First time incubating

[FenDruadin]

They're due the 17th. We had to have the chickens locked up for city inspection for our permit, and during the few days they were all closed in, she decided she may as well pass the time by setting a spell, lol.

I'd love to have a coturnix or two decide to sit on eggs. If they ever do, I'll be breeding from those hens repeatedly until I develop a strain with natural setting tendencies. I've heard they will occasionally sit on eggs when they're living in natural conditions, which mine are (more or less--as much as can be duplicated in a temperate forest backyard, lol).

In the meantime, it's fun having the silkie decide to go broody. It's her first batch. Her mother amazed me by raising one batch (100% hatch) followed by sitting on what I was sure were infertile eggs--the rooster had been culled three weeks previously--and managing to hatch out yet another baby from that batch. Then a raccoon got in one night (ONE SINGLE NIGHT I forgot to close the coop, so sad!! ) and at her. That baby was only two weeks old... the current broody, her older sister, adopted her immediately and raised her the rest of the way. Now she's sitting on her own batch of eggs getting ready to be a mama herself. <3

Fowl are so much fun.

 

[WalkingNorth]

Aw I'm sorry for your loss It's so heartbreaking when something like that happens, but I'm glad her baby is carrying on the legacy

My old quails were in australia, and i wonder if that has something to do with it? They lived in a dinky little bird cage indoors with dirt and leaves from the garden for bedding. Their diet was very basic and the only thing I did differently was LOTS of mealworms. The little girl actually nested in a small plant pot turned on it's side, sitting in the pot base so that it would've roll, she built a nest and everything, the babies were so cute

 

[FenDruadin]

Awwww... how sweet! Do you have pictures? How adorable. <3

We were indeed very sad when Moxie was eaten. Sadly, losses seem to be a normal part of backyard fowl raising, especially when you're busy and overwhelmed as I was at the time. That day we sat down and had a talk. I was too stressed and overwhelmed to continue caring for the animals properly, as evidenced by my forgetting to put them up. The children immediately took up the mantle and said THEY would take care of the animals. And they have.

So, good comes of bad. The children learned about mistakes, and facing them head-on, and about taking responsibility. They still take care of the animals every day.

Still sad about Moxie, but life goes on. Her little baby she was raising at the time turned out to be a hen, so now I've got two daughters and a son from her... so I'm content.

 

[WalkingNorth]

Unfortunately no pics, must've been ten years ago, didn't even have a cell phone XD

I think you're right about that being the way of life. Before I found buttons in canada I had a go at finches and canaries, was in the process of building an aviary and had purchased 4 breeding pairs to go in. Unfortunately the last bird I bought carried something and killed off the flock I had her in a separate cage etc etc etc but sometimes it's just going to happen. I learned not to go near that particular supplier again and now I listen to my little red factor canary with the one surviving cordon blue finch. The canary is a hell of a singer, he would've made a great line, but after waking up day after day to dead birds, I can't stomach going back to them, so there they sit, two bachelors

I'm doing things nice and slow with the buttons and preparing myself for them not hatching. Factoring in that I haven't incubated at all, the fluctuating temps because it's winter and the furnace is running as well as them being shipped eggs from the only person I could find in canada who has hatching eggs, I'm not keeping my hopes up too high. I have the space for 4 pairs and I'll be happy to get two. Hopefully I won't hatch all females lol

That said, I do have two little females atm that I got from about 3 hours away, I did purchase them with a male but he died within a day so I'm not touching that lady again.

So here I sit with eggs in the bator, 2 little female buttons who are arguing over who's boss and fingers crossed that I'll get a couple of boys for them. If I only end up with 2 pairs they're going to be spoiled rotten. I have 2 HUGE reptile terrariums with soft tops waiting for them.

The wait is killer though

 

[myfinefeatheredfriends]

Oh the wait... I understand completely how that feels!

 

[WalkingNorth]

So far so good, temp is sitting between 99.5 and up to 100.9 when the furnace kicks in. Humidity steady at 40%. So excited lol. I don't know if this is weird, but ever since I fired up the incubator in the button room, the 2 lonely ladies in the terrarium have been super vocal. My old female quails never made a peep but these two like to sing together. I think they are excited for their new friends too lol

Day 5 btw, going to try candling again on Saturday, hopefully with a better flashlight.

 

[WalkingNorth]

Going to have a go at candling tomorrow, wondering if you guys have any advice? I've tried using my cell phone for lack of a flash light and was able to see through the lightest colored one, looks infertile unfortunately Is there a particular type of light that works best? Am I just going to have to be patient since the batch has a lot of dark colored eggs or is there a brand or kind of flashlight that would work better?

 

[Pancholoco]

You can use a LED flashlight they are brighter than regular ones.

 

[FenDruadin]

With experience & light colored eggs, you can begin to tell at day 5 with just about any flashlight. But I wouldn't rely on observations from a cell phone light! LED is good, maglight is a good brand. Look for a strong, tight beam. It's also very helpful to be in a completely dark room--I wait till after dark and then turn out all the lights in the house and move away from the windows.

Good luck!

 

[WalkingNorth]

Thanks iamcuriositycat! We had a go using an app that turns on the LED flash, so it was pretty strong at least. I think it might be inexperience on my part as I can't quite tell what I'm looking at with the darker ones. Will pop out and see if we can find a mag light the try again tonight. I'm so trying not to get my hopes up, did I mention they were mailed through -20 weather