August Hatch-A-Long

[Mixed flock enthusiast]

The 3 I had to hand hatch because they were still stuck in their eggs.
View attachment 1875797
Maybe I should have been a little more patient with this guy, he had just pipped when i went to sleep and was in a zipper pip when I woke up, a few hours later I didn't notice progress but he may have hatched on his own by noon. He is stuck to the egg shells and could not get off his back. When I hand hatch I put the shells back together (as much as I can) and force them to break out so egg shell is often still attached to the chick fur. I removed the egg shell right after the picture session. He should be OK.

View attachment 1875798
This little Serama is wearing a shell suit! he was running around and eventually falling down because of the shell. I removed most of the shell and any bet of material that had his wing bound. I do not remove all of the egg shell or membrane material just enough so he can function. It falls off on its own and that way there is less chance of causing damage to the chick by me pulling a bunch of stuff off in my clumsy manner.
View attachment 1875799
Here is a view of all 3 that are left. I had 3 dud Serama eggs and everything else hatched. I posted numbers earlier but I had missed an egg (that hatched) so my numbers are different than I said earlier. I already forgot how many hatched. Not going to lift the brooder plate to count them until tomorrow. Its their first day so its best to leave them be.

Overall, it sounds like you had a great hatch! That little turtle chick is so pitiful though!!!

 

[CluckNDoodle]

Just catching up, did they hatch? Go marans!!!

Yes! All 4 hatched! 3 Blue and 1 Splash! I've just had a busy day and haven't had a chance to take a picture yet.

 

[Kris5902]

as hard as all this work can be, I find it so rewarding. I do not have a battery issue with heat plates, I had no idea that they had battery powered ones. I can see that being a real pain.

2 12v Deep Cycle marine/RV batteries, an inverter, and a solar panel... if I had enough wire I could rewire the panel onto the barn and maybe not have to lug the batteries back and forth from my trailer. I’m considering a dolly arrangement for this brood, as my back still hasn’t quite forgiven me for the last one!

 

[Kris5902]

Yes! All 4 hatched! 3 Blue and 1 Splash! I've just had a busy day and haven't had a chance to take a picture yet.

Yay!!! Pictures when you can!!! So happy for you. My Marans are awesome!

 

[jolenesdad]

Yes! All 4 hatched! 3 Blue and 1 Splash! I've just had a busy day and haven't had a chance to take a picture yet.

Omg!!!!!! I wayyyyyyyy prefer the blue and the splash to the black.

 

[Compost King]

I prematurely ran to the September Hatch when I realized I still have one more August hatch left. My Broody Serama. Her 2nd brood of the year. The first one netted me one cockerel who I gave away since all but one female I have is a sibling to him. She should be hatching around August 30th. Some of the eggs under her carry her grandchildren as one of her daughters started laying recently but I still haven't gotten any proof the rooster her granddaughter was with is fertile. She has her own eggs under her too.

 

[CluckNDoodle]

Yay!!! Pictures when you can!!! So happy for you. My Marans are awesome!

It never gets old! I just love little peeps!

 

[BlueBaby]

Anyone in here do staggered hatches with one incubator? I need some advice...

Picked up eggs from BlueBaby that she set 7/27. 21 days will be 17th. When should I increase humidity? When I see pips? Thursday? Friday? I don't want to start too early because I have 5 more eggs to hatch later.

I cover the other's with a paper towel to help keep the increased humidity off of them.

 

[aliciaplus3]

@aliciaplus3 how do you brood your staggered hatches?

@Compost King so glad you got what you need this batch!!!

I can usually run up to a 3 week age difference in the same space with limited issues

forgive the state of my grow out space, these babies range from 3 weeks to 6 weeks oh and a duck. I tend to move them outside to this growout when they are 3 to 4 weeks old. I like to move the biggest ones in this space to the next big growout at the same time.... most of birds do not know that there isn't supposed to be multiple ages and species of birds in the same space. From the next growout up i move them to the coop that they will live in for the hens or a fattening/batchelor pen for the boys. Only very promising cockrels get a chance to move into a coop.
Next on the agenda is another coop with more growout spaces.

 

[Compost King]

@aliciaplus3 I love the Barred Naked Neck. Maybe one day I will breed Naked Necks for various patterns after I get done with making my super meaty Naked Necks which I aim for white.