I started the week visiting my parents, with my brother, as they had to travel to an unfamiliar hospital some distance from where they live. In fact, it was an easy journey, and they will be able to drive themselves if they have to go again.
The following afternoon, I started a rather large round trip, including an ovenight stay, to collect eggs for the incubator.
This year I wanted to add a Silver Laced Barnevelder (SLB) to my garden girls, and also a Leghorn. I would also be happy to add Leghorn to the allotment flock, and to introduce SLBs to raise chicks from in future.
There are so many gorgeous breeds and colours of hens. I don't particularly want to repeat breeds/colourways in my garden flock, as I like to assoiate each type with one particular individual. This meant I had to search high and low for Leghorn eggs which were non-white Leghorn(Lily) and non-exchequer (Lotti) Leghorn, andit was harder than I expected. I found a lovely lady in Northamptonshire who seemed to have both breeds though, which was a bit of a result, and I contacted her.
It turned out she's lost her SLBs to a fox attack, but she could help with the Leghorn eggs. I found a couple of other people selling SLB eggs. Bith were some distance away, and in the end one lady didn't have eggs at the time I needed them, so I ended up arranging to go to Devon. The egg collecting trips weren't going to be linked originally - apart from needing the eggs within couple of days of each other so they could all go in the incubator at the same time.
Meanwhile, we penned off the Allotmenteers that we wanted to breed from this year. Ping and Pong, our Dorkings, were in that group, but we fully expect their eggs to be clear. Bertie really dislikes them (and/or they dislike him, we aren't quite sure). Luckily they have plenty of room so they can avoid each other on a day to day basis. I've got two girls I particuarly want to breed from, but I haven't seen Bertie cover them, so it wouldn't surprise me if they turn out to be clear too.
We also tested the two incubators, as one of them failed last year. A new part was ordered, arrived, and fitted. Both seem to be registering the correct temperatures.
I then had an opportunity to help someone out, so I ended up combining the trips. I went to Devon one evening, staying at an inexpensive B&B. The next morning, I collected my SLB eggs - and some SLB cockerels and pullets. The birds were for the lady in Northamptonshire who was supplying my Legorn eggs!
The eggs have been set, divided equally between the two incubators. I'm as nervous as a kitten. Last year's hatch was, for the first time, really stressful. I just hope this one goes more smoothly.
