We hatched a few eggs from the Ideal 236 and Australorp hens. At present, we have only a small tabletop incubator. It is enough for the experimental stage of our business. It holds 20-22 quail eggs, but only 6-8 chicken eggs. Building a cabinet-style incubator is on my to-do list.
Our rooster is a very attractive mixed-breed fellow. He is the result of whatever breeds we have kept over the years. So, it is anyone’s guess as to what the chicks will turn out to be.
At hatch, two were black (one with a white patch on its head) and four were white, with a pinkish stripe on their backs. The white patch on the head is often a sex-linked trait, but there is no clear reason why it should be that way in an Australorp/mixed chick. It may just be a coincidence. Another thing I noticed is that the last chick to hatch, although the same in color as the other three white chicks, is much smaller in size. The eggs they hatched from were all similar in size so it is probably just represents a different box in the Ideal/mixed Punnett square.
