We're setting tonight,
7 lav orps
6 bantam
7 EExEE
8 EExSLW
8 EExPPR
36
7 lav orps
6 bantam
7 EExEE
8 EExSLW
8 EExPPR
36
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Trust me, the first batch is truly a learning experience!! I had one that I rushed too. He didn't make it and after I kept repeating Sally Sunshines words too! I'm trying to let my kids understand that they will die. It's part of having chickens. But, exactly like you said, not because I rushed the whole process! And I'm waiting for more eggs to arrive also, starting a new batch. It is very addicting! I wanted to ask, did you do the float test on the remaining eggs, first? And hows' that one little guy doing that you helped his head out?Well, I couldn't stick to my guns. I had said I was going to do nothing until 3:00pm today, but at 9:00am I decided to take the 3 live chicks that were in the bator and put them into the brooder. I just felt sorry for them and the eggs they were constantly tripping over. But as Sally Sunshine says in her great article about assisting hatches, DO NOT RUSH THE HATCH! I rushed the hatch.
They were dry, but they had "stuff" on their feathers and were not fluffed out. When I put them into the brooder, the others, who had been there for more than a day, started pecking at the three of them. I had read that this was a normal behavior, so I just kept checking on them. The one that died appeared far more lethargic than the others (even though all three hatched out > 24 hours before I moved them to the brooder), so I made sure I dipped its beak in water and food, and put it back in the center under the light. 15 minutes after that, when I checked again, it was flat on the ground with its head to one side and the eye open...not what they look like when they're alive but looking dead. I picked it up, checked it everyway I could and determined it was dead.
Now I don't want people to think me unfeeling, but I raise chickens for money, eggs and meat. I expected a death, and I expect others will die at some point. Of the 30 chicks I bought alive last September, 15 males were culled for meat, and 3 of the 15 hens have died in the coop over the winter. So death happens, but I kick myself enormously for being the one who caused this little guy's death, I do try my best to give my chickens the best chances they can have.
I had 14 eggs left in the bator this morning, so at 3:00pm (beginning of day 23) I followed the instructions of Sally's assisting article. I candled them all again, discarded 1 as it was far clearer than I had thought...when opened, it had no development at all. I opened a viewing hole into 6 eggs. 5 were definitely dead due to mal-positioning (cause I put them in the bator upside down). One had its head above its wing, and no veining in the membrane above it, so I lifted its head out of the egg and put it back in the bator...it has not moved. The remaining 8 have done nothing since, and I expect are all dead due to mal-positioning. Again, I am really kicking myself for not checking that one very basic question...pointy side up or down? If you don't already know, its pointy side down!!
So, all in all, a lot of experience gained. I might make one suggestion to OP and anyone who starts a hatch-a-long thread, make that initial message hold some very basic FAQs...like pointy side down, no eggs older than 7 days, turn baby turn, DO NOT RUSH THE HATCH, and Sally's Hatching 101 post...etc...wish I'd been assaulted by them, I'd be feeling far less stupid now...;-]
Anyway, I got 19 new kids in my flock of 25...of course these guys will go into their own coop when they go out so I can feed them different food than the rest. No free ranging here, my dogs would just love me to let the chickens out. And between 8-10 weeks the males will go to be processed for meat, while the females will get put in with the rest.
I started collecting new eggs for another hatch attempt starting next Saturday. This is truly addicting. I am allowed 100 hens and 300 meat birds a year, so I'm working on it. In 6 months when my hens from this hatch start laying, I'm hoping to see some BCM-like eggs. Those eggs will then go into a hatch of their own, to get my 2nd generation.
Best of luck! Why are they all pipping on the wrong end, I wonder???Okay it's been at least 12 hours since first pip, I have two or three pips so far. They are all on the wrong end. I took the first one out to see if I needed to assist and I heard lots of chirping so I just put it back in the bator. If no zipping by tonight I'll assist further if need be.