November Hatch-A-Long (2014)

[darkbluespace]

All pips are hatched! One olive egger left to pip...

Otherwise all eggs that made it to lockdown hatched. I did have one casualty though. Last night, I had a Splash Isbar hatch right. Last checked on everybody around midnight. Was weak but ok. This am I found it dead in the incubator. Heartbreaking. The other Isbar (blue) just hatched this am... Along with the other Serama. Overall I think this has been a good hatch. Pictures coming this afternoon.

It sounds like an awesome hatch!!! It was your first one right? Doubly awesome then. Sorry you lost one of your chicks though.

I have cried over almost everyone I've lost, but I think it does get easier.

 

[Junibutt]

Hubby was just asking how long from when chicks hatch does a broody hen start laying again and also how long do they need their mother for?
Thanks


Quote:
Originally Posted by ochochicas

The chicks need their mom until they are old enough/big enough to survive the temps without her. It all depends on the season and your weather. We had one broody that left her chicks at 5 weeks (it was in summer). She laid an egg the very next day. Our other broody hen stayed with her chicks for 10 weeks although they didn't need her anymore. She went back and forth a few times before leaving them for good. It took a little while longer for her to start laying because she was also molting. I'd say from the time she went broody until she started to lay again was about 3 1/2 months. She is broody again going into the dead of winter. She was such a good mom I'm tempted to give her some eggs again.

Mine left her chicks at 4 weeks sharp and laid an egg couple of days later. She had started singing the egg song about 10 days before she left them. I hope its not the same this time because chicks need her for at least six weeks so that their feathers are out. I have heard of some broodies taking care of their chicks even for 4-6 months even when she is not able to cover them. lol.

 

[Iko127]

Hi everyone! It sounds like everyone had great hatches! Mine are done. Final was 11 out of 13 hatched. One chick I think died about lock down- no pips. The second egg I'm not sure what happened but somehow while it was zipping it got its head back down toward the bottom of the egg and guess suffocated. I noticed it was taking a while and went in to help but it was dead. Still had a great hatch and very happy with the chicks!! Its always fun getting eggs at auctions since you never really know what the eggs are!! I have some look like buffs and/or sex links and 3 that maybe are ameraucanas. Not sure but the look like chipmunks..lol I will try to get pictures tomorrow. I can honestly say I have lost it, wasn't planning on hatching anymore for awhile, and not only am I hatching but I have 66 eggs I'm going to put in the bators!!!!!

18 are suppose to be light brahmas and 48 are a mix, from seramas to RIR and a few green eggs!! Should be fun!! Good luck to all

 

[rachelpotter]

All eggs that made it to lockdown hatched. 14 of 34 shipped eggs. Out of those 10 alone were Seramas. they were packed loose in sawdust.

One blue and two splash Olive Eggers (isbar/maran)

Blue Isbar

Jersey Giants

Blue/black copper marans...one doesn't have the leg feathers... there are five total

And my faves....

 

[jaymeellis06]

Oh my gosh, they are soo teeny tiny! Adorable!

 

[MrsFitzDarcy]

Sigh. Only two hatched out of my 15 crested cream legbar eggs. One was facing the wrong end, and I helped her out, but she didn't make it. And then there was one little ... she is going to live my friend @AZChiknGoddess since she had one boy and one girl make it. She is going to trade me for a trio of wheaten amerecaunas. I didn't want the Princess to be alone.

 

[ochochicas]

Sigh. Only two hatched out of my 15 crested cream legbar eggs. One was facing the wrong end, and I helped her out, but she didn't make it. And then there was one little ... she is going to live my friend @AZChiknGoddess since she had one boy and one girl make it. She is going to trade me for a trio of wheaten amerecaunas. I didn't want the Princess to be alone.

Sorry to hear that! At least you did get a couple of them to hatch. Better than my big fat ZERO. I am convinced there is something wrong with certain lines of legbars that completely ruins their egg vitality. I will try one more hatch after the first of the year. After that I'm going to start hatching something more interesting...like turkens. LOL

 

[Sustained]

Sorry to hear that! At least you did get a couple of them to hatch. Better than my big fat ZERO. I am convinced there is something wrong with certain lines of legbars that completely ruins their egg vitality. I will try one more hatch after the first of the year. After that I'm going to start hatching something more interesting...like turkens. LOL

 

[ochochicas]

Last summer I bought some eggs from a lady and hatched out a surprise turken. I fell in LOVE with him. He's supposed to be an olive egger, so I might breed him to some Marans or easter eggers to see what I get.

How cute is this little bugger?

 

[AmyLynn2374]

Sorry to hear that! At least you did get a couple of them to hatch. Better than my big fat ZERO. I am convinced there is something wrong with certain lines of legbars that completely ruins their egg vitality. I will try one more hatch after the first of the year. After that I'm going to start hatching something more interesting...like turkens. LOL

If you hatch turkens let me know how that goes...lol out of my 16 that went into lockdown, 5 eggs ended up being turken crosses. Two hatched no problem, one was shrink wrapped and I assisted seemed pretty strong after resting but had pasty butt from day one and after a week and 3 days, we lost him/her night before last, and two our of the three eggs that died in the shell were also turkens. All three that hatched were my last three. Now I am wondering if it is typical for turkens to hatch later and if they have a higher mortality in shell. Both of the ones that died in shell were 19/20 day deaths. One was in position, yolk absorbed but no pip, not shrink wrapped. I don't know why. I know I saw that egg moving day 19. The other one never turned, but was fully formed and had just started absorbing the yolk. now I am just hoping that at least one out of the two are hens!!!!