Black Cat Genetic Testing

09/02/2026

In the middle of everything I’ve got going on, I started up Rounds 4 and 5.

Round 4 started with 24 bantams (Silkies and Cochins, I think) and 12 of my blue layer/Ameraucana-type or OE/Ameraucana-type eggs. Some of the eggs were a bit older.

We are on Day 5 and of the bantams, 23/24 have started development. Of the LF, 10/12 started development. So Round 4 is off to a good start. That’s slightly problematic because if you’re counting, I had more eggs than would fit in a MaticoopX30. But given that some of mine dropped out, they all fit in one incubator now. I snuck a few into one of the other incubators for a bit, figuring enough would drop out at the first candling that it wouldn’t be an issue. We barely made it but at least we did!

It’s too early to judge anything about Round 5 yet (only in the incubator for about a day so I’ll report out about that one soon).

Round 4, I’ll see you in a few days for in ovo testing! Stay tuned folks.
The Loved Hen Farm is the bantam egg producer in this round. Looks like her hens have got GREAT fertility.

09/02/2026

Personal stuff incoming:
Today marks a significant milestone for me. I got my port out!

A port is an opening/line for an IV that goes under the skin on your chest and up into the large vein in your neck. It’s pretty weird at first but it makes getting chemotherapy treatments (and CT contrast and blood work and eeeeverything) so much easier.

It was put in 2.5 years ago when I got diagnosed with ovarian cancer. I was one of the very very lucky ones in that mine was diagnosed when I was in Stage 1a.

It happened when I went in to have a lunchtime surgery to remove a cyst from around an o***y. It was supposed to be laparoscopic surgery that took about 1-1.5 hours. I knew something was wrong when it was dark when I woke up and I was in a ton of pain. My husband and my kids were there, which was also weird because the kids should have been in school.

The doctor came in and told me I had a cancer diagnosis. I was not supposed to have cancer. No one expected it.

I had to do some chemo rounds and I lost all my hair (which is totally fine).

The worst part was wondering what would happen to my little kids and husband. At that point all my kids knew about cancer was that cats die from it. We’d had two of our cats die from two different kinds of cancers so they naturally had questions and were scared.

A friend of mine set up a meal train for us and we didn’t cook for 2.5 months while going through the treatment. The generosity of people (some of whom I barely knew) was overwhelming, to say the least. It still is when I think back on it.

Ultimately, we got through it. But when you have ovarian cancer, they make you keep the port in for two years because if this type of cancer reoccurs, it’s most likely to do so within the first two years. So today, two years and five months after getting it put in, I got the port taken out.

The fact that we are very lucky is not lost on me. I am thankful every day that this was how it turned out. It so happens that I was able to donate to a mealtrain today for someone who has cancer. It’s kind of a book end for me. I still have to be monitored. I still have CT scans. But at least we are through this chapter.

I’m glad to still be here. Thanks to the rest of you for being here as well.

09/01/2026

September special for avian DNA testing:
S*x tests $6
Blue egg or Recessive White $8
Let’s do this, yall!

09/01/2026

When mama can’t come get the babies until later and all the babies have hatched, I end up putting food and water in there. This baby cracks me up…standing there, staring at me.

09/01/2026

File this under: everything is not always perfect.

There’s been a ton of activity overnight. Seven of ten hatched. When candling the last three, we realized they’d already passed and I probably shouldn’t have put them into lockdown. But I wasn’t sure so I wanted to give them a chance. It’s confirmed now that they weren’t going to make it and were probably gone way before lockdown.

Regardless, we’ve got seven chicks! Turns out hatching silkies is tough. I had no idea how tough. With large fowl (especially with a more full incubator), once they start hatching the humidity stays high. They’re large and there’s enough moisture coming off them and out of the egg(s) to keep it humid. But with only seven silkies, turns out it that the humidity was not staying up. So the last three were shrink wrapped a bit. One of them was so shrink wrapped that if we hadn’t intervened, she wouldn’t have been able to get herself out. So last night, after about 9h of watching her try and make no progress, we decided to help her. I’m really glad I did. She’s now standing and walking around. She’s still got a little schmutz on her but nothing that inhibits her movement. Her feet look fine too. I’m really glad. The last two to hatch have some stuck stuck to their baby feathers but it’s not impeding movement. I’ll wash them off this morning though (and put them back to fluff back up).

Why do silkies always have to be on hard mode, yall? Every ding dang time.

Round 2 has really taught me some stuff, not just about the testing part but also about the hatching part.

09/01/2026

What are yall looking for in terms of people to follow?

I’m trying to build followers and it occurred to me that I don’t know if everyone actually looks at who they follow, like I do.

I’m mostly looking for folks who have farm birds (preferably ones who don’t use boatloads of AI, not because I’m trying to be a jerk…just because I care deeply about not wasting water). I also love gardening or homesteading pages that are informative.

I follow a lot of folks already. If yall have some good pages that you love (ones with birds), holler. I’ll follow them too!

09/01/2026

Have yall checked out this page? She’s got a pretty cool set up. She’s NPIP and she shops hatching eggs. She’s even got Ayam Cemanis (and horses for all yall horse folks). Go check her out. She needs some interactions after a lull.

Chicken Enthusiast. Building an army of tiny chickens. ♥️

NPIP 58-3351

Member: American Poultry Association, American Bantam Association, and Ayam Cemani Breeders Association.

08/31/2026

We have babies hatching from Round 2! One is out, one is pipped, and one is zipping. Black Cat Silkie Farms LLC

08/31/2026

Folks who brew kombucha, how do you know when your primary fermentation is complete? Look at my scoby! It totally grew.

08/31/2026

Did yall know I do DNA-based s*x testing on birds (babies, adults, and anything in between ). I can determine gender, test for the recessive white gene(s), test for the blue egg gene, and maaaaybe the lavender gene. Holler at ya girl. I could use some more clients!

DNA samples are in the mail as we speak! Thanks so much, Black Cat Genetic Testing!

Also, this notepad is the best! Everyone needs one! Just In Case - Pen Store, T-Shirts, Tumblers, Stationery & More!! Can fix ya up!

Also, I need some return address labels made! Who does them?