Jeffrey Low
email: jeffctlow@yahoo.com



Friday, April 16, 2010

CANDLING RESULT

I candled the eggs when Lorraine came out of the nest-box early this morning for her first feeding. The last time I counted the eggs was on the day she started sitting and there were 4 of them. As expected, she had laid another the next day but the candling shows that all 5 eggs were infertile. This was also quite expected because although Lorraine was ready to be bred at the time the pair was introduced, Nim wasn't and no mating took place before the eggs were laid.

I will remove the nest-box and the eggs when the time is up, in a few days time and will observe the pair to decide when to put it back. I would expect that the next clutch will be fertile. Hope this expectation will come true just like the others so far.






Although they were not fertilised, having 5 eggs in this clutch, all of normal size, had indicated to me that Lorraine's diet prior to laying was ok and she was in pretty good physical condition.






Lorrain is a very good hen in many ways. She has a stable temperament. With a little effort, she was quite easily conditioned to allow me to remove the nest-box periodically for inspection of the eggs. I think not all shama hens will tolerate this and some may even abandon the nest when disturbed this way.

6 comments:

  1. I wish you the best of luck on the next attempt. Please keep on posting and update us. Thank you Jeff.

    Irwan.

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  2. This is a good begining for sharing shama breeding for us and along the way, might pick up something new. all the best

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  3. Oh, that's sad. Best of luck next time!

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  4. Irwan, thanks a lot! With your encouragement, I will succeed...hehehe.

    Mr Anonymous, when I started blogging ahout this clutch, I knew it will most likely be an unsuccessful clutch. Like you'd said, it's all about sharing and learning along the way. Thanks for your good wishes.

    LV, don't be sad. I will succeed in breeding Nim and Lorraine in time to come...hehehe. I'd been too lazy for too long until I started reading your blog.....and that is how it got started. Your success is very inspirational and plse keep writing. Thanks again.

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  5. Jeffrey, I'm sure you will succeed in breeding Nim and Lorraine, there is no doubt about that! You have great birds and with the help of so called "grand father of long tail shama", success in breeding them is almost given, hehe. To tell the truth, I'm really jealous with you for having this great pair! :) I would trade all my birds for a pair of long tail shama like yours.

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  6. LV, If I could, I will surely want to send you a pair of their chicks. In any case I am sure you will breed a beautiful line yourself in time to come. Keep up the good work my friend.

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