5th Annual BYC New Year's Day 2014 Hatch-A-Long

[JDchicks]

Just want to say thank you to Ron for the dedication this project took.

A thank you to all the experience shared. We didn't know anything but you all filled that gap. Other newbies asked questions I had and we all learned. Thank you so much! The documents on setting and hatching are a wonderful tool!

We are planning our next hatch, to set on the 18th. HOPEFULLY.

Here are some things I learned from this hatch that I can implement to make the next one better.

#1. Have a way to put in water without opening the bator.
#2. Don't candle by removing the egg, or don't candle until day 17, that's a thought!
#3. Get rubbery shelf liner for the bottom of the bator, that metal grate looks hard on new babies.
#4. If an early bird hatches a full day in advance, try to remove it before any other eggs pip.
#5. If possible, only hatch one kind of bird and maybe they'll all hatch the same day and avoid the early bird problem. (It's worth a try)
#6. Never leave a baby with a bloody umbilicus in the bator w/o separating it.
#7. Get medical grade thermometers, the froggy one is fun for photos as it disturbs people to see a waving frog, but it's not as accurate.
#8. Get sponges for lockdown.
#9. The dirty egg never developed, maybe don't bother setting dirty eggs.
#10. Other people (On BYC) know everything so don't be afraid to ask.

Thanks everybody!

For #1: I use the clear plastic tubing from pet fish department at Walmart. The one of those tips from a pastry bag as the funnel. Fits right in the tubing.

 

[MontanaDolphin]

They're beautiful!
Relative to feather sexing - the speed of growth is the ONLY factor. The technique is based on the rapid feathering gene's effect on the pullet; the gene is inactive in roos. Pullets with this gene hatch with two rows of feather shafts (and sometimes a bit of vane) already extended. That's why it's only valid for a few days - the gene ceases to exert an influence shortly after hatch, and they return to 'normal' feather growth rate - which is still pretty fast. The roos, who hatch with no visible feather, are still growing those feathers - just at a slightly slower rate than the accelerated female was experiencing pre-hatch. By the fifth day, the growth spurt the pullet experienced in her last few days of incubation is unnoticeable.

The reason feather sexing does not work with many crosses and exotics is because only one parent carried the rapid feathering gene, or possibly neither has it - therefore, statistically speaking, only half (pr none) of the chicks will have it, making it unreliable - a roo will still NEVER have the feather shafts at hatch, but a pullet may or may not, depending on whether she inherited the gene. All standard breeds of large fowl carry the rapid feathering gene - this is why it works on them.

My call, based on your earlier photos (these are too late to be determinants) AND assuming that this breed is homozygous for the rF gene, is that the lighter colored bird, I believe it was your #3, is a pullet and the other three shown in that photo series are roos.

Now I'm really confused...someone else said (only between days 1-3), that if there are two rows of feathers of different lengths, it's a pullet.
If the rapid feather growth is the only factor, then Chick 4 and Miracle are my only pullets. The rest are roos.

Edit to add: I wonder how hard vent sexing is???

 

[GerbilsOnToast]

Now I'm really confused...someone else said (only between days 1-3), that if there are two rows of feathers of different lengths, it's a pullet.
If the rapid feather growth is the only factor, then Chick 4 and Miracle are my only pullets. The rest are roos.

Edit to add: I wonder how hard vent sexing is???

Both sexes will eventually grow the same wing tip feathers. The reason most people specify the two different length rows of feathers is that in some breeds who are homozygous for the gene, the roos may have the first row of shafts beginning to show - but never the second. TWO rows of feather shafts *in a homozygous breed* is conclusive for pullet, even if the males are precocious.

edit to add - vent sexing is a lot harder - and kinda disgusting, LOL

 

[ronott1]

Both sexes will eventually grow the same wing tip feathers. The reason most people specify the two different length rows of feathers is that in some breeds who are homozygous for the gene, the roos may have the first row of shafts beginning to show - but never the second. TWO rows of feather shafts *in a homozygous breed* is conclusive for pullet, even if the males are precocious.

edit to add - vent sexing is a lot harder - and kinda disgusting, LOL

Tail feathers will grow slower on cockerels too. That lasts longer than 1-3 days.

 

[carriebain]

Final count 5 marans and 3 Trader Joes Leghorns! Pictures later today!

 

[MontanaDolphin]

Both sexes will eventually grow the same wing tip feathers. The reason most people specify the two different length rows of feathers is that in some breeds who are homozygous for the gene, the roos may have the first row of shafts beginning to show - but never the second. TWO rows of feather shafts *in a homozygous breed* is conclusive for pullet, even if the males are precocious.

edit to add - vent sexing is a lot harder - and kinda disgusting, LOL

Lol, yea...I just said that to be funny! A little humor to go along with my disappointment. I feather sexed my last batch of chicks when I picked them out. They all are females, like I guessed...and they are the moms to these chicks. I figured I could follow the same pattern. All the chicks are 3 days and younger...the first two born NYD in the evening, next born at midnight the 2nd, and so on. So since it's not past day 3, I thought feather sexing would be accurate.

Phooey. I guess I'll know for sure in a couple of months.

 

[GerbilsOnToast]

Now I'm really confused...someone else said (only between days 1-3), that if there are two rows of feathers of different lengths, it's a pullet.
If the rapid feather growth is the only factor, then Chick 4 and Miracle are my only pullets. The rest are roos.

Edit to add: I wonder how hard vent sexing is???

Immediately on hatch is the easiest - but the chick is tiny and we worry about breaking them, LOL Because feather growth rates vary between breeds, it's not usually considered reliable at all after day 3. The faster the breeds' feathering rate, the sooner you lose that tiny difference. Leghorns, and probably some others, can be pretty reliably sexed by feathers until early in day 5. Buff Orpingtons, you're getting iffy late in day 3, with 'day' beginning at minute of hatch. So, if you just always figure you have to do it before mid-day on day 3, you're covered!

 

[insanity]

Final count
60 eggs set, on 12/11/12
6 in lock down on 12/28/12
eggtopsy 1/2/13...2 breathers
1 barred rock x splash bantam. She was 4 days late.1/4/13

 

[abmaddox1981]

Don't forget that there is also a cinco de mayo turkey hatch a long

I know! I just have to find some eggs....

 

[ronott1]

Final count
60 eggs set, on 12/11/12
6 in lock down on 12/28/12
eggtopsy 1/2/13...2 breathers
1 barred rock x splash bantam. She was 4 days late.1/4/13

Two hatched?

When that happens I look on the bright side and say to myself that at least two hatched, so they won't be lonely.