Early February 2016 Hatch - Who's In?

[ambe0487]

woohoo! First pip of the hatch-a-long! Congrats! Keep us posted! Are you glued to the incubator window?!?

I am on day 18 for my first set of this hatch-a-long. I candled my six (all from my own flock) and five looked perfect. One didn't seem to take up the whole shell like the others but it was active and so it also went into lockdown (it's the same age as the other five). I transferred the 6 to my Janoel-10 for lockdown (they were in my Brinsea but I have 18 MPC eggs in there still that are 10 days behind and only on day 8).

AWESOME!! I can't wait to see babies!

 

[CoopDeDoo]

Any zips?

Babies, babies, babies....

 

[ambe0487]

Any zips? Babies, babies, babies....

Exactly.... I can't wait!!

 

[TurkenMomma]

Any zips?

Babies, babies, babies....

I cannot wait for babies! I've been lurking on the late January hatch page just so I can see some... I candled my eggs this morning and I have no clue anymore. I've got some wonky air cells but I don't feel they (the eggs themselves) are dark enough for being this late in the game. Mine should start on Wednesday if either one of them survive.

 

[NTBugtraq]

I cannot wait for babies! I've been lurking on the late January hatch page just so I can see some... I candled my eggs this morning and I have no clue anymore. I've got some wonky air cells but I don't feel they (the eggs themselves) are dark enough for being this late in the game. Mine should start on Wednesday if either one of them survive.

Well, let me try and give you a fix.

My now up to 4 day olds, outside in my unheated greenhouse in freezing weather, happy as, well, chicks...





They pop out from under the brooder plates and run around, eat, drink, and just have fun. Some mornings their mostly under the left one, then the right one, but never all under just one. There's 45 in all in there now, all doing great.

 

[TJordan]

I had a chick that kinda pipped externally this morning. I was so excited but then on a closer look the pip didn't create a true hole in the shell, just a partial eruption, if that makes sense.


Did the chick die trying to external pip? Or is that normal to half-pip and then continue at a later time?

I've had that happen. If the shell is broken it pipped. Leave home alone. If worried carefully half a flashlight up to the end. You might see movement. Don't pull him yet.

 

[TJordan]

As long as they are fully feathered (2-4 weeks old is when that completes), and they have access to food and fresh water in the day time, they will be just fine in negative temperatures. They use the calories from the food to regulate their body temperatures, as well as various positions (one foot up, puffed out, flat on the ground/roost). Make sure there are no "strong" drafts (unless it is well above their heads when they are roosting), and that you aren't holding too much humidity in the coop. Remember, a fully feathered chicken, although warm-blooded, is wearing a fantastic down jacket with a strong wind-breaking shell (its feathers)...so they will be fine if not totally exposed to wind-chill.

Yeah!!! You just answered a nagging question for me and didn't even have to ask it.

my husband wants them out in the baby coop (yes we will have a separate area just for the babies) as soon as possible. I was thinking 4 weeks but as soon as those chicks feather out I'll set up the outdoor lamp for crazy weather spurts and go from there. 2 weeks before hatch. Working on big birds 8'x8'x6.5' tall Barn. Not coop barn

and until we get the privacy fence up they will play in a large 10'x10' run next to the 5'x10' area for the babies. Yes we are using hardware cloth not chicken mesh. We will also line the entire yard with 6" deep wire and skirt it out 1' all around. My mamma hen dog will patrol the outer yard and sloped cover will let them out during weather but keep them dry.

 

[ambe0487]

Does anyone keep their breeds separate in the incubator when hatching? I've seen people use Legos, baskets, etc. I have 3 different breeds (2 mixes) and would like to keep them divided. Suggestions?

 

[RookyChickMama]

Does anyone keep their breeds separate in the incubator when hatching?  I've seen people use Legos, baskets, etc.  I have 3 different breeds (2 mixes) and would like to keep them divided.  Suggestions?

I'm going to try to do the same thing, I've heard some people using those small dollar store baskets, I'm going to try that if they'll fit!

 

[CoopDeDoo]

I'm going to try to do the same thing, I've heard some people using those small dollar store baskets, I'm going to try that if they'll fit!

This time I don't need to (one breed has 5 toes - the other 4) - last time I wish I had since I had 5 breeds in there

Let us know how it works!