The Poultry Keeper

NannyP · Posted: Sat May 03, 2008 12:59 pm Post subject:

Excellent news, well done and I think you are very brave to look inside and see what has happened. I can never bare to look Confused

Good luck with your turkey eggs....I can tell you, I am on Day 13 of my 8th incubation hatching session, and it does get much easier. I don't spend hours checking temps and humidity, I don't candle much and don't pace from day 18 onwards Very Happy

So, as time goes by, if you do this alot, you'll become nearly normal, just like me Rolling Eyes

bronskibeat · Joined: 09 Sep 2007 Posts: 1495 Location: Clawddnewydd

Will post some pics tonight, they are in the brooder and I'm waiting to see if I need to adjust the height of the lamp or not Rolling Eyes

Viv · Joined: 13 Aug 2006 Posts: 264 Location: Northumberland

Congratulations on your brilliant hatch Wink

Your Orp is g8 a lot lighter than my Blue boy chick was, is it a Splash colour do you think ?? I do Nanny P's feather test at 3 days young and its worked 3 times out of 3 so far good luck with your little fluffy bundles of joy Wink

bronskibeat · Joined: 09 Sep 2007 Posts: 1495 Location: Clawddnewydd

OK, here are the rebels Laughing

The one bottom right with pink and black feet is the orp Rolling Eyes

bronskibeat · Joined: 09 Sep 2007 Posts: 1495 Location: Clawddnewydd

milkmaid · Joined: 19 Apr 2005 Posts: 6895 Location: isle of lewis

they are cute

debcat · Posted: Sat May 03, 2008 11:59 pm Post subject:

they are gorgeous Very Happy

NannyP · Posted: Sun May 04, 2008 12:08 am Post subject:

Ooer, it isn't my feather test...I just repeat it, I can't remember who told us about it first. And I can never get it the right way round Confused

At 3 days, if you take a wing, and splay it out, if all the feathers are of even length, you have ??females. If the feathers are uneven, you have males??? (or the other way round, and I am sure Deb knows which way is which!)

Lovely photos Very Happy

Beautiful colours.

debcat · Posted: Sun May 04, 2008 12:11 am Post subject:

Deb can never remember either
there's a thread somewhere that has pics as well

debcat · Posted: Sun May 04, 2008 12:13 am Post subject:

here you go

http://forums.thepoultrykeeper.co.uk/viewtopic.php?t=14338&highlight=feather+sexing

NannyP · Posted: Sun May 04, 2008 12:19 am Post subject:

Ah yes, thewinkingtiger Laughing

Well done Debs Very Happy

bronskibeat · Joined: 09 Sep 2007 Posts: 1495 Location: Clawddnewydd

thanks peeps, they are still live and kicking this morning, waiting to be left in the capable hands of their auntie caroline...... Rolling Eyes

Is it critical to do it at 3 days, I'm not going to be here at 3 days (well, for the orp that it Rolling Eyes

he's bound to be a boy Rolling Eyes

) and does it work for turkey poults too?

see you on Tuesday night, have a great bank hols Very Happy

Pekinout · Joined: 29 Apr 2008 Posts: 737 Location: Cornwall

Well done on the great hatch results, the chicks look great!

Not sure I'd go along with the feather sexing idea, a lot of breeds differ. Vent sexing is the only true way of finding the sex, but it has to be done really carefully so you don't injure the chicks, the other way I'd go for is wait til the combs develop a little bit more, unless their auto-sex chicks and thats easy, like Embden geese lol

bronskibeat · Joined: 09 Sep 2007 Posts: 1495 Location: Clawddnewydd

Back from the wedding to find 5 turkey poults already hatched, one nearly out and one with a hole in the shell. The last one is still undecided at the moment Rolling Eyes

Will post some photos so you can guess the colour Confused

Kitsune · Joined: 13 Mar 2008 Posts: 1168 Location: Manchester

the feather sexing only works with breed that have the feathering 'linked' to the sex chromosome, not all do - my feather sexing experement with the silkie crosses was wrong for 3 out of 6 so far!