EEEEE!!! They're starting, they're starting!!!

[Bettacreek]

Up to three chicks, looks like an ivory/white and two slates or something. No other pips. I still don't know where hubby saw the other eggs that were "coming out"... He said that two were out, one was almost out and two more were going to hatch. I can see where the one confused him, I thought it was a fully zipped egg with chick still in it, until I counted eggs, but the other egg was cracked completely in half and it was obvious that there wasn't a chickie. Meh, oh well. Three chickies, no more pips.

I'm thinking that I'll give them 24 hours after original due date, anything hatched after that will be snake food for being "weak".

At what point after my last "strong" chickies hatch do I move them all to a brooder? I have been surprisingly good about not pestering with them. I figured I'd be too impatient to let them in the incubator to let the others hatch, but I haven't touched it yet.

 

[Patch of Heaven Farm]

Congrats!!!! What cuties!!

 

[Rainbowbirds-of-a-Feather]

Alright!! Keep on going little pippers!!! The BYC flock is cheering you on!!!

 

[Bettacreek]

5 chicks hatched, no other pips. These guys seem to be in a hurry, once they pip, they want to get the heck out and don't waste time.

 

[citalk2much]

My last hatch took 3 days until they where all done hatching don't rush it!

 

[Bettacreek]

Meh, I don't want to create a bunch of slow hatching birds. They're supposed to hatch at 16 days, so anybody who doesn't hatch within a reasonable time frame will not be used for breeding, and I don't feel right selling them to others if I wouldn't use them in my own breeding program.

 

[AK_Button_Mama]

wow thats kinda harsh. just cause they hatch late doesnt mean they are less suitable for breeding. I mean if your logic holds true, that would mean humans who have babies that are up to 2 weeks late, shouldnt allow thier children to procreate.

Like I saw in another thread I would wait till day 20. then disect the eggs to see if there is some reason that would explain why they didnt hatch.

Some times they are just late.


BTW this post isnt meant to be demeaning or ANY thing other than a rambling. so please dont be offended.. I was just thinking out loud!!!

 

[citalk2much]

Quote:
I second that. And hey my daughter was over two weeks late!
But really I had ones hatch on day 15 and ones on day and 18 they where all stronge and healthy little critters LOL

 

[Bettacreek]

Humans generally have one baby. When you have eggs being laid each day, you have the choice of being more selective. It's no different from pulling the colors you don't like from the breeding program. I just don't want to end up creating a line that you have to wait 20 days or whatever to hatch. If other people don't mind, then that's fine, certainly isn't my place to say otherwise, just that with my personal breeding program, I don't want them to be late hatchers. Of course, I know that I'll have to be careful with certain genes, the rarer they are and the more that I want that particular gene, the more lax I'm going to have to be with other specifics, until I get enough breeding stock to give myself a selection.

And, no offense, but you can't really compare humans to selectively breeding animals. If we did that, nobody would reproduce anymore because there are so many faults and problems in the human species that it's unreal.

 

[Mrs MIA]

In truth, the hatching time is 16-18 days.

But 16 seems to be the norm. Congratulations on your babies... you will be amazed at how quickly they grow from here. Next week you won't recognize them!