Silver Pullet Poultry

Well, The hatching has officially begun! I am supposed to officially start hatching tomorrow, but as usual, the chicks cannot wait to arrive so they started a day early.

The first two that arrived are a bit unexpected. Yes, I knew I was hatching silkies, but, I was not expecting Zebras! LOL. The first two chicks are very much white, with wonderful black chipmunk stripes on them. They are adorable, but not sure where the color came from to be honest! One is very vaulted indeed, but these are out of my Black and Blue/Splash pen and by the normal genetic scenarios, I should only get Black and Blue chicks. These are neither black nor blue and are not splash, I have hatched splash before so I have NO idea what these are. It will be facinating to see what they turn into. The third chick to hatch is a black/blue chick, not sure which, but also extremely vaulted. I think he might be decended from Coneheads....come on people...remember the Coneheads?

More chicks to hatch tomorrow as I have 4 more pipped, and I have about 5 or so due in another week. All black/blue. In about 2 weeks, I have a mixed batch of blue/black and some white in there.

Dutch bantams are not laying at all, unless they are burying their eggs in the litter or eating them as I have found NOTHING in that pen. Ameraucanas have gone on vacation as well it seems. Serves me right for wanting to get a jump on the chick business this year.