  Gold Duckwing Welsummers. They were hatched and will be reared by a Speckled Sussex. From the clutch I hope to keep, possibly 4, of the Silver pullets for myself. I also intend to keep a few of the Exchequer Leghorns that are now 3 weeks old as replacements and a couple of Partridge Welsummer pullets too.

The Light Sussex I hatched from eggs I bought in are now 9 weeks old.I couldn't be more pleased with them, 6 very nice pullets who will become valued members of my laying flock.

I have also kept a pen of different breed cockerels. When they have matured a little I will select a few to keep back, the rest to sell or to put in the freezer.

So - so far so good.

Time for a catch up

My posts are becoming few and far between and at a time when so much is happening, mostly hatching, so time to update the records.

The Indian Game hatched 6 out of the 7 viable Light Sussex eggs over the Easter weekend. A result I am more than pleased with, considering the problems with the air sacs. The chicks are adorable, true little yellow and white 'Easter chicks'. Now 2 1/2 weeks old they are growing strong and feathering up nicely with the black showing through on the wings and hackle, their black eyes quite striking. As ever the Indian Game hen is proving to be a doting mother.

Over the weekend the eggs in the incubator hatched.Numbers were much lower than expected as when I candled the eggs at 7 days many of the Gold Duckwing Welsummer eggs were clear. It seems the senior cockerel is feeling his age.He has now been moved to head my 'broody' flock a mix of heavy breed hens who at this time of year are my star birds and a younger cock has replaced him in the breeding pen. From the incubator 12 of the 15 Exchequer Leghorns hatched and there were 7 Welsummer chicks so still a good result and the chicks now in the shed under a lamp are growing at an alarming rate. It never fails to amaze me just how quickly their wing feathers develop and how instinctively they find food and water, scratch, preen and dust bath.Already they are sparring with one another.

The first hatch of the year are now 10 weeks old and are free ranging the grass pen at home. The young cockerels are finding their voice and one of the Leghorns has taken role as head of the group calling the pullets to him when he finds food.
The cross between the Welsummer cockerel and the Barnevelder hens looks as if it is going to be successful, the pullet is a pretty, friendly hen who hopefully will be a good layer of brown eggs, the cockerels are very strong, solid looking birds and worth growing on for the table.

The Exchequer Leghorn pullets are nicely marked, a good shape, inquisitive and active.and having bred only from the largest eggs hopefully this trait will be passed onto the pullets. They are proving  (rightly so) a very popular breed for poultry keepers this year and I have had many enquiries.

The second hatch are 6 weeks old and yesterday the mother hen was moved back into the 'broody' flock and the chicks/growers left to fend for themselves. They don't appear to have noticed her absence, although they are squabbling amongst themselves a little more now she isn't there to intervene. Unfortunately most are cockerels, although I do need a replacement cockerel myself this year and have a couple ordered so not so bad and there are a few nice pullets amongst them. In a couple of weeks time they too can free range.

Finally  news on the broody Barnevelder, she has been sitting on 8 eggs; 4 Partridge Welsummer and 4 Maran X Welsummer. They are due to hatch tomorrow and today they have started to pip. At the weekend she will be moved to an ark along with her chicks and the pen in the shed disinfected for the immediate occupation of a Maran and a setting of Exchequer Leghorn eggs.

Light Sussex

Just over a week ago I received a dozen Light Sussex eggs through the post. They were from an 'online friend', a very experienced breeder whose Light Sussex I couldn't resist. I had planned to concentrate on hatching only from my own birds this year but the photos of his Light Sussex were superb and on all accounts their laying ability excellent. I never have enough eggs to sell at the gate, especially when collecting from the breeding pens for hatching, so good layers are always a welcome addition to the flock.

The eggs arrived beautifully and securely packed, however despite all his efforts one egg was still chipped. Fortunately the broody hen is an Indian Game and 10 eggs is her maximum( it was so difficult choosing which egg not to set ! )

Today, on day 8 I candled the eggs. 2 were clear, another 2 I'm not too sure of. But most worrying of all many of the air sacs appear to be ruptured, most probably due to rough handling by the Post Office. There was nothing more that could be done to secure the eggs for transport that hadn't been done and I rested the eggs for a good 24 hours before setting them under the broody, so now it is an anxious wait until hatch day. I have had eggs with ruptured air sacs hatch before so not all is lost, I may yet have a few stunning birds to add to next years laying flock.