The chicks weren't due to hatch until today, so i was totally unprepared. Honestly i didn't think the eggs would hatch at all, this was our test batch with the new incubator.
Now, i am having mixed feelings about hatching chicks this way. I know how important it is to keep the brooding instinct alive in our heritage breeds. the only way i am able to console myself is by keeping these chicks as meat birds, even though I had originally thought i would sell some of the birds that ended up pure. We have three different types of birds out there, Rhode Island Reds, Golden Buffs (crossbreed), and our Black Jersey Giants. Both of our Roosters are also Black Jersey Giants so those eggs laid by the giants are the ones we want to hatch. But, all of the hens lay brown eggs!!! We have three hens whose eggs i will chose for hatching, hopefully i chose well. I will stick an egg a day into one of the nesting boxes, marked of course so i know which eggs to collect, and see if someone wants to volunteer to be the broody hen (the broody instinct is said to arrive when a predetermined number of eggs accumulate, around a dozen). This way i don't lose the income from selling eggs, or the benefit of eating our own fresh eggs.
The downside to all this is that we leave for vacation on Monday, for almost a week. I know, terrible timing. I have issues with my patience, i am working on that.... i will give an update on this situation when we return, but now i need to finish packing!!!
but, aren't they cute?
cheers, Nyn
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