February Hatch-A-Long

[LilyD]

Yes! Most definitely, I know there’s a lot of debate pros and cons. But I’m also a big believer in vaccines for humans without having to go into that!
I buy the syringes and very small needles, I believe they’re 27 gauge, on line. I have purchased from both Valley vet and from Jeffers pet. I have to have the vaccine shipped express to Hawaii as it has to be refrigerated. This adds a few bucks each to my chick price but people do not mind paying it. Especially Silkies are very susceptible to Marek’s. It is prevalent in the wild birds here and we do have a lot of feral chickens as well.
I’m sure being on the mainland you will have easier access to it if that’s what you choose to do. All of my birds have been vaccinated both ones I’ve hatched myself and ones I’ve bought from a hatchery.
It’s a very easy procedure, being in the medical field helps!

I hate doing it even to the adult birds and feel like I'm going to hurt them. I have a feeling our state is going to need to go that way soon so that we have herd immunity in our flocks because the strains are just getting hotter which makes it hard for the nonvaccinated chicks.

 

[gimmie birdies]

Such cute chickies people!

Still day 19 here, all I have are eggs peeping to each other. Day 20 starts this evening.

 

[LadiesAndJane]

I hate doing it even to the adult birds and feel like I'm going to hurt them. I have a feeling our state is going to need to go that way soon so that we have herd immunity in our flocks because the strains are just getting hotter which makes it hard for the nonvaccinated chicks.

It's just a little stick under the skin in the back of the neck. Once you get the hang of it, it is pretty quick. I think wing web vaccinating is worse.
Most hobby/backyard breeders like myself do not even offer Mareks here as it is crazy expensive to ship it here. I try to figure how much I will need and order several bottles at once, so I cut down on the shipping price buying in volume. I ask the company sending it to try to send me bottles with the latest expiration date, so it may last well into the next hatching season. Try to have enough chicks hatch around the same time to make it worth it.

 

[Austrian Chickens]

First chick

 

[LadiesAndJane]

First chick
View attachment 2533560

Yay! Congratulations!

 

[gimmie birdies]

First pip, Mosaic egg last night (marked where I thought it would hatch...) and this morning!

It was the smallest, so it makes sense that it would pip first.

 

[allebasi4]

Day 17 on my bantam & serama eggs and I noticed some rocking looks like I’ll stop turning today

 

[Honora]

Day 22 here and the hatch continues! I have 8 chicks out, 3 pips & 3 internal pips. I didn’t have any blue kote for the chick with the head injury so I painted over the scab with non toxic crayola paint. Hopefully the lump on it’s head is just swelling and not a deformity. It seems to be acting normally anyway.
Hope a few more will hatch tonight!

 

[Courtkneekp]

I just wanted to share some fluffiest

 

[Nero70002]

First pip, Mosaic egg last night (marked where I thought it would hatch...) and this morning!
View attachment 2533618
View attachment 2533621
It was the smallest, so it makes sense that it would pip first.

I don’t know if you are keeping the chick or not because I’m having trouble keeping track of who says what, but if you are maybe you should name the chick mosaic.