Hatching Fever lol

[Russ Blair]

I feel like a kid on Christmas morning, just received my 2019 ABA leg bands. I am itching to get the setter fired up. I put some breeding pairs together when I got back from fowl fest. So next week I am starting to collect me some eggs, be forewarned I am looking to have some large fowl for next years National Meet 

[Max Strawn]

Bring it! 

[Russ Blair]

Just wondering when is the last time a LF blue or brown red has won ch overall at our National Meet? Asking for a friend lol

[Mike Gilbert]

Jim Fegan had third best LF in a very large showing at one of our national meets, either Indianapolis or Columbus, on a Brown Red cock bird I had sold him.   I can't remember a LF Blue doing that well at one of our Nationals, but Max Strawn just won best AOSB on a Blue male at the Mega show in Norman, Oklahoma.   Plus winning the 6' x 10' Trailer besides.   I would say that is a pretty good weekend. 

[Suki]

That is great news about both Rev. Jim and Max.  Glad to hear that especially since Max had to regroup.

[Russ Blair]

Alright I set my first mixed bag of eggs last night, 99 total. Some of the eggs were almost 11 days old but had good air sacs so we will see. My goal this year is to enter a display of every variety I raise in large Fowl and Bantam at our National Meet. So that’s 6 varieties of Bantam and 3 varieties of large Fowl. Geez now that I say this out loud that’s a lot of chickens, perhaps my wife is right

[Max Strawn]

The first step towards rehabilitation is admitting you have a problem...   

[Mike Gilbert]

The first step towards rehabilitation is admitting you have a problem...   

 

[John W Blehm]

I'm starting to get the itch too.  I setup my breeding pens/coops about a week ago with the birds on 10 hours of light.  I'll increase it to 12 hours on New Year's Eve and up to 16 hours a day by the time I start collecting eggs to hatch.  I've cut way back on the breeders and although my last hatch is usually the week before Memorial Day I plan to stop by the end of April this year.  I'm down to only Ameraucana chickens and Silver Pheasants now.  I was going to go with just blacks in large fowl, but I'll breed a few lavenders too.  In bantams I just have buff, lavender, wheaten and black and not many of any. 
I keep a calendar in the hatchery and like big ones to write notes on.  A few years back I started making my own each year and include preprinted notes to myself to keep me on schedule.  Here are some samples.

[Russ Blair]

Great idea John

[Cesar Villegas]

My goal this year is to enter a display of every variety I raise in large Fowl and Bantam at our National Meet.

Whats a display?

[Mike Gilbert]

My goal this year is to enter a display of every variety I raise in large Fowl and Bantam at our National Meet.

Whats a display?

A display consists of at least one cock, hen, cockerel, pullet and young or old trio, all of the same breed and variety.   There is a point system show secretaries use to determine display winners.    A worksheet is available on the ABA website.   It is page 4 of the ABA show report.   Here is a link:   
https://static1.squarespace.com/static/59ca6283f9a61eef0a37c335/t/5a8b008a41920223d0cccfc5/1519059089283/show_report_form.pdf

This form also tells you what show secretaries must report to the ABA.   And then there is another one for the APA.   And one for each breed club or other organization meet.   The work does not stop when the show is over and the equipment put away. 

[Russ Blair]

Well my first hatch was far from successful, but I do hear some Christmas chicks in the hatcher. If I remember correctly they are all LF brown reds, I believe 6 went into lockdown. I have set a small batch every week since so hopefully the fertility picks up.