Documenting staggered hatch, NOW COMPLETE; PICTURES added 12-30.

[kathyinmo]

NO ... they were NOT shipped eggs. I drove 100 miles to go pick them up!

I probably should have pulled out a few more than I did before lockdown, but because the eggs are dark, I left them in, even though I felt they were no good. None became smelly or weepy, but I wonder if they could have had any effect on the others. I mostly hated that 2 pipped and then died! Why does this happen? I let my humidity get too high a couple of times ... 80ish, when locked down. I don't like that. I think they drowned due to that ... could that be? Mind you, humidity on days 1 - 18 was perfectly stable around 35%, as I like. Temp great, no problem.

OK... part two of the hatch ... this is the plan ...
Hatch IN the Sportsman. I don't know if the HovaBator had anything to do with the results or not ... I do have more faith in the sportsman for regulating temp and humidity, so I'll try that.

Now ... tell me how to do that! I have the new sponges for the water tray. Do I just soak them and put them in the tray? Is that how you increase the humidity in there? OR ... am I suppose to do something with that float that is in the water tray? Lift it up higher, somehow??
Need advice on this, please ...

Next question ... Can I just lay the eggs on the floor of the bottom shelf? Do they have to be in a tray? How does that work?

<<< off to get pictures >>>

 

[kathyinmo]

Quote:

Really ... it was though!

Two things going on ...

1) I have a Jersey Giant (13 weeks old) with a wound.

I don't know how she got it, but of course they all had to pick at it! AND ... she picks at it, too!

Dumb chicken!

It's at the end of her back, on one side. She has a bleeding hole the size of a golf ball. Geezzz ... I need one of those dog cones (that goes around their neck) in chicken size! Where do I order one of those?

2) My 6 week old Dellies needed my tender loving care! Yup, that's right ... yogurt day, and vitamins day! Then, they got an additional treat of salmon (protein!) ...

SO THERE!

 

[Mahonri]

Congrats.

I just candled my shipped eggs.

2 clears from 18 Black Copper Marans from TX (1203 miles away)

5 non developers of my 14 W/BW Ameraucanas from Eastern WA. (believe it or not... 90 miles further from Phoenix than the ones in TX) 1293 miles total...

My bators aren't full anymore

Now we just have faith for the next 12 days for the rest.

 

[JanieMarie]

Quote:
I wish there was a little hatching fairy that would come tell us exactly why some don't hatch. If it was something that was just wrong with them or if there was something we did wrong so we weren't doomed to repeat our mistakes!

I don't know anything about the sportsman so cant help you out there sorry.

My you certainly have alot of chicken drama going on there and 2 more hatches to go!! Hang in there!!

 

[ParadisePoultry]

Yeah sorry. Didn't mean to make light of your chicken troubles. If it's not one thing it's another.....Or as my gramma used to say " if it's not one thing, then it's the SAME thing" !!!???. But that's so true with chickens too. It's not as if they learn from their troubles, they usually go right back and do the same thing again.

Seriously though I think your hatch was successful. If your humidity was 35% days 1-18, I don't see how they could have drowned. Chicks usually drown when the humidity is consistantly high for the first eighteen days. It could have something to do with the health of the flock they came from, the time of year- oh just so many variables. It's so frustrating and it just breaks your heart.

Please keep your chin up and look forward to the rest of your hatch. 13 baby Marans is nothing to sneeze at! Hugs, bj

 

[speckledhen]

Kathy, sorry you're disappointed in the Marans hatch. There are just so many factors involved, including the health of the parent stock. Hope my Dels hatch for you just fine.

 

[Germaine_11.20]

Kathy, that is 13! Great for Marans! Now you have 13 more to work with. Those little chickies go from zero to formed in 21 days and so many things go on in there. I think it is great!

 

[joletabey]

You can make a collar out of cardboard for the naughty Jersey- I've done it for cats. She'll probably freak, do they make any Chickie Prozac?

 

[kathyinmo]

Thanks to you all! bj ... no offense taken!
Today begins lockdown for the Delaware and gang! This will all be new to me; that is ... hatching IN the Sportsman. I will up the humidity, here, shortly!

Here are pictures of the baker's dozen Black Copper Marans ..
(If you've seen one, you've seen em all ... re BCMarans babies! LOL)
My photography skills are lacking !

 

[Camelot Farms]

Kathy, Congrats on the staggered hatch.

Almost all of my hatches are staggered, I only have 2 or 3 hens of each variety so whatever I find in their pens sits one night and then goes in the Bator. I just did a hatch with pips everyday for almost 2 weeks.

I keep my humidity the same all the way through and have had very few quitters.

Keep hatchin'!