APRIL Hatch-A-Long 2015: PLEASE READ FIRST POST

[toynutz]

My little ones are a week old today and doing great! But I have a dilemma and really need some advice.

Their mama decided to go broody a few days ago. What timing! Is it too early to try and fool her with these babies now? If I wait a week or two, will they be too big to fool her? Another option; I saved a few of her eggs. I could trade them with the ones she's on now... or should I incubate them until I can candle, then slip the good ones in? I appreciate any input you all have to offer!

 

[SoProlix]

My little ones are a week old today and doing great! But I have a dilemma and really need some advice.

Their mama decided to go broody a few days ago. What timing! Is it too early to try and fool her with these babies now? If I wait a week or two, will they be too big to fool her? Another option; I saved a few of her eggs. I could trade them with the ones she's on now... or should I incubate them until I can candle, then slip the good ones in? I appreciate any input you all have to offer!

I haven't done this myself, but my neighbor put 2+ week old chicks in with her broody and they did great. Not sure how long she had been broody. Good luck!

 

[Conchis]

Well...5 of the 6 hatched....eggtopsy showed the 6th never really developed at all. Cute little chicks cheeping quietly in the corner. Don't ya just love that content little cheep?

 

[Sustained]

Why am I thinking I would incubate in the Brinsea and hatch in the LG? The Brinsea would be much easier to clean, but if the temp was dropped a degree or two on the LG, to keep it from over heating, wouldn't that be less critical than the first 18 days?

I use my LGs as a hatcher and one as an overflow bator. (I also stagger hatch so need more than one incubator) My main bator is a lyon roll x2 and it's amazing but oh boy what a pain to clean! So I will use that one for the first portion and the brinsea for lockdown. We will see how they do as a team

 

[randerson846]

Update! There have been 3 hatches, and there are 2 pipped, and one internally pipped, i think i saw another one, trying to internally pip, but mot sure,mas for the last 2, i think theyre dead !

 

[LisaLouHoo]

My little ones are a week old today and doing great! But I have a dilemma and really need some advice.

Their mama decided to go broody a few days ago. What timing! Is it too early to try and fool her with these babies now? If I wait a week or two, will they be too big to fool her? Another option; I saved a few of her eggs. I could trade them with the ones she's on now... or should I incubate them until I can candle, then slip the good ones in? I appreciate any input you all have to offer!

The week-old chicks may not take to the broody. They may have already gotten used to a heat lamp or hot plate and be frightened with a broody. If the broody is in a safe place and not off the ground, then you might try with a couple chicks and supervise to see what happens. The longer you wait the harder it'll be. If she is currently on infertile eggs or eggs you don't want hatched, then you could slip the eggs you want under her right now. I was able to slip newly hatched chicks under my broody almost a week after she hatched two herself, but this is a different scenario, I realize.

But definitely take advantage of your broody in some way. Nature at its best!!

 

[hayoungyun]

Today's day 18 for my egg! I just can't wait for my own little fuzzy butt to hatch

 

[pewterchick]

More eggs are pipped.

 

[minnehaha]

Lockdown is Friday, but since my temps ran a bit high, I took the turner out today, in case I have early birds that need to get into hatch position. I won't raise the humidity till Friday though. I've been reading that they really don't need turning after day 14 because they can move around in the shells themselves so do not get stuck, I'm on day 16.

I never have good hatches, no matter what I do, however, I am shocked this time to have 28 eggs on day 16 with movement in all of them. I started out with 32 eggs.

I sure hope I am doing OK by taking the turner out, if others think this is a bad move, I can hand turn them till Friday. I actually have a second incubator that has 23 eggs in it and no turner, I am hand turning those eggs.

 

[HugHess]

Pippin' n Zippin'! Five out, three pipped, that I know of, lol, and eight more to go!