April 2020 Hatch-A-Long! All are welcome!

[Knighstar679]

Oh you're going to love hatching chicks. They're way easier than waterfowl! lol

That they might be but I am in love will little webbed feet and billed faces. So i will stick to hatching for my friend for chickens. Unless i get real Brahmas

 

[CluckNDoodle]

That they might be but I am in love will little webbed feet and billed faces. So i will stick to hatching for my friend for chickens. Unless i get real Brahmas

I have a friend that breeds beautiful Light Brahmas. Giant babies. Now isn't the best time for me to get eggs out to you unfortunately though...

 

[2102Simm]

Is there supposed to be anything still in the egg shell once they're out?

 

[CluckNDoodle]

Is there supposed to be anything still in the egg shell once they're out?

Egg waste you mean? It's this gross booger looking substance and yes it's normal. Hatching is a messy business.

 

[2102Simm]

Egg waste you mean? It's this gross booger looking substance and yes it's normal. Hatching is a messy business.

whew ok. I was starting to be like nooo! You forgot something baby by hatching early. Hopefully I'll wake up to the other 2 being out and the rest of the slowpokes making some progress.

 

[Akoharski4]

Brooder question: how to you all adjust your temp in your brooders? I’m wondering at what point the heat lamp can go and just the plate can stay... my chicks are in my mudroom which never goes below 60 degrees. I havent had experience with the brooding phase as my hen did all the work last year. I am starting to appreciate my last years broody girl more and more haha.


Also, I’ve noticed the chicks (all bantam) are having a hard time eating the crumble starter I bought. It’s almost like the pieces are too big. I have been wetting the food in a little jar lid and they gobble it up that way. I don’t want to “baby” them but I’m wondering if anyone else can advise.

 

[Fatimetta]

That’s totally normal that the pieces are too big. I would if you have something to grind it up with do it that way. Sometimes it even seems like pieces are too big for standard size chicks. Also you should be fine to get rid of the heat lamp if you have a brooder plate. Just make sure it’s low enough for them to touch their backs to it.

 

[Fatimetta]

I candled the eggs with my super cheap and only flashlight and saw yolks pretty much lol. There were yolks in all of them idk if thats what I’m looking for? They are 52 hours along now. I’ve been looking up candling pics for different stages but I think my flashlight is so weak I couldn’t really see anything.

 

[Jules929]

I candled the eggs with my super cheap and only flashlight and saw yolks pretty much lol. There were yolks in all of them idk if thats what I’m looking for? They are 52 hours along now. I’ve been looking up candling pics for different stages but I think my flashlight is so weak I couldn’t really see anything.

Do you have a cell phone that you can download a flashlight app to? When my candler quit working I used my phone.

 

[Jules929]

Brooder question: how to you all adjust your temp in your brooders? I’m wondering at what point the heat lamp can go and just the plate can stay... my chicks are in my mudroom which never goes below 60 degrees. I havent had experience with the brooding phase as my hen did all the work last year. I am starting to appreciate my last years broody girl more and more haha.


Also, I’ve noticed the chicks (all bantam) are having a hard time eating the crumble starter I bought. It’s almost like the pieces are too big. I have been wetting the food in a little jar lid and they gobble it up that way. I don’t want to “baby” them but I’m wondering if anyone else can advise.

Here is a link regarding brooding chicks:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/brooding-chicks-the-first-6-weeks.74640/I use a large, plastic storage container with a small baby gate on top, not the plastic lid that comes with the container. I use a brooder plate.
Watch their behavior. If the chicks are huddled together they are cold. If they are panting they are hot. They need a warm area, and the food and water should be in cooler area.

Regarding the crumble size, you can put the crumble in a large zip lock bag and use a rolling pin to break the crumble into smaller pieces.
Good luck with your little ones!