­I've had Barry the Silkie cockerel for a few weeks now. He's in with his girls and that means it's time to collect hatching eggs! I'm excited to see any baby chicks that come from him.
When it comes to hatching in winter, remember three things; fertility will be lower, fewer eggs will be laid, and eggs get muddy quickly...and this affects hatchability because of potential bacterial infection. Try to keep nestboxes as clean as possible, collect eggs every day and don't wash eggs because it will remove the bloom; a natural protective layer on eggs.
Embryo viability falls after 10 days, so collect eggs for just over a week and store them pointed end down. Rotate the eggs once a day to make sure the embryo doesn't stick to the shell. And, after 10 days, get incubating!
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Thanks for stopping by the Brimwood Farm channel. We're a teeny urban smallholding trying to grow, garden and keep livestock on a tiny residential garden. Can you be self-sufficient and make money from an urban homestead? We're on a mission to find out.
GARDEN GEAR I USE
-- Most gardeners can get away with owning very few tools for the majority of jobs. Here are some of the basics I use on a weekly basis.
**Hand Fork -
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**Hand Trowel -
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**Secateurs -
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**Pruning Saw -
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**Bosch Multisaw -
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**Pole Chainsaw -
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**Lithium Battery Mower -
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**Rake -
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*Please note, these include affiliate links for both US and UK Stores.
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