FEBRUARY Hatch-A-Long 2015:Please Read First Post To Join H-A-L

[ChickyChickens]

Is there such a thing as a brooder that is too big? I guess it depends on how many chicks, but I turned a 50gal rubber maid bin into a brooder, will have a hot plate in it from premier, and I cut a window in the side and put in hardware cloth so I can see them more easily without looming over them. Max number of chicks I could have hatch Tues would be 6, with another hopeful in a week and another 8 or so in 16 days... Expecting fewer but ever hopeful!!

Should I block off half the brooder at first tho'? I didn't expect it to be so big, I was really worried about not enough space, but the thing looks HUGE empty, even with the hot plate and feeder/waterer in there. Will put in a few baby perches but it's still going to be a lot of floor space for those little legs. Don't want a chick to get 'lost' too far from the hot plate.

No, not really!! As long as it isnt difficult for the chicks (especially when they are still small/young) to reach the heat light!!!

 

[bamachicks8]

Day 15, candled and 24 of the 42 were not developing. Not a single brown or green egg will make it to lockdown. I'm not sure if they froze before I gathered them (it is very cold here) or if the roster decided he only wanted to breed the 3 White Leghorn.

Disappointed at the moment since I was hoping for more RIR hybrids, but I'll try again in a few weeks once this hatch is over.

did you do eggtopsy to determine if they
Were infertile?

 

[ChickyChickens]

did you do eggtopsy to determine if they
Were infertile?

X2!!!

 

[Loc20chick]

finally got a chance to take pics of mama ducks fuzzies !!! I'm in love

 

[LadyHawkeAvry]

finally got a chance to take pics of mama ducks fuzzies !!! I'm in love

So cute!!!!!

 

[Chick Phil A]

did you do eggtopsy to determine if they
Were infertile?

I opened 8 and got a ton of yolk, watery whites, with no veins or development. I didn't look past that. I still have some intact, what should I look for, the bullseye?

 

[Purpletie3]

finally got a chance to take pics of mama ducks fuzzies !!! I'm in love

These are so sweet! Congrats!

 

[oolyboolu]

Noob question: do you guys count day 1 as the day you put your eggs in or a full 24 hrs in counts as day 1? Does it matter much?

 

[bamachicks8]

Noob question: do you guys count day 1 as the day you put your eggs in or a full 24 hrs in counts as day 1? Does it matter much?

If you put your eggs in on say Saturday then Sunday is day 1. It matters because you must lockdown on day 18.

 

[oolyboolu]

If you put your eggs in on say Saturday then Sunday is day 1. It matters because you must lockdown on day 18.

Perfect that's what I had thought but then I started to overthink and wasn't sure

thanks!