Adventures in Incubating Shipped Eggs

[Rebel58]

Hang in there and get well too. Hoping for better days for you and chickies!!

 

[Morrigan]

Thinking about you this morning and hoping the hatch went ok last night.

Your pictures of momma with her tiny chicks are precious.

 

[Cerise1924]

Thank you, friends. UPDATE: Pebble, little chick that had a lot of shell stuck to it, died overnight. Hard to tell if it had its own issues, or if it couldn't get out of mama's way. Biscuit, Dot and Thimble, the others who hatched yesterday, seem to be fine. Hazel hatched early this morning, and hasn't been squashed, but it is really risky with those big feet.

Shimmer has been brooding in a nest box high up in the coop. I think I'm going to move her and her chicks and eggs to a box on the ground with lots and lots of wood shavings, which hopefully will provide some cushioning should she step on babies by mistake. She's going to bite me, but I think I need to relocate the whole operation for the best chances of survival. Have you ever moved a broody and her chicks?

 

[Morrigan]

Yes, I've moved a broody with her chicks. As long as the hatch is complete, it is not hard to do, and won't hurt anyone. I move the broody first -- put her where you want her and then quickly start gathering and putting the chicks with her. Once she has all her chicks, she should care less about the old nest.

Sorry to hear you lost Pebbles, but happy to hear that you have many chicks left alive. Hopefully every day that goes by, the chicks are stronger and less likely to get hurt if she steps on them.

 

[Cerise1924]

Yes, I've moved a broody with her chicks. As long as the hatch is complete, it is not hard to do, and won't hurt anyone. I move the broody first -- put her where you want her and then quickly start gathering and putting the chicks with her. Once she has all her chicks, she should care less about the old nest.

Sorry to hear you lost Pebbles, but happy to hear that you have many chicks left alive. Hopefully every day that goes by, the chicks are stronger and less likely to get hurt if she steps on them.

Thank you so much for your kind words and your input. I'm grateful for the healthy, thriving chicks that have made it, and I'll go ahead and move the broody and chicks per your method, once the Brahma and I are both satisfied that all the viable eggs have hatched. That may be tonight, or tomorrow evening.

 

[Cerise1924]

I really appreciate all the good wishes. Here's some great news: I have seven healthy, happy little Belgian fluffballs under the Brahma, five Millefleur and two Goldenneck. Two eggs are still showing no pip. The two chicks that didn't make it, I'm thinking were probably weak. I think a normal, vigorous chick would have been able to get out from under mama's feet.

So, all in all I am having a good hatch and survival rate from shipped eggs (most of which were transferred to the broody on Day 17), and I don't think I regret giving bantam eggs to this big mama. She's doing a good job.

 

[Morrigan]

I really appreciate all the good wishes. Here's some great news: I have seven healthy, happy little Belgian fluffballs under the Brahma, five Millefleur and two Goldenneck. Two eggs are still showing no pip. The two chicks that didn't make it, I'm thinking were probably weak. I think a normal, vigorous chick would have been able to get out from under mama's feet.

So, all in all I am having a good hatch and survival rate from shipped eggs (most of which were transferred to the broody on Day 17), and I don't think I regret giving bantam eggs to this big mama. She's doing a good job.

That's fantastic!

Would love to see more pictures if you have the time.

 

[aliciaplus3]

I may be in trouble.... this is my second time ordering hatching eggs and I could not find what I was looking for very close, so I ordered it anyway.

24 eggs, Americana, cinnamon queen, red star, Dominique, Rhode Island red, silver laced wyndotte, and 1 ayam cemani egg. OK so I really wanted the Dominique and a different source for the Rhode Island reds, and the production layers could be awesome.
Lol
I also have some buckeye eggs coming soon, do not ask me how I will get them all in the bator because I don't know yet.

 

[Rebel58]

I may be in trouble.... this is my second time ordering hatching eggs and I could not find what I was looking for very close, so I ordered it anyway. View attachment 1496026 View attachment 1496027 24 eggs, Americana, cinnamon queen, red star, Dominique, Rhode Island red, silver laced wyndotte, and 1 ayam cemani egg. OK so I really wanted the Dominique and a different source for the Rhode Island reds, and the production layers could be awesome.
Lol
I also have some buckeye eggs coming soon, do not ask me how I will get them all in the bator because I don't know yet.

WOW!! I thought I was bad. In separate incubators I have 2 peafowl, hatch date 8/22, next I have 10 White Crested Black Polish, hatch date 8/19, next 7 silkies, hatch date 8/26. Arriving on Thursday I have 5 Mille Fleur d'Uccle and 5 Blue Laced Red Wyandotte. This will be my last and final incubation for the year as I'm running out of space. The coops will be added on to while all chicks are incubating. Maybe I should go into "hatchers rehab" if there is such a thing.

 

[aliciaplus3]

No worries I have not counted the turkey eggs still in the bator...... because it's full and the hatcher has some in it too I have had a hard time talking myself into using the turkey eggs for eating so almost every b egg laid in th he last 2 months has gone in the bator, good thing several of the turkeys went broody and quit laying..... otgerwise I would need the 3rd bator running