Blooie's Blankie Fort

[BantyChooks]

First Pip!!

Today at ~7pm is day 21...tapped and clucked at incy this morning and it cheeped at me(I love that!!) then I spotted the pip.
Had some temp/humidity issues with this batch...glad to see at least one is still alive.

Going to either be an exciting day watching chicks hatch......or 12-24 hours of watching that first pip not do anything.

There's 30 layer eggs in there hatching for a local farmette, traded bacon and sausage and ham steaks for incubation services.

Sweet deal. You get yummy stuff AND an excuse to incubate.

 

[aart]

Quote: I Know, Right!!??

 

[Blooie]

Keep us updated throughout the day, @aart - this is so cool to have them hatching on Easter!! And Happy Easter, everyone!

I moved the chicks out yesterday. I'm going out to check on them as soon as I finish my morning tea. First time I've used pine shavings out there, but when I took off the tarp and broke off a flake of straw it was moldy, and there's no way that's going into the brooder! I don't like the pine shavings as well as the straw but any port in a storm. All day yesterday they were going in and out of MHP quite well, and they tucked themselves in as it got dark. But I've had so much trouble with this batch of chicks from day one that I'm a lot more jumpy and nervous about them than I usually am. So we'll see....

 

[aart]

5 pips now...and more cheeping!
Whew!

 

[Blooie]

It's gonna be a loooong day, ain't it?

 

[Jessimom]

Keep us updated throughout the day, @aart - this is so cool to have them hatching on Easter!! And Happy Easter, everyone!

I moved the chicks out yesterday. I'm going out to check on them as soon as I finish my morning tea. First time I've used pine shavings out there, but when I took off the tarp and broke off a flake of straw it was moldy, and there's no way that's going into the brooder! I don't like the pine shavings as well as the straw but any port in a storm. All day yesterday they were going in and out of MHP quite well, and they tucked themselves in as it got dark. But I've had so much trouble with this batch of chicks from day one that I'm a lot more jumpy and nervous about them than I usually am. So we'll see....

Hi Blooie! I"m using a heat plate, not the MHP. I seemed to get the same results from both - the heat plate was easier to keep clean.

You move yours outside with the MHP at what age? I wait till they are 5 or 6 weeks, but I have 30 or so babies right now inside, and they are too crowded.. I have another heat plate, but I'm NOT adding another HUGE brooder in my bathroom. Could I move the bigger chicks to an indoor, unheated pen outside? Oldest chicks in my bathroom were hatched March 29th.

I know you've hatched in the snow....my lows are in the mid 50's at night these days....so will I be killing the chicks by moving them out too early, or are they smart enough to go under the heat plate to warm up if they are cold?

 

[aart]

It's gonna be a loooong day, ain't it?

Couple days.....but one hatched!
Pip/zip/pop....BAM!
Some pips are low.......hope they are just resting and not drowned.

 

[Blooie]

Hi Blooie! I"m using a heat plate, not the MHP. I seemed to get the same results from both - the heat plate was easier to keep clean.

You move yours outside with the MHP at what age? I wait till they are 5 or 6 weeks, but I have 30 or so babies right now inside, and they are too crowded.. I have another heat plate, but I'm NOT adding another HUGE brooder in my bathroom. Could I move the bigger chicks to an indoor, unheated pen outside? Oldest chicks in my bathroom were hatched March 29th.

I know you've hatched in the snow....my lows are in the mid 50's at night these days....so will I be killing the chicks by moving them out too early, or are they smart enough to go under the heat plate to warm up if they are cold?

I usually move them out a day or two after I get them or after they hatch...so under a week old in most cases. They know where to go to get warm. I just cover MHP with a towel covered in Press'n Seal....I can wipe it off with a paper towel, and if it starts getting a little too nasty for that I just tear off the old P&S or toss the towel. I buy stacks of threadbare towels from thrift stores and my kids give me the ones they've replaced, so there's a whole stack of them.

I think as long as they know where to get warm, you could move the older ones out. You might have to tuck them under MHP because it will be in a different place and they may be a little unsure. So just tuck 'em under, hold your hand in front for a few seconds until they feel it. Don't be surprised if they spend more time out of it than under it. By this age they all wouldn't fit under most broody hens anymore either.

Just checked on mine and they all did great. It got down to 30 last night, and I've had nothing but trouble with this entire batch of chicks from the day they got here, so that was a very pleasant and hoped for thing to see!

@aart

 

[aart]

Long day clipping my poodle boy, prepping brooder, hovering over incy, making cage waterers, moving five 2yo birds to garage for sale tomorrow.

2 chicks hatched, at least a half a dozen pips.....few stagnant all day, one wrong end.
Hope to awake to half dozen chicks zipped or popped and an eager buyer showing up and on time.

 

[Blooie]

Fingers crossed, @aart !