Spring is fast approaching and hopefully we will be in for some warmer weather soon. We have been having a long spell of cold weather and plenty of snow (for which I am grateful - this area needs the water in a bad way). While I wait for the earth to thaw I decided that it was about time to start another round of eggs in the incubator. I put fifteen of my freshest eggs in the incubator on Valentine's Day. I am hoping that by March 6th I will have another round of chicks from my lovely hard working flock of laying hens. This will be my third year of growing out my own eggs and it makes me happy to know that I can indeed grow a good sized flock of my own source of meat and eggs for just the price of chicken food and time.
My hatch rate last year was not the best, but I am hoping that I get another 4-6 chicks from this round. Some of my hens are getting older and the rooster may have too many hens to "service" so the fertility may not be very high. If I don't hatch very many, I may find a few more chicks at the local farm store to round out the numbers. I have been thinking about introducing new breeds into the flock, but it will depend on what is available. I would like to add a couple of Jersey giants and maybe a Wyandotte of some variety to add a little color and size to my flock. What I end up with will depend on how many eggs hatch in this round of incubation. Updates to follow.....
No comments:
Post a Comment