Shamo Eggs

[mikey88 11]

My pullets have started to lay. How many should I let them lay before I put some in incubator?

Atb mikey

[Ukroosterman 548]

It depends on how many pullets your collecting from I would collet every think they lay for a week to ten days then place them in the incubator. That way your eggs won't grow to old.Then do the same again. but say your incubator is a 60 egger. only hatch 30 eggs at once for best hatch percentage. It's also a good idea to trim the feathers from around your brood fowls vents to help with fertility. Try not to let your brood fowl get to fat or your hatch rates will come down. Fat fowl are less fertile. To check if there fat pinch the skin between the bottom of the keel bone and the pin bones. A lot of old brook cocks won't be fertile in colder weather so best to wait till spring. good luck! Ukroosterman

[mikey88 11]

I've got 3 pullets an a cock that's a few year old. I'll trim ther feathers tomorrow cheers

Atb mikey

[Ukroosterman 548]

Collet the eggs as they lay them if you leave them in the nest you take the chance of them braking or freezing. Keep them some wear cool at 45 degree angle. Mark all your eggs with a lead pencil. Put down the date the pen number and breed.

[mikey88 11]

12 young hatched so far. Only put 21 eggs in hopefully more will hatch still. Any tips on rearin them other than clean shavings and plenty of snap n water? Also had 1 ov the pullets go broody on 7 so see what comes from them.

[Ukroosterman 548]

We'll done Mikey!. first thing I would do is if you plan to raise diffreants crosses is toe punch the chicks and make note of it. and yes clean dry shavings is a must!. I would start them of on chick crumbs what are treated for cocci. Once a week add a hard boild egg to there feed. Don't feed any greens as this can causes them to past up. Keep inside to about six weeks at this age you can start to put them in a out side pen through the day. Also at this age treat them for cocci in there water bye stopping the water the day befor. Bye 8 weeks you can leave them free range if that how u plan to raise them Ofcourse. Oriental fowl are normally much hardier and easy to raise then american and english fowl so you shouldn't have to much trouble. Good food. clean water. Worm. Delouse. keep the ground fresh. That's all they need! You will do better to raise five 5 in perfect health in every way. then 25 pen raised! Good luck ukroosterman

[mikey88 11]

Should I give them boiled eggs this week? Or just when ther older? What age will I be able to sexy them. Thanks for advice.

Atb mikey88

[Ukroosterman 548]

start a week after they hatch. You should be able to tell them apart at 4 to 6 week stags with show black feathering on there breast and there combs should be slightly larger. Some can be sex linked bye colour for example if breed a gray hen to a black red cock you will get a 100 percent stags and 100 percent black red pullets. ATB ukroosterman

[DUCKWING 302]

Sorry uk ......

thats not correct with all families ... I got 100% greys from a cross to my red families ...in the first cross .

a lot cite such sayings and many books quote the same .

tho have found the old leg colouration to run true .

[Ukroosterman 548]

If you breed a black red hen to gray cock the offspring may come black red or gray or a variety of both. But if breed a black red cock over gray hen you get 100 percent gray stags and 100 percent black red pullets!. Providing the famleys are true to there color this is scientifically proven! I've Tryed this crosses many times myself and never got anything else. There are pepoel writeing inn books and on sites saying that they ave bred pea combs and green legs from straite bred famleys of whitehackles!. But this does not make it true. But more down to the lack of proper breeding techniques and record keeping. Ukroosterman

[DUCKWING 302]

Pmsl ..... ok fella just a wynd up ..

tbh ..... from your posts I expected a quotation from a book lol .

Edited January 30, 2014 by DUCKWING