Day 18 - lockdown!

[Erba]

First one was already pipping as I was leaving for work today. Came back home to the dog all excited and two chicks fully hatched...the next one is now pipping.
The bigger chick on the right hatched first, the second is still a bit wet and was making a fuss, until it found it's sibling and now they are napping together...

I am now officially a chick Mom!!!

 

[Nicaragua]

Congratulations ! They are adorable!

 

[Erba]

Update...none of the other eggs hatched. I am at a loss as to what happened to them.
Looks like one didn't develop at all, thats ok, but two of the others just stopped developing.

I just moved the two heathy chicks (both from big mother 1) into their brooder, so I can sort the incubator out. I think one of her chicks is some sort of mix, it has a lovely auburn fluff, really excited to see what it turns out to be. The other looks like a typical Sussex chick.

What a bummer, but it was my first time and I'm going to put another batch of eggs in soon and try again!! This time with fresher eggs.
I also think the humidity was too high at the beginning, and can someone tell me how many days to wait before regularly turning starts. I think I also got that wrong too.

But these two make the whole thing worth it.

 

[Nicaragua]

They are absolutely lovely, and at least you got two so that they can keep each other company.
We all learn the hard way with first times, but failing is the best lesson you can get

 

[Nicaragua]

Oh and ps : I think you should turn the eggs every day a couple of times even when they are in storage. But get someone to confirm that for you.
Humidity wise 35% worked fine for me, no water added until lockdown actually. A good rule is that by lockdown your egg should be 1/3rd air, there are methods to check the good development via actually weighing the eggs each week until then.

 

[Erba]

Thank you, I think they are lovely too. I messed up my incubator trying to sterilise it, by steaming it. Warped the bottom, my stupid. So I can't use that for anything but a short time brooder now. I just ordered a different one, where the fan and motor are not integrated into the top. I found it too fiddly getting the top off and back on to add water or check/candle the eggs.

I am definitely going to weigh the eggs next time before they go into the brooder.
And stop reading those incubator instructions! I think someone made half of that crap up, unbelievable...

So now just waiting for incubator number 2, what we won't spend on our chickens...I'm actually glad I broke it! LOL

Here what the new one looks like...

 

[LittleMaiden]

The two you have are so gorgeous! Sorry to hear about the other ones

 

[Erba]

Just over a week old now and I'm starting to see their colouring, really cuties!

 

[ScottyGill]

Aw sweet chicks. I set 12 eggs and only got 3 but made so many mistakes. I’m incubating again and hoping for a few more to add to them (while researching integration) maybe you’ll understand. I want a chance to do it right. 2 beautiful wee ones had to be culled after doing all we could. I've been reassured that wasn't likely to be my incubator. I found where I am it needs no water at all and humidity is between 35-50 naturally. Will candle tonight, day 7/8 and see how the air sac is doing, I meant to weigh them and forgot but I'm going to go with drawing in pencil where the air sac is.

 

[Erba]

I'm back in the saddle with 11 eggs in the new incubator! I put them in yesterday and added two today that were very fresh.
My Learning curve:
None of my eggs are older than 5 days this time, I think this was the main problem.
Have written all the weights on each egg
Humidity is 45%
I kept turning the collected eggs, something I didn't do last time. Its a wonder I got even 2 chicks.

I think I've got myself a speckled Sussex, which is really bizzare if you saw the parents. Must be some throw back from the grandparents or something. They are growing so fast, like they have doubled in size. They are eating their chick feed now and they like the cottage cheese I've been giving them. The dog is loving the entertainment, could stare at them all day if I let him.