Bittersweet hatch, against all odds, Hatching after dog killed my hens

[outdoorschik]

So three weeks ago a dog took out every single one of my hens (12) and the mean ol' rooster that was destined for the crockpot.
I was devastated, but it was my fault due to a weak pen. We began to build Fort Knox for a new coop and I in a sort of desperation, I took every single egg out of the fridge... ten days +, cracked, displaced air cells, thin shelled, etc. When I candled along the way, it looked like mamy didn't develop right or quit, almost threw them out, but I left them there just in case.

I had placed 38. During the incubation my LG started to act up. My temps ranged from a drop to 90 one night to some days above 102. I honestly thought all hope was lost at several points and comtemplated chucking the whole batch. I am SO glad I didn't, because as of this morning 34 have hatched and there are two more pips. I am truly amazed! After ALL the things that went wrong (I am seriously chucking this bator and buying a fancy one for all the stress it gave me) and the fact that my eggs were so old... and refridgerated, that this many developed and hatched. This has emphsized to me that these eggs can take quite a bit, and I should NEVER trust my gut when it says throw this egg out!

 

[thespinningcottage]

Amazing story! So sorry for your bad experience with the dog, but how exciting about the eggs!!

 

[TurkeyMountainChickens]

34 of 38 on refrigerated eggs!!!!

Wow! With your incubator trouble I'd have been impressed with those hatch numbers on fresh eggs.

Congratulations on your chicks. It sounds like you'll be able to pick and choose your new flock!

 

[Marie1234]

Congrats! 34/38 ! If you really chuck the bator give it to someone else because it sounds like it works.

 

[MissJenny]

Hooray -- out of the ashes... I am so sorry for you losses and tribulations. Hooray for the rewards. Best of luck to you and the new babies.

Jenny

 

[outdoorschik]

Thanks guys ... I know it sounds crazy about chucking the bator. But really, I couldn't get the temp stable for the life of me! It's an LG... I'm guessing that the wafer is going bad?
It's so exciting that they did so well. Now i have a much better problem... how to pick which I keep? Won't BF be shocked when the chicken numebrs go waaaaay up from 13 to ....? hehe... I think I'll play the card that I just have to keep a lot in case I get a lot of roos and because they remind me of my hens

 

[gvntofly05]

I'm really sorry you lost your flock

Yay for lots of healthy fluffy butts though

Good Luck and have fun with all your new babies!

 

[schellie69]

so glad that you have a happy ending to your story I wish I had an incubator would love to get some Maran and EE's eggs to hatch.

 

[FireTigeris]

My LG did the same thing, mine hatched "early", 16/23 total, half of those eggs were shipped in 90+ degrees for 3 days.

my hatch (1st ever) was 74%, yours is 89% nearly ninety percent!

 

[halo]

Thats a really great story. Those little babies will go a long way to help you forget the past and concentrate on the future with them.