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

[chicken pickin]

Pozees answered this perfectly!

95 the first week and then drop 5 degrees a week until feathered.


The condensation on the glass says that the humidity is much higher than 70%. Too high starved them of oxygen.

X2 I was thinking the same thing, too much condensation.

 

[ronott1]

@ronott1 Watching the egg cam now, what breed are they?

they are Amelias(Crele Penedesenca x Cream Legbar) Bred back to Crele Penedesenca. The pullets will lay Dark brown or Olive colored eggs.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

For lighting your brooders, this is a quote from a report on poultry lighting from the University of Connecticut.

"~~Broiler chicks can be exposed to 20-23 hrs of continuous light at one and two days of age and then reduced to 18 - 20 hrs of light until processed. Recent research has shown that darkness is just as important to the health and growth of birds as is light. During the dark phase, melatonin, a hormone released by the pineal gland, is released. Melatonin has been associated with immune function and disease resistance. Birds provided with sufficient dark periods have fewer health related problems, including sudden death, spiking mortality and leg problems."

That's why non light emitting heat sources are better than incandescent or infrared lamps.

ref. ~~Darre, M. J. 1979. The influence of red light vs white light rearing of broiler chicks on agonistic behavior, feed efficiency and oxygen consumption. Poultry Sci. 58:1048

 

[LogCabinFarm]

I am wondering how many hours are you giving the chicks before you take them from bator and put in brooder? thanks

 

[ChickenCanoe]

As soon as they are dry as long as it won't shrink wrap the eggs still hatching. You can wait as much as 2 days.

 

[ronott1]

thanks for the help guys! my brooder is at 95. I didn't realize how small it is for these chicks... it will be fine for now but I might have to set up another one lol. where did everyone get big storage totes? I got the biggest one at Wal-Mart and they are gonna out grow it soon

Walmart is good. Here in California, Orchard(OSH) has them on sale too.

~~Ready for some pictures?


Here we go:







13 of 14 Naked Necks


9 of 19 Easter Egger


the 14 Naked Necks and 8 Naked Neck x non Naked Neck moms


the last 10 of the Easter Eggers.



Total of 41 out 62 eggs so far. Still have s few trying to hatch.

Very Nice!

I am wondering how many hours are you giving the chicks before you take them from bator and put in brooder? thanks

I wait until they fluff up and are dry. I like to wait until the eggs with pips hatch though. Not more than 24 hours though.

 

[chickengirl1193]

Many people suggest a red heat lamp. Red light has long been used to reduce cannibalism and feather picking. Some are starting to use blue light because it has been reported that blue light has a calming effect on birds. It has also been shown that blue-green light stimulates growth in chickens. 
If you are brooding in a small space, like a Rubbermaid tub, a heat lamp will be too hot.  If you truly are able to have a cool zone, 95+ in the warmest spot is ok.
I like a hot spot and lots of cool space so they can find their comfort zone. A broody hen doesn't heat all the ambient air, just a hot spot to warm up in and off into the cold cruel world they go until they need a warmup again.
The rule of thumb of 90-95 the first week and dropping it 5 degrees a week is for the commercial industry where they have thousands of chicks and can't provide a more natural environment.
I'd definitely start them off with probiotics and electrolytes, just don't overdo it. Less is more. I also put a little honey or agave nectar in the water for energy the first day or 2.
The water should be lukewarm too.
Yes that's a good sign they're ready to eat and drink.

Wow, that seems early.
I have 38 cooking with the first 24 due in 7 hours and not a pip or a peep yet. I'm not standing around it all day though.
I'm just hoping I didn't actually COOK them at some point. Hoping, praying with toes and fingers crossed
Now y'all are getting me nervous.

I used to use a white light for the first week so they could eat 24/7. I've now learned it is better to give them a dark period each day from day 3, that's why I've switched to using ceramic emitters after the first couple days. They last longer and are more energy efficient since they don't produce light. Even if they do break, they don't make a mess. 

If they peep a lot, they're usually either lonely or cold.

Very cool, Alaskan chickens.

X2. I used to stress about min/max temps but since I usually brood in a large space I quit even thinking about a thermometer. I just provide at least one hot spot and lots of cool space.
I like the Gro-Gel too but I'm out of it now.
I'm planning on splitting them into 3 groups. One will get 22% starter crumbs and regular water, one will get starter and probiotics in the water and the third gets fermented 16% organic starter with the protein boosted to 22% with fishmeal. I'll weigh weekly. If I see group #1 isn't growing as fast, I'll get probiotics into them quickly.
That is, if enough hatch.
My customary brooder location is in an unheated building. I may have to violate my own rule for a week at least and brood them in the basement. We're getting up to 5" of snow tonight and it will be dropping below zero for a few days with another snowstorm a few days next week.

thank you! do you think a regular light bulb would be better? I have the light in the corner so I think they can still get a cooler spot. ill see how they are acting and adjust from there.

I use the black rubber 100 gallon water tanks from TSC. I have the smaller one for when they first hatch until they get too big. Then it's in the big one. We just make a lid with either hardware cloth or chicken wire attached to wood.

hmm that might be too big for me right now :/ I don't have a lot of room inside. I'm going to see how they are and if it's too crowded I'll go out and find something bigger and maybe just have to take over the laundry room or something lol

 

[Gardeningmama]

Woke up to 9 chicks. 3 BCM's and 6 Barred Hollands. 6 eggs still in the bator, 2 with pips. Oddly enough not one of my mystery eggs has pipped yet, but I'm figuring that since they're a different breed, they might need the extra time. I'm so happy this morning, great way to ring in the New Year! Congrats on Everyone's chicks...I'm loving the cute pictures!!​

 

[roostercluck]

I am wondering how many hours are you giving the chicks before you take them from bator and put in brooder? thanks

I waited until all of the birds that have hatched are dry. If you have other eggs in their that have pipped, leave the chicks because you don't want to lose humidity. The chicks can last three days on their egg yolk.

 

[ronott1]

Woke up to 9 chicks. 3 BCM's and 6 Barred Hollands. 6 eggs still in the bator, 2 with pips. Oddly enough not one of my mystery eggs has pipped yet, but I'm figuring that since they're a different breed, they might need the extra time. I'm so happy this morning, great way to ring in the New Year! Congrats on Everyone's chicks...I'm loving the cute pictures!!​

There is hope for the mystery eggs!