September Hatch-A-Long

[duluthralphie]

That clip was amazing!!!

I would have never guessed two birds could come from one egg!

I would have thought it would be one birds with a double yolk sac or two yolk sacs or something but Twins, wow!

 

[krista74]

Hi Duluthralphie,

Any sign of Ethel today?

I have been following your posts about her adventures and am desperate for some happy news - as, I'm sure, you are!

It would be lovely to see her coming home, across the yard, with a little group of chicks running along behind her.

By the way, I read your post a few days ago about trying to follow Ethel back to the nest, and her disappearing on you when you turned your back.

So when you said yesterday that your plan next time was to find her nest and take her eggs, I must admit I had a bit of a giggle.

Good luck with that, lol!

My best wishes for a healthy, happy hatch.

- Krista

 

[kada6305]

Got my shipped eggs today. As far as I can tell only have 2 with detached air cells. But I am not really sure. I have them sitting in an egg carton fat end up for 48 hours. Is that how you do it? I'll put them in the incubator on Friday. I have 7 eggs in another incubator now that should hatch on the 23rd, These silkie eggs should hatch about the 4th.

 

[Y N dottes]

Got my shipped eggs today. As far as I can tell only have 2 with detached air cells. But I am not really sure. I have them sitting in an egg carton fat end up for 48 hours. Is that how you do it? I'll put them in the incubator on Friday. I have 7 eggs in another incubator now that should hatch on the 23rd, These silkie eggs should hatch about the 4th.

Yes, leaving sitting like that for at least 12 hours. I've heard different opinions on how long. Since I am incubating in a carton I wasn't as concerned because the air cell was not going to move much. If you are going to have them on their side, I would suggest waiting longer so the air cells have a better chance of reattaching.

 

[Y N dottes]

Cool video demonstrating chick development from start to hatch.

I have seriously watched this video every day for the last week to see where my eggs are in their development, lol.

 

[cream puff]

Double yolkers almost never survive. They end up dying towards the end because they are not positioned correctly to pip internally.
There are exceptions. Here is one that was posted to byc in 2008:

was there any follow up to those chicks? how long did they live?

 

[kada6305]

Yes, leaving sitting like that for at least 12 hours. I've heard different opinions on how long. Since I am incubating in a carton I wasn't as concerned because the air cell was not going to move much. If you are going to have them on their side, I would suggest waiting longer so the air cells have a better chance of reattaching.

How do you turn when incubating in egg carton? I have been incubating on their sides. Thats why I figured let them sit for 48 hrs.

 

[Y N dottes]

Quote:
I tip the whole carton at about a 45 degree angle. it may not sound ideal, but its worked quite well

 

[duluthralphie]

Hi Duluthralphie,

Any sign of Ethel today?

I have been following your posts about her adventures and am desperate for some happy news - as, I'm sure, you are!

It would be lovely to see her coming home, across the yard, with a little group of chicks running along behind her.

By the way, I read your post a few days ago about trying to follow Ethel back to the nest, and her disappearing on you when you turned your back.

So when you said yesterday that your plan next time was to find her nest and take her eggs, I must admit I had a bit of a giggle.

Good luck with that, lol!

My best wishes for a healthy, happy hatch.

- Krista

No Ethel.
The weather here stinks, I a worried sick. It is 49 degrees F right now heading down to high 30's and low 40s over night. It is damp wet and terrible. I cannot imagine worse weather to have babies in.....

I tired to find her nest yesterday, I failed... I should go look again.

The other turkeys have moved into my machine shed with the weather, (Guess who will have tons of poop to clean)

I would like to take her and her babies and put them in my stock tank brooder with a heat lamp. I am so worried....

Ethel is not taking my emotions into consideration here, and I thought she liked me!

The babies should have hatched yesterday or today.

 

[duluthralphie]

Krista74 thank you!

I decided after reading your post to make one more attempt to find Ethel. I walked the direction I thought she was. I walked over 1/8th of a mile looking under trees and brush for her....

Then I decided to go into the holy land (Federal Wildlife Area the feds protect like Fort Knox, even if they did steal it (eminent domain) from my family) (another story for later)......

I was across the fire break and entering the swamp when I heard peeping, Behind me!

There they were 5 babies!! So cute, and Ethel!!!

ETHEL IS A MOTHER!! JJ IS A DADDY!!

She was bringing them to the yard. It is just too far for them to walk in this weather, my idea, not hers.

I put them in my shirt and started walking to the shed. They would peep and she would get agitated and follow me.. When I got to the shed she was confused and Ticked off. I put the babies in the stock tank brooder, picked her up and put her in. I turned on the heat light and gave her food and water...THEN I TOOK PICTURES!! and more pictures...and more pictures....

My wife got off her sick bed ( she had surgery yesterday) and went to see Ethel and the babies. I told her she had to stay in bed. That was not gonna happen!


They are beautiful. It surprises me, they are reddish, blue, grey and yellow... Ethel and JJ are slate blues??? Was Ethel fooling around on JJ???

No matter we love them!... And JJ was proud when I told him he was a daddy...
I now have proven breeders!!!

And I got the day right!!

Here are a few pictures:






I apologize for the brightness I had to play with the pictures a tad so you could see them..Also my birds do not look as rugged as Ethel does in these, she is kind of tough looking after 28 days in the woods!