My hatching news... this hatches bad luck is still haunting me.
Less than half of my eggs locked down hatched and two chicks that did, died.
I think I must have had a temp spike when I pulled the heavily panting chicks out but they'd knocked the thermometer off the eggs and it was face down on the floor. It was reading ok when it stabilized afterwards but chicks in the 'bator don't usually pant like they are being cooked.
I'd left the eggs till today but I'm tossing and cleaning this afternoon, the 'bator stinks.
I'd also intended to enter the Most Colorful Roo comp but when I went out to take pics of the one I planned to enter, he was dead!
No idea what happened, it was hot but not that hot. I have crazy broodies crammed into nestboxes that were fine so...
The good news is 15 chickies doing well.
In more good news, one of my formerly defective Silkies is finally working properly and has finally gone broody!
'Course she has, I was about to move them out of the breeding pen so I could boot the chicks in the big brooder outside and move the NYD chicks into it.
I need more pens! Current broody count:
1. Who must be near hatching in a breeding pen but I forgot to write down the date she started sitting.
2. Who were supposed to get Christmas chicks but only 3 hatched so I decided to give them NYD chicks instead, still nowhere to put them. Would it be crazy to bring them inside, divide the big brooder and give them the chicks till I build pens for them outside???
4. Who are all trying to share the favorite nest box.
2. I can't get to, so I can't move them
1. Formerly defective Silkie I want to move.
1. I just discovered this morning. She'll have to move as she's sitting without any cover over her, right outside one of the nestboxes they don't like.
It's
exactly the same as their favorite one.
That's... um...
11 broodies!!!
Methinks I'll be drowning in chicks shortly...