# Mottled Bredas



## boskelli1571 (Oct 30, 2017)

Well, here goes! Incubator up and running, eggs in later today. Hopefully I will have some mottled Breda chicks next month


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## chickenqueen (Jan 9, 2016)

I hope you have a successful hatch.My fingers are crossed.How many eggs do you have?


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## boskelli1571 (Oct 30, 2017)

I'm


chickenqueen said:


> I hope you have a successful hatch.My fingers are crossed.How many eggs do you have?


 putting a dozen in. Since the boys are ensuring the ladies are well 'serviced' I can always put more in later if I need to. I want to be able to sell them as I'm getting dangerously close to 'too many chickens'....is there such a thing??


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## Maryellen (Jan 21, 2015)

Cant wait to see what color chicks you get!


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## chickenqueen (Jan 9, 2016)

boskelli1571 said:


> 'too many chickens'....is there such a thing??


Never!!!In reality,I'm maxed out but, like an idiot,I'm letting two hens sit on eggs.They will take care of their babies,if any,in the nursery.I also have a goose sitting on eggs,I'm goose maxed out,too,but I might be able to sell them if any hatch or I'll have more geese..........


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## boskelli1571 (Oct 30, 2017)

chickenqueen said:


> Never!!!In reality,I'm maxed out but, like an idiot,I'm letting two hens sit on eggs.They will take care of their babies,if any,in the nursery.I also have a goose sitting on eggs,I'm goose maxed out,too,but I might be able to sell them if any hatch or I'll have more geese..........


Hahaha! Since I'm retired, the danger level is when the feed bill exceeds the human feed bill.....I also have a Mille fleur who is getting in some practice at brooding. Every year she hatches out a couple of chicks.
I will have to be more diligent with them this year, between the skunk and possum who live in the barn and Barney the barn cat the odds are stacked against the chicks...


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## seminole wind (Aug 22, 2015)

Good luck with the Bredas. It will be fun to see the chicks. Do Bredas ever go broody?


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## boskelli1571 (Oct 30, 2017)

seminolewind said:


> Good luck with the Bredas. It will be fun to see the chicks. Do Bredas ever go broody?


So far there is no indication that they would but I don't know for sure. It certainly would save time and energy on my behalf if they did


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## chickenqueen (Jan 9, 2016)

Sounds like you need a dog to take care of the skunks/possums.Maybe your state wildlife officer can come help you,mine did when I found muskrats in my pond.Call your local dept.,your taxes pay for it.The worst they can say is no but I bet they would help you.Or get a good shotgun.......


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## boskelli1571 (Oct 30, 2017)

chickenqueen said:


> Sounds like you need a dog to take care of the skunks/possums.Maybe your state wildlife officer can come help you,mine did when I found muskrats in my pond.Call your local dept.,your taxes pay for it.The worst they can say is no but I bet they would help you.Or get a good shotgun.......


Wellll... I really don't mind them being there. The skunk will move out when she is ready to litter her kits and the possum will likely move on. They don't bother the chickens and if I do get any chicks from broodys they will be carefully watched.
Our dogs just sit and look at the 'guests'....


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## Maryellen (Jan 21, 2015)

One of my black bredas went broody last year . I was quite shocked


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## boskelli1571 (Oct 30, 2017)

Maryellen said:


> One of my black bredas went broody last year . I was quite shocked


Well, I hope at least one of my blues goes broody then....saves effort on my behalf  Did she hatch any?


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## Maryellen (Jan 21, 2015)

She quit after a few weeks. None of the eggs were fertile thankfully


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## chickenqueen (Jan 9, 2016)

I had a skunk around for a few years.It would eat the eggs if I was late getting them and locking the chickens up.Otherwise,I left her a couple and she would root in the compost pile and eat all my earthworms.People warned me about skunks but she never bothered anybody.Plus I knew as long as she was around far worse critters would be kept at bay.I didn't see her last summer and wonder if something happened to her.Possums and raccoons are fair game and food for my vultures.


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## seminole wind (Aug 22, 2015)

I've had a Polish go broody on me several times. No eggs tho. And one of my Jerseys once went broody.


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## boskelli1571 (Oct 30, 2017)

chickenqueen said:


> I had a skunk around for a few years.It would eat the eggs if I was late getting them and locking the chickens up.Otherwise,I left her a couple and she would root in the compost pile and eat all my earthworms.People warned me about skunks but she never bothered anybody.Plus I knew as long as she was around far worse critters would be kept at bay.I didn't see her last summer and wonder if something happened to her.Possums and raccoons are fair game and food for my vultures.


My skunks' the same, I usually leave her a couple of eggs in the evening if she hasn't done 'rounds' before I get there. The possum seems to have moved on already. No raccoons yet... fingers crossed!


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## seminole wind (Aug 22, 2015)

I leAve my crow an egg every day. It somewhat keeps the Hawks away.


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## boskelli1571 (Oct 30, 2017)

Well..this hatch is going to be interesting. The temp gauge is throwing a wobbly - can't really tell whether it's maintaining or not. I have left it alone and will monitor with crossed fingers. I'm going to have to invest in a temp/humidity gauge I guess.
I wouldn't mind, but the incubator has only been used 3-4 times, it's a Brinsea too.


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## boskelli1571 (Oct 30, 2017)

Tossed 4 eggs today, hoping for the best with the remaining 8 - fingers crossed.


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## Maryellen (Jan 21, 2015)

What day were the 4 eggs?


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## chickenqueen (Jan 9, 2016)

My fingers are crossed,too!!!Good luck and I hope they hatch.


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## boskelli1571 (Oct 30, 2017)

Maryellen said:


> What day were the 4 eggs?


Day 15 - all clear as a bell.


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## Maryellen (Jan 21, 2015)

Hopefully the rest all hatch good.


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## boskelli1571 (Oct 30, 2017)

Well, 2 days late according to my schedule, but I have 2 hatched so far.
I have one that is gold colored mottle - has to be George D'Uccles' off spring! He is a bantam......way to go George


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## seminole wind (Aug 22, 2015)

I hope the rest are fruitful! I may have OCD but I usually have 3 temp takers and the humidity. I think I got to that point where the amount of growth could tell me if I need warmer or not.

I have one Crete Polish hen left, and it would be great to hatch some of hers. But she lays funky eggs and ocassion ally needs help.


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## Maryellen (Jan 21, 2015)

Cant wait to see a mottled bantam breda D'uccles mix!!!


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## boskelli1571 (Oct 30, 2017)

Well, a 3rd hatched but I had to cull - it had a huge umbilical hernia . Other 2 doing fairly well. It was so cold here last night the temp in the brooding coop was way to low for them. They are now warming in the house and I will keep them in the incubator for a few days until they get stronger.


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## Maryellen (Jan 21, 2015)

Oh no im so sorry . I had one hatch like that too last year


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## seminole wind (Aug 22, 2015)

Sorry about the one. Good luck with the others!


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## DuckRunner (Aug 24, 2017)

chickenqueen said:


> Sounds like you need a dog to take care of the skunks/possums.Maybe your state wildlife officer can come help you,mine did when I found muskrats in my pond.Call your local dept.,your taxes pay for it.The worst they can say is no but I bet they would help you.Or get a good shotgun.......


Or mink!


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## DuckRunner (Aug 24, 2017)

boskelli1571 said:


> Well..this hatch is going to be interesting. The temp gauge is throwing a wobbly - can't really tell whether it's maintaining or not. I have left it alone and will monitor with crossed fingers. I'm going to have to invest in a temp/humidity gauge I guess.
> I wouldn't mind, but the incubator has only been used 3-4 times, it's a Brinsea too.


Ah, I feel your pain. My brinsea one isn't that old, but the temp suddenly goes weird.

Is yours an octagon?


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## boskelli1571 (Oct 30, 2017)

DuckRunner said:


> Ah, I feel your pain. My brinsea one isn't that old, but the temp suddenly goes weird.
> 
> Is yours an octagon?
> View attachment 29484


Yes it is. I e-mailed the company since I could not find a replacement thermometer on their website. They eventually got back to me (2 weeks later!) and said to take the thermometer out and stand it in a cup of warm water - it would help the 'mercury' coalesce again.


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## chickenqueen (Jan 9, 2016)

That's a fancy looking incubator you got there.I have the old Styrofoam one.My next batch of chickens will come from a hatchery.I want some different breeds but not this year.


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