Well Chick 6 died in my hand last night. Just up and died while I was trying to clean it a little better. Wasn't able to really move. So I have 5 little ones out of 8 eggs. With a 75% hatch rate. I don't think that's too bad when the eggs were some I just grabbed that were still warm on days the temp got up to 45 degrees or so.
I have 9 in the incubator now.... Little ticked that the eggs are now so big I can't get 12 in it anymore. It's a Janoel oval type and the biggest issue with it is getting humidty anywhere close to where everyone says it should be. I only was able to get steady humidity of between 19-24% . I raised it during lockdown by adding a wet cloth and basically putting a humdifier right outside it blowing full blast. Then only got it up to 40%
Nine eggs at about day 5 now and looking like only one is a dud.
Also have another 24 in another incubator at day 2.
So far our hatch rate on two hatches of a total of 19 eggs is 2 duds, 3 failed to hatch, and 2 that failed to thrive and didn't make it.
First hatch of 11 there were 6 that lived and all were pullets. Last hatch of 8 five are now over a week old and guessing only two are Roosters.
AudriAnna loves them and I caught her giving them some of her food .
Chicks are now in basement and in brooder until they fully feather.
Hopefully I can find buyers for all the chicks that could potentially hatch in a few weeks. Based on my averages so far I'm thinking around 20 or so chicks will make it past the day 3 after hatching. Way to many chicks. Lol
Well our first 5 chicks of the year are about 3 weeks old now. Really like how most seem to carry on the white and black colors of most of our EE'S. The one black one is half Australorp which you can tell because of the mottling of its leg colors.
It's looking like out of the 36 eggs I am incubating that only 5 stopped developing after week 1. Now it's just a waiting game until next week when hatching is due.
I am thinking all 5 are pullets since feathers are well developed already and cockerels develop slower.
Which is weird cause last batch of 6 were all female as well.
Wondering if humidity and temperature can decide sex like with gators and crocs...