I took out the egg turner, now I am having trouble getting the temps back up. I guess because the eggs were closer to the heater. Now humidity & heat issues ARRGGGHHHH!
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I am a Horrible Dad!! I set the eggs on the 4th, 21 days will make it the 25th correct..well I got home this evening, ate dinner, and went upstairs and one of the little chicks had hatched, stumbled out and fell into the turner and was upside down in it chirping for dear life...I ran, took him out, turned off the turner and put the rest of the eggs (14 ameraucanas,14 partridge cochins) in lockdown....omg, I hope it survives. I see one other eggs pipping....ughhh...my bantams hatched early this time too, I should have done it this a.m. before work..
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Most people, I think, don't let their broody in with the rest of the flock for a little bit after the chicks hatch because the other chickens will sometimes pick on or even straight up kill the new chicks regardless of whether or not they watched them hatch... So I'm not sure there's much of an easier either way.
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Can you remove the racks on your turner? I had this same problem the first time I removed my turner, because the motor puts out SO much heat. So now, I just take out the racks and leave the turner in with the motor on... I have one of the yellow plastic ones in my hovatabor.
What a great idea! Last night the temps were a bit low but now they are where they should be. Humidity is running between 56 and 60%. I guess I am going to pray that continues so I don't have to open the darn bator anymore. I got a message from someone locally that wants me to hatch 30 guinea eggs! My bator is in use for 2 more days, eek! No, I do not have two.
My hatch has started! Just went out to check mama silkie and her 7 eggs that are due tomorrow, and there's a still-wet baby! Six eggs left, didn't see any other pips in the quick check that I made, but it's still early.
I'll get a pic after I get home this evening. This chick looks like it'll probably be white, and it's got a vaulted skull. One fun part of having mixed-color silkies... you never know what you're going to get! The parents are black and partridge, out of a pen of b/b/s and white birds. The last hatch I ended up with 3 blacks and a white. Still hoping for more partridge though...