Anyone setting eggs tomorrow (13th March, EDD Apr 3rd)

[TheReidHomestead]

Sorry about your little one.

I was really nervous about one of mine last night. It was the first one we helped out Friday night, the blue andalusion. Saturday it seemed fine. Yesterday it just chirped that ear piercing loud repetitive cheep all day. Last night I brought him up as he seemed week and wobbly. He seemed so happy to be held! He also wouldn't lay down, just kind of stood with a droopy head to sleep. Anyway, when I brought him up I cuddled him a bit, and fixed him some yogurt/water soup with a tiny pinch of sugar and vitamins/electrolytes in it and fed him some of that. This morning he seemed much stronger and was walking around and I saw him drinking on his own. I haven't checked him in awhile, I think I will go and visit them for a bit. I know the brooder is probably due for a clean too.

 

[loopy12]

Tamara: Could it be your andalusion hadn't learned where the food and water was yet (and the yolk was all used up) - just like the timing might be right for that, and as I said, I'm a bit paranoid that they haven't all figured it out yet.

Think I might go back through now and dip each ones beak again to remind them.

We're going to name and bury the last chick. A good lesson in death for my little girl maybe. She's very down to earth. She takes visitors all around our garden "the chickens are in the garden, the ducks are in the pond, the plant babies are in the green house, the pigs are in the freezer..."

 

[TheReidHomestead]

Loopy, that's cute about your DD. Yes, I'm afraid you are right on with my little andalusion. I've seen it drink, but haven't seen it eat yet. It worry's me that it still won't lie down at all. Sleeps standing up with a droopy head. I just fed it a little more yogurt soup. I also placed it next to one of the thriving andalusion's and it's half the size.

I hope she figures it all out soon, but I will be keeping watch and feeding her if I have too!

 

[loopy12]

The 2 day olds all seem to copy each other - one goes for a drink and makes a certain peeping noise and the rest run to join it. The more recently hatched ones just sit there.

We buried chick 17 next to the tulips. DD sang a nursery rhyme (funeral songs aren't really in her repetoire) and she filled the hole in with her little pink spade. We told her that next year he will make the flowers even prettier.
Now I have a big incubator clean to do...

I love how the chicks fall asleep in your hands. Our chicks from last year from our broody hated being held, but I guess these are more human imprinted. In particular a couple of the ones I spent hours releasing from shrink wrap are really soppy. Hope they stay that way.

Bit bored now I haven't got to keep running to the incubator every ten minutes

Maybe I will just go and peek at those duck eggs and tuck the chicks in to sleep...

 

[clothdiaperingmom]

Loopy-how sweet about your dd.

I know what you mean about being a bit bored not having to check temps and humid or pips and hatchlings. I found myself periodically checking all day, and am surprised when I see no eggs or anything.

Cant wait to get my new eggs in. I cleaned my bator ealier.

 

[Bookspryte]

Look what the Easter bunny brought me yesterday.

This hatch was probably the most stressful of the three I've done. First the fan went out. Then I couldn't get the temperatures up and then they'd spike. I didn't expect anything to hatch, but I guess chicks are more resilient than we imagine.

Out of 30 eggs due to hatch yesterday, one was clear. One pipped and died. Fourteen hatched without any help from me. The 15th pipped yesterday morning but hadn't gotten out. (This is despite a humidity level well above 70%. And I never opened the bator). When I got home today, it still wasn't out. At first I thought it was dead, but then I noticed it was still breathing.

I needed to get the other 14 out of the incubator so I could see what was going on. I couldn't see any other pips, so I opened the bator, removed the fluffy, overactive chicks and went to work on No. 15. It never would have gotten out. It was glued in place. I opened it enough so it could kick its way out. The yolk sac isn't completely absorbed, so I wrapped it in a damp washcloth and put it back in.

Why is hatching so addictive when it is also so stressful? Each 21 days must take years off our life expectancy just from the stress alone.

Denise

 

[Happy Chooks]

Quote:
Because it's so fascinating to see the little life growing and watch in awe as they hatch. And it's stressful because we feel responsible for their little lives. I just love when I worry about the chicks in the brooder (like last week when it snowed) and I go racing up to check on them (I don't brood in the house) and they look at me like I'm disturbing their sleep.

Loopy.....sorry you lost a chick. But your DD sounds adorable.

Denise......Glad your hatch went well despite all the problems. Congrats!

 

[loopy12]

Denise: congratulations

I can't imagine ever getting bored of seeing that first pip, zip and hatch, no matter how many times I saw it. I think the anxiety adds to the thrill when it does work out fine in the end.
I also, having now done it, don't think i'll ever look at an egg the same way. Don't get me wrong, I will still eat them in every which way, but its so strange that I took 4 eggs off of my eggs-to-eat pile from my own chickens, kept them warm for 3 weeks and produced a living creature from it instead of an omlette. Surreal.

 

[clothdiaperingmom]

Ok, started a new thread for those hatching later in April. Come join me (doesnt have to be the specific dates, just end of April sometime). Heres the title to look for it.....

Set eggs 4/6, EDD 4/27 & 4/28...wanna hatch with me??

 

[raimnel]

I feel so behind...............
I know what you mean about feeling like you got nothing to do, the bator has 4 eggs in it yet I don't know if I should just give them a chuck in the field. My chicks are in the basement so far all looks good. I ended up with 14, 5 of which are from the ones I bought from the store.

sorry about the lost ones

going to find the new thread, but I'll check back here too.