At home: noughts and crosses....

A new year has begun, when your thinking of putting eggs in your incubator. The hens have been in laying over drive for a while now. Spring must be in the air for them at least. The eggs have been ready to 'set' in the incubator for a little while now.

Sam has taken control of incubating eggs this year. He will need to remember to turn the eggs, like a broody chicken would if she was hatching her own. He has drawn a 'O' on one side each egg and a 'X' on the other, and will turn the eggs himself. Rotating eggs is an odd thing really. Some people say that not rotating is just as successful. Frankly the thought and the sight of a deformed chick stuck to one side of an egg shell which hasn't been turned will most definitely turn my stomach!

The eggs will all be cross breeds of French Maran, Bluebelle, Aracana, Wyndottes and Light sussex. We haven't managed to select off breeding pairs yet. This will happen on Thursday, where at the poultry market odd cockerels, last years muscovies, and other odd poultry this will go for sale. This will leave a refreshed pen of stock just for the breeding season.

Sam has marked the week starting the 25th February for hatching of this batch. Sam will candle the eggs (shine a torch through the egg) in 10 days time to look for veins spreading around the eggs and a sign of life..... Blip of course...x