So this Saturday, March 24th 2012, the next additions to my favorite feathered flock will be hatching. I'm so excited. I currently have 12 eggs sharing space in my friend's, Krisann, incubator. Started out with 16, but 1 broke in shipping and it looked as if 3 were not fertile when candled. So, I'm hoping for a 95% hatch rate. This is supposedly the average from the lady I bought the eggs from. She also stated she has a 98% fertile rate with my purchase being 80%. It might even be less than that because the Marans eggs are too dark to properly candle. I would be grateful for a 75% hatch rate. This might even be on the high side, but with the good chance that I'll get a 50:50 ratio with the sex, I'm crossing my fingers I get 5 females. My luck all hatchlings will be roos.
The breeds I have baking are 3 Marans, 2 Cochins, 1 Silkie, 2 Yokohama, 1 Silvered Phoenix, 1 Americana or Araucana (we will see if it hatches rumpless or not), and 2 unknown breeds. I'm hoping the unknowns are a blue/lavender breed and preferably an Orpington. Krisann has about 11 eggs from her flock baking along with mine.
Krisann plans on streaming the hatch live online all weekend. Stop by and check what's hatching. I'm sure one of us (or both) will post when its up and running. So stay tuned...I will definitely be blogging and posting pics of our new fuzz butts!!
