Hatching shipped eggs, some with bad air cells.

[DemeterAD9]

Green isn't doing too well, I think it will pass over night.

I decided to chip away at the remaining eggs only to find 2 fully formed dead chicks and 1 mostly formed dead chick that hadn't absorbed the yolk sac. Plus the other 4 eggs were quitters about halfway through and has small chicks inside. Not terribly happy to see that none of the maran eggs hatched, 2 were the formed ones.

On the other hand the first 7 to hatch are doing perfectly fine! They quickly learned where the food and water is and they know the heat plate as "mom". The dark brown chick, green , is the only complainer who will do some loud peeps for no reason. I'm currently working on getting them all used to being handled by picking them up a couple times each day. Red is the most responsive one when I stick my hand into the food, it comes running out from under the plate and picks around near my fingers.

On a whim I decided to try sexing them based on wing feather length. I am aware it is not really accurate for some breeds but here are the results.

Possible females

1. Green , black and yellow ones with a half black beak
2. Green , dark brown, feathered feet
3. Green , mostly black with white chin (wing feathers are already visibly longer than the others)
4. Red , yellow and grey

Possible males

1. Red , light yellow/grey
2. Green, light brown aka red
3. Green , black with white eye ticks, feathered feet, white neck/chin

It will be interesting to see how accurate the wing feather sexing is for these guys.

 

[DemeterAD9]

Poor little green has passed.

I cleaned the brooder today and all the chicks are still doing well. They sure do drink more what than I thought they would. Before long I think I will tape two of the 2ftX2ft boxes together and adding some enrichment, like a clump of grassy dirt from the hard and some sticks for perching. They've been jumping around and on top of the brooder plate so I think it's about time.

Group pic while I was cleaning the brooder.

One chick is a loud mouth, not sure if it is bored or actually seeking some attention.

 

[pennyJo1960]

Welcome to Backyard Chickens. This is a great place to explore and hang out.
You get shipped eggs my only advice let them sit like 12 hours after picking them up.