Mille Fleurs are hatching!

[d_rooster]

I started with six Mille Fleur eggs and yesterday (Monday) was Day 21. The first chick hatched near the end of Day 21 once I got home from work at about 6 p.m. A second one was out by this morning (Day 22) and a third was out by this afternoon, almost 24 hours after the first to hatch. I am still holding out hope for the last three, but I don't see anymore pips at this point. One more chick would make me feel the hatch was a success (4 out of 6).

The couple of hatches I've had before didn't seem to have been this spread out and I'm fighting the urge not to open the incubator for a bit longer. However, the first chick is dry and fluffy and has been out for a little more than 24 hours. I know that shipped chicks last a few days after hatching without food or water, but what's the max amount of time I should wait before opening the bator to remove the fluffy chicks and put them in the brooder with food and water?

 

[Kanchii]

Yay for baby d'Uccles!

Personally, if there isn't any other chicks in the process of hatching, I'd go ahead and open the bator real quick and get the hatched ones out.

 

[d_rooster]

I've got the heating lamp turned on and paper towels down already in the big, green, plastic container that I usually use for a first week brooder. This particular plastic container used to store Christmas ornaments. The hinges on the lid broke, so now it has a new life as a chicken brooder.

I knew there had to be a reason to keep it when it broke.

It's deep with rounded corners and it stays pretty warm. That's all the chicks seem to care about.

As soon as it warms up in the brooder, I'm going to risk a quick transfer as long as there are no visible pips on the remaining eggs. The humidity and temps in my incubator/hatcher usually come back up pretty fast (less than 10 minutes) when I open the lid anyway.

 

[pips&peeps]

While you're doing that, grab the unpipped eggs and tap them and put them by your ear. If there is anything in there, it will talk to you....

 

[d_rooster]

Well, I transferred the three hatched chicks to the brooder and checked the remaining three unhatched eggs while I was in the 'bator. I did a quick candle for movement and saw none. I also did the tapping and heard no response. I left them in the incubator and I'll give them another day or so. If no more hatch by then, I'll call it three happy Mille Fleur chicks and start praying that I've got a pullet and a roo rather than a single gender.

Right now all three chicks are sleeping most of the time and basking in the glow of the light bulb. They look like sunbathers on a beach all stretched out in the sun.

I may have to find them a few more companions depending on what new chicks arrive at the local feed store this Friday.