[pepsi100]

I dont know anything about shortening incubation times, but I know they are looking into sexing chickens in the egg, to cut down on unwanted birds hatching out, those they dont want can go onto being used for other uses, making vaccines (I think)

They are also trying to sex them them in the egg and look for abnormalities in the chick before it fully develop's

I think its some way off yet, but I can see it happening very soon

It would be handy for a major breeder, but for the bloke who just has the odd 6-12 eggs, it just wouldnt be worth the cost (unless it was very cheap)

[splash101]

"Mmmmm not sure about trying to get a cockerel to mate with a canary though!"

yes GA, you would need a couple of hundred eggs just for an omlette 

[pepsi100]

"Mmmmm not sure about trying to get a cockerel to mate with a canary though!"

yes GA, you would need a couple of hundred eggs just for an omlette 

24 hens eggs are the equivilent of an ostrich egg, so about 10-15 for a canary to be equal to a hens egg  (probably less)

[GrannieAnnie]

I was thinking of the physical problems for the cockerel rather than the eggs!!   

[pepsi100]

I was thinking of the physical problems for the cockerel rather than the eggs!!   

If there is a way, it will be found 

My buck rabbit found a way of getting to the doe 

[ANHBUC]

true bantams (those that do not have a large fowl equivalent) are usually 19 days incubation.

Glad you said true bantams joyfull, I had a bit of a panic then.  Dotty is sat on some Welsummer bantam eggs and some Light Sussex x Wyandotte bantam eggs.  It will be day 19 tomorrow and I will be out most of the day so would miss all the action.  Hopefully if any are fertile we will have new arrivals Friday or Saturday.  I didn't want to candle them at this time of the year and risk the eggs getting cold.

[Sassy]

I was thinking of the physical problems for the cockerel rather than the eggs!!   

And poor canary 

[nuzuki]

616 days! thats some maternity leave, almost a couple of gap years.

Out of interest Splash,  how long does it take a baby canary to get its flying wings?

Also does anyone kow how bantam chickens were first produced? Id like to think it was just people hatching eggs from a young flock year after year maybe?

[joyfull]

Breeding from pullet eggs often results in smaller birds then breeding from hens. This has happened with a lot of lavender araucanas - people went mad on them so greedy breeders bred from pullets. This has resulted in many large lavender araucanas being small.
True bantams evolved like all other birds

[ANHBUC]

true bantams (those that do not have a large fowl equivalent) are usually 19 days incubation.

Glad you said true bantams joyfull, I had a bit of a panic then.  Dotty is sat on some Welsummer bantam eggs and some Light Sussex x Wyandotte bantam eggs.  It will be day 19 tomorrow and I will be out most of the day so would miss all the action.  Hopefully if any are fertile we will have new arrivals Friday or Saturday.  I didn't want to candle them at this time of the year and risk the eggs getting cold.

Well day 19, one chick is nearly hatched and chirping from some of the other eggs.  It is one of Dottys own eggs and she is a tiny bantam which may have made a difference on the incubation time.  Don't want to go out to lunch now but I will have to.  Fingers crossed for a good hatch.   

[splash101]

"Out of interest Splash,  how long does it take a baby canary to get its flying wings?"

not long lol, we had another hatch this morning and the 1 that hatched yesterday is twice as big already. By the time the last one hatches it will be a giant.
I'll be honest though, at this stage they just look like a bit of chewing gum thats rolled in the fluff and a face that only a mother could love. They are not cute like chicken chicks when they 1st hatch

We have some finch chicks that took their first flight last weekend, they are less than 3 weeks old but will still rely on their parents for food for another couple of weeks.