What are you currently incubating/brooding?

[julesapple]

Shhhhh!!!!

It's a secret......Candled for the first time last night, Day 11, fourteen of our girls' eggs all fertilized by Eddie-who-has-to-go. DD says they are much bigger and bouncier chicks than she has ever seen in bought in eggs, so fingers crossed for a good hatch.

They'll be a real bunch of crosses....can't wait to see them!

[jessmorris]

Oh dear my Orloff's are a rum bunch. They're between 4 and 3 days old and already 3 are gone. 1 DIS, one dead after a day and one I culled today. They just ain't right. They tremble and cheep incessantly, can hardly walk, one couldn't even stand and two didn't open their eyes. they seem physically fine (if you know what I mean, quite a good size, nicely formed legs and feet etc . I'm wondering if its neurological?? They remind of nothing so much as those poor inbred Cavalier King Charles spaniel's on Jemima Harrison's programme about the inbreeding of dogs, dog breeders and Crufts last year....all quaking and shaky on their legs. The yellow chicks seem fine, running about, feeding, curiously watching me and the dogs etc. Anyone experienced this type o' thing?

[RichmondHens]

No, but certainly they don't sound too good. How many do you have altogether? Were they e bay eggs? Tbh I would cull the lot and start again but I know it's sooooo hard when they are this small.

[petal]

I would do the same, then report the problem to the breeder- it could be inbreeding or poor diet of the parents. It is really horrid when they are so little but they will never make good breeding stock. You could join the rare breeds poultry club on facebook- lots of people breed these on there.?

[jessmorris]

I culled one. The poorly chicks were all one colour. The other chicks which are yellow or lightly striped russet are fine (5 out of 8) . One of these was a bit dodgy but he's picked up now. A bit upsetting though - its horrid killing something so young. I've put the remaining 5 in a fresh broody coop with a grassed run and they were happily jumping on and off bricks in the sunshine this afternoon. The eggs were from a member of the Russian Orloff Breeders Soc. It would be a bit embarassing when I've only just joined to start complaining to experienced breeders and showers that the hatching wasn't that good. It might have been something I did/didn't do?? can't think what though? I generally just leave Mrs Broody to it.

[RichmondHens]

Are the yellow chicks a different breed, or just a different colour Orloff? I wonder whether the poorly ones of a different colour are a weaker strain, a bit like Lavender Orps are supposed to be much more fragile than Buffs.

On a different note, I candled my goose eggs last night and 8 out of 10 contain lively embryos. One I wasn't sure about but left it in and one clear which I chucked.

[jessmorris]

Hi RH,
they are all supposed to be spangled Russian Orloff. I don't know why the chicks are different colours. Apparently the darker chicks are the 'better' birds. Its a bit of a mystery but I hink you might be right, the darker chicks are much weaker.

Hurrah for your goosies.

[Hilary B]

If the supposedly 'better' chicks are weaker, I would suspect inbreeding. Once show quality rears its head, there is a temptation to breed the best types to excess, and sooner or later that will lead to inbreeding. It applies as much to pure-bred poutry as it does to pedigree dogs! If a breed is especially rare, it happens all the quicker.

[petal]

how are those russian orloff's now jm? On fb you can join the rare breeds page run by jpoultry I think- you can get loads of rarebreeds there but it is a bit bitchy.Entertaining tho'
I have just been given a corti 50 from someone giving up. Have dismantled and sterilised it to the best of my ability. Now then, got to collect 50 of my own eggs- silver laced wyandottes, black pekins, frizzle pekins, silkies, salmon faverolles, gold brahma, buff orp. When testing an incubator out I like to use something tried and trusted, its rare for one of our eggs to be a dud.!In the brinsea 40 are 15 turkey eggs and some call duck eggs- those are about to be transferred to a broody, I thought I would start them off.

[jessmorris]

Four brand new Orloff's arrived today. The fifth is cheeping madly but hasn't pipped yet. They are the LOUDEST cheepers I've ever heard!

[julesapple]

They're pipping! I'm sure it's far too early, but our eggs are pipping. DD has poorly Poppy upstairs, and she's been talking to the eggs from her sick bay pen for a couple of days - wonder if she's encouraged them?

[Hilary B]

Petal, the one combination that I found a failure every time was duck eggs with turkey eggs. One or the other always failed (usually the turkeys).
On the other hand, I didn't have the option of transfering one type to a broody....

[jessmorris]

Yay! the last one hatched so I have 5 new sparkly Russian orloff's. They are much better than the first hatch, shiny (!) and perky. Fingers crossed. On a downwards note, all my Cayenne bantams eggs failed. And every one was fertile. Boo.

[RichmondHens]

Yippee! Bad luck about the Cayennes though.

My Exchequers are hatching today. Two little fluffball spotties so far. Goslings due on Monday/Tuesday.

[petal]

Petal, the one combination that I found a failure every time was duck eggs with turkey eggs. One or the other always failed (usually the turkeys).
On the other hand, I didn't have the option of transfering one type to a broody....

I bet its something to do with humidity? Duck eggs need high humidity don't they?