EDUCATIONAL INCUBATION & HATCHING CHAT THREAD, w/ Sally Sunshine Shipped Eggs

[OneMountainAcres]

Well, I tromped all over the "wild" part of the back yard (it's not a big yard, but I let that part go wild to the point that it's almost like being in the woods). Goodwin's feathers are strewn here and here over the entire acre (not in a way that's due to wind blowing). But I did find his foot, though nothing else. So I know he's gone. Searched extensively and absolutely no sign of the pullets. They were both great flyers (which is how they all got into this predicament in the first place), so maybe they somehow got up and over my 8 foot fence via a tree or branch - if they are lucky, maybe they'll be someone else's chickens now (if not, they'll fall prey to the many neighborhood dogs behind my house...). What a dreary sad day - I hate when this happens.

I bought the materials to build the brooders today (plus the folding tables to put them on), so I'll work on that tomorrow. I think I'll raid the freezer tonight for dinner - ratatouille and steamed edamame. 

 For everyone in lock down sitting on their hands!!!

- Ant Farm 

I'm so sorry for your loss I was really hoping that they'd make it back to you

 

[AlilSassy]

Since I popped in out of know where talkin about my crazy hatch results... here's the two survivors... I'm wondering if I might have got lucky with the silkied chickens that I love so much about the breed having...

First one out almost two days ago now...grey, yellow and white down/feathers A-dorable

Trying to show the very tiny pin feathers I haven't seen a chick before, so hoping that means silkied...of course I can't see them show up on the photo...they are like black pins...very narrow...but thicker than the fuzz...

Just found the last one like this, naval is dry and closed now at least, and eyes wide open

Just gave it a small bit of liquid vitamin...

Other side

Put a fresh clean cloth in there and propped it up on the dry sponge... hopefully it will relax for a bit and let the vitamins help it level itself out. It's sibling was flipped over and crazybtoo, gave it a shot of vitamin(drop) and put it in the snuggle cup...as you can see it's doin great Fingers crossed

PS: of course the little booger is all over the incubator anyways... :sigh: I MUST go make dinner for the kids not stare at this incubator

 

[BantyChooks]

Nope!! I say good riddance. I'll be able to get the littles into the coop now while it's still warm.

 

[meltel]

Well, I tromped all over the "wild" part of the back yard (it's not a big yard, but I let that part go wild to the point that it's almost like being in the woods). Goodwin's feathers are strewn here and here over the entire acre (not in a way that's due to wind blowing). But I did find his foot, though nothing else. So I know he's gone. Searched extensively and absolutely no sign of the pullets. They were both great flyers (which is how they all got into this predicament in the first place), so maybe they somehow got up and over my 8 foot fence via a tree or branch - if they are lucky, maybe they'll be someone else's chickens now (if not, they'll fall prey to the many neighborhood dogs behind my house...). What a dreary sad day - I hate when this happens.

I bought the materials to build the brooders today (plus the folding tables to put them on), so I'll work on that tomorrow. I think I'll raid the freezer tonight for dinner - ratatouille and steamed edamame.

For everyone in lock down sitting on their hands!!!

- Ant Farm

At least Monkey has a purpose other than dinner now

 

[dan26552]

There is really an incubation almanac? wow, I need to find one!

It's in the regular almanac, it tells you when set by the moons phases so you get the most healthy, fast maturing and vigorous chicks.

 

[FaerieChicken]

It was a Hedemora, yolk fully absorbed amazingly...I bet it kicked to get out and that woulda been all it took. It was "breathing", or at least made the motions it was... the larger one is now out, the membrane had stuck anyways, and its wings were both up over its head...looking kinda silly... I got those separated (but membrane still on those and its head) because it also hadn't finished closing up its naval...iodine on it and me, pushed what was sticking out, in...then put it in a cup wrapped in a soft paper towel so it can rest and finish its prehatching post hatch heh...went back in an hour later and just glanced over to see it outside the cup...booger. Might be fine after all since the first sibling to hatch also found its way out of the cup... I hope my awesome Icelandic set (13/15) and my Birchen Marans (15/15) fair better than this...

since each of the eggs appeared to be growing a day apart, I haven't a clue how this happened. Same incubator, in a row(on the holder), and set together... Just need to build my bator already... got started, just been workin mad OT and now sick... hopefully I can take all of next week off with my renewal of my vacay balance

Got some expensive eggs coming that I don't want to screw up and the "good" incubator is filled with the 2 sets mentioned above...

Sounds like the place I work at, notorious holiday mandates happening right now! I wish I had some time on the books to take off from this place, but then I do my swaps, which give me 4 days off, 3 of them in a row, to play with my chooks!

I am glad the other bittys are doing good. That one seemed like something out of a horror film. I would have been surprised if it had actually made it out of the shell.
Perhaps when it tried to kick out his brain, being out of its skull, hit part of the shell in such a way that it killed him, but maybe it was a godsend as you didn't have to go through the culling of this poor chick that probably wouldn't have survived much after hatch anyway!

I just googled the Hemedora breed, it looks pretty, is it banty?

Edited to include:
One has silkied feathers and they come in so much variety of colors and patterns! How beautiful! <3

 

[BullChick]

Since I popped in out of know where talkin about my crazy hatch results... here's the two survivors... I'm wondering if I might have got lucky with the silkied chickens that I love so much about the breed having...

First one out almost two days ago now...grey, yellow and white down/feathers A-dorable

Trying to show the very tiny pin feathers I haven't seen a chick before, so hoping that means silkied...of course I can't see them show up on the photo...they are like black pins...very narrow...but thicker than the fuzz...

Just found the last one like this, naval is dry and closed now at least, and eyes wide open



Just gave it a small bit of liquid vitamin...


Other side


Put a fresh clean cloth in there and propped it up on the dry sponge... hopefully it will relax for a bit and let the vitamins help it level itself out. It's sibling was flipped over and crazybtoo, gave it a shot of vitamin(drop) and put it in the snuggle cup...as you can see it's doin great

Fingers crossed

PS: of course the little booger is all over the incubator anyways... :sigh: I MUST go make dinner for the kids not stare at this incubator

Hi!!!

Long time no see!

 

[Sally Sunshine]

Yup, that's how my calculations were made (0.65% per day). They are on day 9 now.

A few questions/requests for advice (@Sally Sunshine or whomever) - once the hatcher is up to temperature:

1) Should I move the Marans eggs NOW (or wait until day 14 like with your Seramas)? Instinct says now, but thought I'd ask. (The no candling window is 10-14 days, as I recall, so I figure that would go for no switching 'bators, too.)

2) Should the humidity for them be something like 50% (that's what we used last time I had air cells growing too fast)? Then reweigh on day 14 and see where we are and then adjust? I only have one that's lost 14.3% already (though it is a viable one) - The others are 8.5, 9.1, 9.2, 11.3 and 11.6% weight loss - wiggler is 9.2.

3) Since I can't see into the marans eggs well to identify ideal pip position, any tips on that? (Will they roll into that position anyhow?)

- Ant Farm

I agree with Paddler, I would move them now. What were you running at? 35? maybe 45 will be enough, dont overkill humidity. you have plenty time to get them right, I would hold candler over them in two days after new humidity and let that guideyou. its better to get humidity right than worry about candling trust me, think about it this way.... I hatch so many chicks in coolers and those two lamps in them are always going on and off!!
are you sure by the end you cant see at least in the air cell, the size and darkness difference should guide you later on. you need a new candler love. you can try the lay and balance lowest dip up but for some reason in my bators with the wires it never works right, I candle.

Ugh - I have C-spine issues as well - not super bad yet, but badness coming (degeneration combined with an accident in the past).

so sorry Kristin!!! please do what you can as you go on. It will only get worse so do your homework and see what all you can do to prevent worsening!

Originally Posted by Sally Sunshine

Did I happen to mention that I have a bator fired up and have it double stacked at the moment? I will be amazed if half are fertile. But
I have to try as I have people that want serama OE and BCM I want polish to hatch!!!

How much to you get for your olive egger chicks?
My last setting of the year (not counting the current NYD one) was olive eggs. I only had one OE hen. She's the lone daughter of my old ameraucana that I lost this summer.
I set 12 eggs and since they came from the same hen, some were a couple weeks old. 11 of the 12 hatched. Lo and behold, 10 are pullets and only 1 a cockerel.
They're 11 weeks old now. I'm not keeping the cockerel and I'm only going to keep 2 or 3 of the pullets. I need to get my numbers down so I'm going to sell most in the next few weeks.
I can't come up with a good price because I don't have egg colors to show. They came out of these eggs but father is a Penedesenca so their eggs will be darker. Any thoughts?

I really havent sold any yet, I have given plenty of eggs away! and chicks to friends. I am terrible this is why I cant make any extra cash, I am a pushover and giver of eggs and chicks!!

 

[Sally Sunshine]

Crele Orphington FIRST EGG!!!

Now I need a coop for the pair!

 

[Fire Ant Farm]

Quote:

I'm so sorry for your loss

I was really hoping that they'd make it back to you

Thanks so much - The "pile of brush" is REALLY big (was created when the fence was put in), and from the way the feathers were, I'm now wondering if there's not a den of some sort under there, as I expect the rest of Goodwin's body is in there (and maybe the pullets as well). I'm going to start dismantling the piles ASAP (they're big, will take some time, but I don't want to have cozy homesteads for predators so near to my chickens). Should have dismantled them before now - hindsight is always 20/20, isn't it, especially after a loss...

Since I popped in out of know where talkin about my crazy hatch results... here's the two survivors... I'm wondering if I might have got lucky with the silkied chickens that I love so much about the breed having...

First one out almost two days ago now...grey, yellow and white down/feathers A-dorable

Trying to show the very tiny pin feathers I haven't seen a chick before, so hoping that means silkied...of course I can't see them show up on the photo...they are like black pins...very narrow...but thicker than the fuzz...

Just found the last one like this, naval is dry and closed now at least, and eyes wide open



Just gave it a small bit of liquid vitamin...


Other side


Put a fresh clean cloth in there and propped it up on the dry sponge... hopefully it will relax for a bit and let the vitamins help it level itself out. It's sibling was flipped over and crazybtoo, gave it a shot of vitamin(drop) and put it in the snuggle cup...as you can see it's doin great

Fingers crossed

PS: of course the little booger is all over the incubator anyways... :sigh: I MUST go make dinner for the kids not stare at this incubator

Yay!!!

The coloring of that first chick is much like the down of my splash copper marans cockerel Monkey when he was a chick - I wonder if yours will be a splash chick (what's the parentage?)

Quote: Right on!!!!!

Quote: Yes, it's so odd that as soon as I decided to cull or sell Monkey, Goodwin got picked off. Monkey's a good boy, I'm glad he'll have the opportunity to be a flock leader.

- Ant Farm