Lazy Gardener's Little Town Farm

[wyoDreamer]

The Red-Winged Blackbirds have shown up at our place this weekend. It is so nice to hear the birds out side again! Spring is coming!!!

 

[Lazy Gardener]

Hi. My name is LG. And. I am a candleholic. The only thing better than having an incubator full of chicken eggs... is having a bator full of duck eggs. B/c duck eggs allow me to have an extra 7 days of candling pleasure. Eggs were set Sunday morning. They have been growing 4.5 days. And, I have LIFE! 6/6 of the blue eggs are growing. Babies are either Blue Runner or Khaki Campbell x B IR. And the Welsh Harlequin are 7/12, so far. The latter are growing slower than the blue eggs. Rather than crowd the duck eggs, I'll get the second bator fired up tomorrow, and use that to set chicken eggs.

 

[Lazy Gardener]

Tonight's candling showed life in 16/18 duck eggs! Second bator fired up and holding steady temp. Eggs selected for gender. Still not sure how many eggs I plan to set. Might as well fill it up. And, I think hubby and I will go pick up some more starter, or grower feed on Monday.

 

[Lazy Gardener]

Second bator up and running, ready to load with eggs tomorrow. I think I'll load it up. I found a neat article, after spending weeks researching correct humidity for hatching ducks. Seems that I should have just listened to my gut, and not fretted about it! Here's the article, if anyone is interested: https://poultrykeeper.com/incubatin...hat-humidity-should-i-use-to-hatch-duck-eggs/

I pre-ordered more feed this morning, to pick up Monday. They have potato sets in, so I ordered some of those as well. Kennebec, Norland, and Yukon Gold. Will also be on the look out at health food store for some interesting varieties. Would also like to get my hands on some Jerusalem Artichokes. Seems like they would be a wonderful plant to have growing here in these uncertain times.

 

[Lazy Gardener]

Candling tonight showed baby ducks swimming in the eggs.

 

[Lazy Gardener]

I candled the chicken eggs today. 18/26 eggs are viable. The big blue EE eggs from my favorite hen... not a single one appears to be fertile. It appears that Goliath has his favorite girls, and she's obviously on the "not" list. As for overall fertility, NOT IMPRESSED! Goliath is on his way out. It remains to be seen whether I keep a cockerel this summer. The 16 viable duck eggs are growing well.

 

[baymule]

It sounds like you are going to have a good hatch with your ducks! YAY!!!!

Your chicken eggs seem to be on a par with mine. I will set 26 eggs and get maybe 14 to hatch. What do you use to candle your eggs? I use a "candle light" that I bought when I bought my incubator, but I can't see inside an egg with it.

 

[Lazy Gardener]

What color are your eggs, Bay? The blue eggs, and the mottled ones are hardest to see inside. Also, the darker brown the shell is, the harder it is to see. Does the candle light plug in, or does it have a battery? If the latter, try changing the battery. Be sure you are in a COMPLETELY dark room. NO light coming under the door. Give your eyes time to adjust to the darkness. Are you candling down through the air cell? I hold the egg in one hand, and the flashlight in the other, placing the lens of the light on the top of the egg, cupping my hand around it to block any light from spilling out around the sides of the egg, and also provide a bit of cushioning. I just use a standard flashlight. It's about 4" long and uses a AA battery. Amazing how a brand new battery will brighten things up. Best candling days are between day 6 and day 14.

 

[baymule]

I did that. The eggs are blue, green, brown and now I have a few olive eggers. I’m tired of the Easter eggers and considering another breed, but haven’t decided yet.

 

[Lazy Gardener]

For straight on utilitarian purposes, plus I like their coloring, I like Plymouth Barred Rock. And @Beekissed LOVES her white rocks.