Bay Area BYCers!

[crzychicknlady]

Hello All,

A newbie here checking in from the Bay Area... started with 4 girls and just expanded to 6. What fun!

 

[SunnyDawn]

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Welcome to BYC and the Bay Area thread! Aren't they a blast?!! I have 28 right now but adding more in spring. They are so addicting!

 

[jeremy]

Yeah, there is a possibility of bantams in Laurieks's 10 "surplus chicks".

They should be noticably smaller though, I would think.

 

[crzychicknlady]

Yes, they are more entertainment than I even dreamed of. Wow, you have a lot! Thanks for the welcome.

 

[pnp4kidz]

Is any one here a whiz at hatching? Any advice? I've done a few batches last year but always willing to learn more!! Starting Keith, should I rest them half a day or a full day?

 

[wolftracks]

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Welcome.

I wanted 4, started with 5 ended up with 32, moved and started over and now have........................................hmmmm they don't all hold still long, so I forget.

I have 12 in 3 different brooders though! WOW I gotta count chickens again.

Don't know why I bother though.

 

[wolftracks]

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That and the combs. Even at that young an age the combs look very different. Did not realize that we had bantams coming though. Hopefully they are a lot smaller than the LF chicks.

BANTAMS????

Thought we ordered LF.

 

[wolftracks]

Ok found the explaination

sorry

 

[jeremy]

I always let mine rest for a full 24 hours after shipping. For the first 18 days I run my humidity levels around 35% to 45%, during lockdown I increase a the humidity anywhere from 60% to 70% percent. I have always hatched with my eggs laying naturally on their sides, as they would underneath a hen. However some swear by the egg carton method, where you literally place the eggs in a cut up egg carton during lockdown and allow them to hatch vertically.

I have never allowed a chicken I've had to help out of the egg shell be part of my breeding program, I won't let them struggle, suffer and eventually die by not being able to pip, zip and hatch from the shell correctly. But there's no way of knowing if it's my fault due to improper incubation or if there is a genetic reason behind them not being able to break out of the shell easily, but I won't take a chance of the birds passing on my bad genes, lack of vigor, etc. So these birds either become layers or go to another home.

Incubation, IMO, especially with shipped eggs is all trial and error. There is no right or wrong way to do it, only what works best for you and results in the highest percentage of chicks hatched.

 

[wolftracks]

I rest for 24 hours also. I've gotten a lot of detached aircells and shaken boxes, so I make extra sure they settle. One of my best hatches I waited for 2 days. hmmm might have to try that again. I have forgotten.