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

[PugBug]

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

everyday I log on to try & catch up here & w/out fail at least 70 new postings every day!! Ya killin me here lol O well I'll catch up at some point.

So 1/2 way thru & only one infertile egg(an ee egg), maybe 2, one may be a quail egg -> but it has so many speckles that I can't see in it to tell what's going on in there


I'm very excited, I have a few Japanese Bantam eggs in there (first laid ones, good size for first time) can't wait to see what my little birdies will create together
1 quail egg that looks great -

Already putting aside all my JB eggs to put in after these all hatch ----- naughtynaughty

sorry, that would be peach & I mostly ... umm well it's really a bunch of us- but since peach has been bad mama-hen I'm throw'in her under the bus & b/c she cracks me up so much thought I would jump under there w/ her geez can ya'll tell I'm sleep deprived?

The JB sound nice, can't wait to see pics of them!

 

[CamiLynn]

My little runt chickie "Mini" has been dealing with a pasty butt! Grr.

DH is picking up some plain yogurt today on his way home from work. That, the ACV in the water, and maybe a tiny pinch of ground oatmeal in with the chick feed... ? I hope it helps. This chick is a fighter, so I'm sure he'll fight through this as well. My only concern, is maybe he's got something going on with the back door that's causing some problems in addition to typical chickie pasty butt. I'm saying, the reason I'm almost positive little Mini is a roo... is because he was so small and frail when he first hatched. And his vent was a kind of swollen and like inside out at first.

Pretty sure I was able to vent sex him, but mother nature did the work, not me! But it makes me wonder if it didn't cause him problems (in addition to everything else!).

He's still quite lively though. Runs around, plays, eats, drinks, etc. Behaves pretty normally now. Even the walking is just fine. He's just a half pint. So I'm not super worried. YET. I have been cleaning his tush frequently, and only once was the vent actually blocked. Mostly it's just a dirty bum.

We'll see, only time will tell. If he's meant to make it, he will. We've done everything we can for him.

Anyways, in the mean time... here's a current pic. I taped a compact mirror to the brooder wall. They think it's FASCINATING!

Are you sure it wasn't where the "umbilical cord" would have been attached vs the vent? I had a chick hatch with what I thought was its inside out and a swollen rear and it was where the umbilical cord was and where it hadn't fully sucked in all the yolk before hatching. It ended up drying to a ball on the rear. However, I didn't have the pasty butt with it, but have with others. Either way hope its clears and continues to do well.

 

[PugBug]

Hey guys not sure if you remember me since I posted several pages ago but now I'm back with a question. I have eggs under a broody and the weather the past few days has been awful! Cold temps, wind, and rain. Do you think this will ruin my hatch?

I remember you

I don't have personal experience w/ a broody in that kind of weather, but I would assume as long as she has good shelter from the worst of it that is would be ok. Do you have a heat source in the coop? Is it dry where she is? I would think those would be the most important things.

 

[raygirl4386]

Is 76% too high for hatch day?

 

[PugBug]

My little runt chickie "Mini" has been dealing with a pasty butt! Grr.

DH is picking up some plain yogurt today on his way home from work. That, the ACV in the water, and maybe a tiny pinch of ground oatmeal in with the chick feed... ? I hope it helps. This chick is a fighter, so I'm sure he'll fight through this as well. My only concern, is maybe he's got something going on with the back door that's causing some problems in addition to typical chickie pasty butt. I'm saying, the reason I'm almost positive little Mini is a roo... is because he was so small and frail when he first hatched. And his vent was a kind of swollen and like inside out at first.

Pretty sure I was able to vent sex him, but mother nature did the work, not me! But it makes me wonder if it didn't cause him problems (in addition to everything else!).

Oh my word! The mental pic I just had! I know it's not funny, poor little guy- but your description had me laughing so hard thought I would wet my pants

- since I've never had a chick w/ this, what is pasty butt & what causes it? BTW great idea about the compact, I should have thought of that when Peeps was all by herself! shhhhh, can't let DH know this or he'll be wanting to take back the 4 her got for her buddies

And they are too cute!

 

[PugBug]

Is 76% too high for hatch day?

No, you want it high so they don't get shrink wrapped, hope you have a good hatch!

 

[Debs55]

[COLOR=B22222]I remember you  [/COLOR]
[COLOR=B22222]I don't have personal experience w/ a broody in that kind of weather, but I would assume as long as she has good shelter from the worst of it that is would be ok. Do you have a heat source in the coop? Is it dry where she is? I would think those would be the most important things.[/COLOR]

No there is no heat source but at night the two other hens an rooster in the pen all cuddle around her because they are silkies and don't like to roost so I imagine its pretty warm at night. And yes it is dry

 

[Maah]

Are you sure it wasn't where the "umbilical cord" would have been attached vs the vent? I had a chick hatch with what I thought was its inside out and a swollen rear and it was where the umbilical cord was and where it hadn't fully sucked in all the yolk before hatching. It ended up drying to a ball on the rear. However, I didn't have the pasty butt with it, but have with others. Either way hope its clears and continues to do well.

Oh I'm pretty sure. He was pretty much naked for the world to see for the first few hours. Quite a small wet baby. His vent still protrudes a small bit as well. Though nothing like it was, and he does seem to be able to do his business... --- I'm not making any guarantees though, I could be wrong! But I'd sure be surprised if he some day pops out an egg.

Oh my word! The mental pic I just had! I know it's not funny, poor little guy- but your description had me laughing so hard thought I would wet my pants

- since I've never had a chick w/ this, what is pasty butt & what causes it? BTW great idea about the compact, I should have thought of that when Peeps was all by herself! shhhhh, can't let DH know this or he'll be wanting to take back the 4 her got for her buddies

And they are too cute!

You can still put a mirror in there! I did it for my own entertainment pleasure! LOL - Ok, and theirs. I also have a tiny piece of red crape paper stuff (not sure where it came from, bit of trash that looks like a twisty tie)... I taped it to the end of a qtip (less the cotton) and play with them. They LOVE chasing the fake little wormie around. Though they're getting smart on that and only get excited for a second before they realize the crazy lady is just screwing with them again.

 

[Maah]

Are you sure it wasn't where the "umbilical cord" would have been attached vs the vent? I had a chick hatch with what I thought was its inside out and a swollen rear and it was where the umbilical cord was and where it hadn't fully sucked in all the yolk before hatching. It ended up drying to a ball on the rear. However, I didn't have the pasty butt with it, but have with others. Either way hope its clears and continues to do well.

Oh, I wanted to add though... that that is an interesting concept! I WAS very sleep deprived with this little kiddo... You have given me hope that he might actually pop out an egg! Either way, he won't be be bred back to anyone. Small, runt, bum/leg/hip/spine/head issues, and 4 toes on the one side. Better not pass on any of those traits. He's more like a special project, but so long as he can hold his own against the world, then by all means... have fun little chickie. BUT: Maybe we'll get some eggs from him. LOL.

 

[inthesticks]

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!

We are due @ the same time! I have 10 Easter Egger, 3 Japanese bantam, 1 quail, & 1 barred/ee cross in the bator

As for disappearing eggs I know about that lol. Some of my hens are crazy - they will switch laying spots & go off & do it some random place, instead of the coop or nesting barrels/crates. Sometimes I don't find them till day(s) later - so I took the ones I knew were frozen & put them in the barrels - One barrel that they use the most I put 3 eggs in, one egg had cracked from freezing & this morning it is no longer anywhere - vanished! crafty birds
Used to have a duck that that would happen to - it's like they know it's not good & get rid of it.