First time hatch, few questions

[siriusblack]

Hi, I am new here and I just let my broody hen hatch for the first time. She is an orpington, rooster is Ameraucana. I moved her into her own pen, and 10 chicks hatched. She had 4 left under her and decided she was done (one had already pipped externally) I quickly made an incubator the best I could. Humidity was too low and I ended up needing to wet the membranes and help the first chick out after 24 hours of struggling. She was great at first. Walking, peeping, alert. After 2 hours I checked on her and she had died. Any one know why? Last 3 eggs hatched perfectly, each one day apart. I will add a pic of my incubator, I find it quite funny because it looks like my children built it. But it did the job just great! This was the only chick that didn't make it for unknown reasons, I had one get trapped under mama and other 9 chicks and ended up on bottom, getting trampled. So I just didn't understand why she died and was hoping someone might have had an idea, just feeling guilty it was my mistake!

 

[siriusblack]

Pic above- humidifier with Ziploc bag over opening and taped to hole in box. Saran wrap with small holes covering most of top over box. Heat lamp, thermometer inside box near eggs. Did not have anything to measure humidity, so left humidifier on high. It may look like a joke but I hatched 3 chicks who are perfectly healthy out of it. Last egg to hatch was in it for 3 days. Pretty proud of it!

 

[PD-Riverman]

Hi, I am new here and I just let my broody hen hatch for the first time. She is an orpington, rooster is Ameraucana. I moved her into her own pen, and 10 chicks hatched. She had 4 left under her and decided she was done (one had already pipped externally) I quickly made an incubator the best I could. Humidity was too low and I ended up needing to wet the membranes and help the first chick out after 24 hours of struggling. She was great at first. Walking, peeping, alert. After 2 hours I checked on her and she had died. Any one know why? Last 3 eggs hatched perfectly, each one day apart. I will add a pic of my incubator, I find it quite funny because it looks like my children built it. But it did the job just great! This was the only chick that didn't make it for unknown reasons, I had one get trapped under mama and other 9 chicks and ended up on bottom, getting trampled. So I just didn't understand why she died and was hoping someone might have had an idea, just feeling guilty it was my mistake!

Its not your mistake it died----you tried. Chicks die---its just a part of raising them. There was a mistake and I am sure it was not intentional---that was a staggered hatch, which is caused by more eggs getting added in the broodies nest. If you do not want that to happen the next time---all ways collect eggs from every nest every day even if a hen is setting on the nest, Never allow a broody to "collect" her own eggs(well if she is free ranging you can not help that) You can stick fake eggs or golf balls under a broody if you want, but leave no eggs under her. If you are going to set her----you collect every how many eggs you want her to set on----and MARK them if you are going to leave her with the rest of the hens(I move all mine) if she is with the others you will have to look under her EVERY day and remove any fresh layed unmarked eggs. Then Your Broody Will hatch ALL the eggs at the same time, get off the nest with all her hatched chicks----then you will not have to go through all this anymore---Good Job Hatching them!!!

 

[siriusblack]

They are free range, she had tons of eggs and I realized what was happening, so I moved her after 1 week, but that ended up being the case, since the first hatch on Thursday and the last hatched yesterday (wednesday) I'll definitely be doing it right next time, besides I have 2 Americana hens that I want her to set on since our rooster is one also. They are so pretty! I have researched so much these past 2 weeks my brain hurts. I did have one more question. I have read that my black chicks are sex links, and some say they are not. How do i find out? Hen is EITHER a barred rock or austrolorp, rooster is Americana.

 

[PD-Riverman]

They are free range, she had tons of eggs and I realized what was happening, so I moved her after 1 week, but that ended up being the case, since the first hatch on Thursday and the last hatched yesterday (wednesday) I'll definitely be doing it right next time, besides I have 2 Americana hens that I want her to set on since our rooster is one also. They are so pretty! I have researched so much these past 2 weeks my brain hurts. I did have one more question. I have read that my black chicks are sex links, and some say they are not. How do i find out? Hen is EITHER a barred rock or austrolorp, rooster is Americana.

Well, you did the best you could do if you found her on a nest you did not know about.

There is several breeds you can breed to get black sex-links but for sure I do not think yours is but you do not know who layed what either. I can tell from your posting that you would Like to know what this or that is------If you got a bunch of mixed chickens running around---even though you got only one rooster your chicks are Mixed chicks---unless your Americana rooster breeds with your AMC hens then if they are a true breed then you would have some true chicks.

I could not handle that---LOL. I to am one that wants to know the breeds when they hatch so I Got Pure bred breeds to get pure bred chicks---ALL In separated pens-----27 different breeds last year plus some intentional crossed for sex-links, etc. Knowing makes me feel good----LOL. Yes it takes a lot of pens but if I could not pen all the different breeds then seoerate """"I""" would only have 1 breed, then when they hatch chicks---I will know what they are----without a doubt!!

 

[siriusblack]

Oh wow! Yeah I have 12 hens, and 1 rooster. They are free range. I have them for eggs, to cut down on woodticks and just because o love them, they are more for pets than anything. I grew up with them and never cared and know anything about breeds. Just always picked a couple of every different kind. I don't care what the chicks are, just didn't know if I could get that lucky to be able to tell right away haha. First time hatch went mostly well, and it was fun for kids so we may do it again, but better! Thanks for all the advice!