- Thread starter
- #551
Update: Day 20 end.
27 Hatched an 8 pipped. Leaving hatchlings in bators till morning. They all look healthy and spry.
27 Hatched an 8 pipped. Leaving hatchlings in bators till morning. They all look healthy and spry.
Follow along with the video below to see how to install our site as a web app on your home screen.
Note: This feature may not be available in some browsers.
BTW, I moved my 23 3-week-old chicks into my young birds run yesterday. With all but 2 of the cockerels gone, they went in with 2x 15-week-old BCM cockerels, 10x nearly 9-week-olds, and 16x 7.5-week-olds...plus a 7.5 week-old Guinea Fowl and 2x 7.5 week-old Turkeys. So they are the largest group in the run right now, and while there are a few older birds rushing around as the young'uns flitter about the place, for the most part things are very calm. The BCMs actually wade through them and give them a peck on the head occasionally, as if to say; "Hey, look at me, I'm the boss!"
My processed birds didn't do well. 1.31kg to 1.88kg at 15.66 weeks dressed...the males from the hatchery last year were 2kg to 2.5kg at 16 weeks last year. I know I mis-fed the cockerels as I did my main flock, for about 6 weeks, so I am hoping that's the reason for the small size. Next processing isn't until Nov. 4th, when I will be taking 16 week and 17.25 week cockerels...and hope for a slightly bigger bird (2kg min. would be great). I am going to price the birds differently next time too...those that are > 2kg will be $11, under will be $12...which will help compensate for the processing fee (which is the same no matter the size). I charged $10/kg this time...doesn't pay for the feed.
Today I had gotten to within 7 days with my eggs for my next setting. Meaning, none of the 80 I have put aside are more than 7 days old...then Murphy's law took over and I dropped a container of 5 new eggs...bleh! Anyway, not ready to set tomorrow (which was my plan) but will probably set on Tuesday, so I should be able to make up for it by then. I have also been turning the eggs I am keeping for the next set, something I didn't do before. So next set is fresher eggs, turned daily, kept coolish (60F)...all new factors in my next hatch.
I decided today that this hatch is going to end tomorrow at 6:00pm. At that point, I plan on candling all unhatched eggs. Right now there is only 1 pip, but if its not hatched by tomorrow at 6:00pm, or if there are any new ones, I am going to move them into the brooder together with any eggs that look like there's still a live chick in there. Its an experiment, but it will let me set anew in the bators. Based on Day 18 candling, of the 26 eggs that haven't pipped, only 10 were suspected to be clears. So 16 should show some sign of life, or they're a late death. I have been really hoping there wouldn't be late deaths.
FWIW, 2 of my 3 oldest eggs (the 2 that were 14 days-old at set) have hatched. The oldest is amongst my "viables".