FEB HATCH-ALONG THREAD ...COME JOIN US.... EVERYONE!

[jbarrett]

 

[Nicky-the-witch]

Hello everyone!

I am very new to the forum, so to start I would like to say a big thank you to you all for the mountain of info and advice.

I got my chooks back in August last year - one hi-line brown (Penelope) and an Australop cross (Dame Nelly Melba - Nell to her friends!)
All was going well until Nell started laying eggs without/very thin shells. That was when I discovered you lovely people and found loads of advice to fix the problem. A week or so later all was well again - but a month or so later Nell sat on her nest and there she stayed.
She is not the most approachable chicken at the best of times - took two of us to catch and hold her to clip her wing when we first got her - so I was a bit wary of getting too near to lift her off the nest several times a day. However, in the end we found out I was more stubborn than the bird! Wonderful fresh egg production returned to normal.

Than was until mid January. We had been discussing getting another chook over Christmas and had arranged to go and see some polish pullets newly available - but Nell decided now was a good time to go broody again. So this time, rather than pit my witts against her I thought I would go with the flow. So we found some fertile light sussex eggs available locally and popped them in her nest with her. That was on 26th January, so I guess the chicks will hatch 16/17th Feb if all goes well.

There have been a couple of "incidents" which may affect the eventual outcome.
With both Nell and I being new to the game I only put 8 eggs under her.
On day 3 whilst lifting her out for her daily constitutional (wearing full body armour!!) I managed to scoop up egg number 3 along with Nell (it looks fine no cracks that I can see). It only dropped a little way as Nell would remain in her seated position when I lifted her, but the sound of it hitting the floor upset me so much I decided to leave well alone from there on - I was sure Nell did get off daily its just that I didn't get to see it as I am out at work most days. (Today, day 13, is the first time I have seen her off the nest - all puffed up and clucky - so funny!)
One morning, when I opened the coop, it was to find Penelope with egg number 5 in her nest! Goodness knows how she got it out of Nells nest and into hers, but she did. But she happliy went out and abandoned the egg once the door was open - so back into Nells nest it went (it was still warm, fingers crossed)
Two days ago, I got home from work to find egg number 3 on the ground next to the open door. I have no idea what happened or how it survived the drop, but luckily that day the temperature was up to 36 degrees c and it was still warm when I picked it up. So maybe it will be ok? I tried candelling it, but my torch was not strong enough to show anything.
Today, when Nell got off her nest, I had my first opportunity to look at the eggs since I put them under her. Strangely, egg number 7 was missing - no egg, no shell, nothing. I guess that will remain a mystery!

So there we go, my little story up to date!

Not long to wait now - I am so excited!

 

[raygirl4386]

Thanks I will try this on my bantam assortment I got from ideal poultry because I was itching bad for my house to be filled with cheeping!

 

[Brookhavens]

Hello everyone!

I am very new to the forum, so to start I would like to say a big thank you to you all for the mountain of info and advice.

I got my chooks back in August last year - one hi-line brown (Penelope) and an Australop cross (Dame Nelly Melba - Nell to her friends!)
All was going well until Nell started laying eggs without/very thin shells. That was when I discovered you lovely people and found loads of advice to fix the problem. A week or so later all was well again - but a month or so later Nell sat on her nest and there she stayed.
She is not the most approachable chicken at the best of times - took two of us to catch and hold her to clip her wing when we first got her - so I was a bit wary of getting too near to lift her off the nest several times a day. However, in the end we found out I was more stubborn than the bird! Wonderful fresh egg production returned to normal.

Than was until mid January. We had been discussing getting another chook over Christmas and had arranged to go and see some polish pullets newly available - but Nell decided now was a good time to go broody again. So this time, rather than pit my witts against her I thought I would go with the flow. So we found some fertile light sussex eggs available locally and popped them in her nest with her. That was on 26th January, so I guess the chicks will hatch 16/17th Feb if all goes well.

There have been a couple of "incidents" which may affect the eventual outcome.
With both Nell and I being new to the game I only put 8 eggs under her.
On day 3 whilst lifting her out for her daily constitutional (wearing full body armour!!) I managed to scoop up egg number 3 along with Nell (it looks fine no cracks that I can see). It only dropped a little way as Nell would remain in her seated position when I lifted her, but the sound of it hitting the floor upset me so much I decided to leave well alone from there on - I was sure Nell did get off daily its just that I didn't get to see it as I am out at work most days. (Today, day 13, is the first time I have seen her off the nest - all puffed up and clucky - so funny!)
One morning, when I opened the coop, it was to find Penelope with egg number 5 in her nest! Goodness knows how she got it out of Nells nest and into hers, but she did. But she happliy went out and abandoned the egg once the door was open - so back into Nells nest it went (it was still warm, fingers crossed)
Two days ago, I got home from work to find egg number 3 on the ground next to the open door. I have no idea what happened or how it survived the drop, but luckily that day the temperature was up to 36 degrees c and it was still warm when I picked it up. So maybe it will be ok? I tried candelling it, but my torch was not strong enough to show anything.
Today, when Nell got off her nest, I had my first opportunity to look at the eggs since I put them under her. Strangely, egg number 7 was missing - no egg, no shell, nothing. I guess that will remain a mystery!

So there we go, my little story up to date!

Not long to wait now - I am so excited!

Welcome to the group. GREAT bunch of people here. Some new at hatching, some old and some in between. We are all here to share our hatching experiences. I personally have done quite a few hatches and I still learn something new with each one.

 

[ceocka]

Ok so my hatchlings still have not piped. They are still moving in she'll and have big veins in shell. Any suggestions?

 

[PugBug]

FINALLY 1 egg has pipped! I can see the little beak, it's peeping & breathing- so now I can breath too! I am soooo relieved, at least I know they are ok, or this one is anyway. This hatching business is nearly more stress than I can stand

 

[pinky67]

Y

[COLOR=B22222]   FINALLY 1 egg has pipped! I can see the little beak, it's peeping & breathing- so now I can breath too! I am soooo relieved, at least I know they are ok, or this one is anyway. This hatching business is nearly more stress than I can stand [/COLOR]

Yay!!!!! I feel the same way about my little early bird pipper!

 

[PugBug]

Ok so my hatchlings still have not piped. They are still moving in she'll and have big veins in shell. Any suggestions?

What day are you on, sorry I forget? If they are moving, sounds good to me! If veins are still thick, they are not ready yet. Leave them be, sit on your hands... and believe me I know how hard that is

But it really does sound like they are fine, does not sound like they are in distress.

 

[PugBug]

Before I went to bed the 2nd egg pipped, then I woke up again to check on them. #3 had pipped but @ the bottom (pointed end) of the shell. The other 2 look fine, I can still see their little beaks, still breathing & made slight progress- so I know they are ok @ this point. I took out #3 to closer examine, looked like the chick is dead. No movement or sound. I picked the shell back a bit and sure enough, it's gone. I'm sad about it as it looks like only thing wrong was it being upside down & pipping the wrong end. I guess it couldn't get any air.But I am so relieved the other two are doing good!

 

[Maah]

FINALLY 1 egg has pipped! I can see the little beak, it's peeping & breathing- so now I can breath too! I am soooo relieved, at least I know they are ok, or this one is anyway. This hatching business is nearly more stress than I can stand

Yahoo!!!!