First time using a friends bator!!

[Kaceyx73]

Well, this is hatch day, and I'm happy as a lark as well as its going. I'm using a bator borrowed from a friend, its a basic styrofoam still air incubator he got from TSC. Eggs are from my late roo and hens, black tailed buff Marans rooster over production red hens. It was filled to capacity with 41 eggs.

Last night I actually had 3 early hatchers. As of writing this, just before 11PM, there are now 26 total hatched. The ones moved to the brooder are already eating and drinking. So cool, close to half are black, with a couple of those having black and tan faces. A couple are very blonde, more so than any of the RIR chicks I got as day olds. Half of the lighter ones are cinnamon while the other half are typical yellow/brown marked RIR chicks.

I'll leave the rest in for another couple of days for any late bloomers. Soon as I get them all I pass along a few pics.

After candling, I had 2 that showed no signs of developing at all, and looks like 4-5 so far that tried to hatch early and didn't make it.

Also, in everything I have read about incubating eggs, theres always discussion about the best thermometers. I pass along this tip. Check out your local auto parts stores and look for a thermometer in the accessories aisle. There are some that are meant to stick on with velcro to the dash, and have a long wired lead with a remote for outside temperature. A selector switch allows you to monitor outside and inside vehicle temperature, or in this case, the wired remote allows to check the temperature inside the incubator, to the tenth of a degree. Its size also makes it easier to place the remote mid level on the eggs to better gauge the temps. Sure this isn't a big deal for those of you with Ferrari style bators, but for those with the pregnant roller skate type bators, this can be a real lifesaver. Mine was only 10 bucks at Advance Auto.

 

[Kaceyx73]

#31 just came out and #32 is beginning to zip!!! Not bad for a first timer. 32/41, so far...

 

[Debbiesflocks]

Congratulations

 

[Anarchy82]

Great job. Hope there are some pics to come of the new additions.

 

[Kaceyx73]

I think they are finally done. Made it to 36/41. I'll try to post some pics of the many different patterns and colors tomorrow.

 

[Kaceyx73]

OK, I couldn't wait till tomorrow.

Here's what the mommies look like... Hatchery RIR

Here's Mr. Vic, the daddy bird. He's a Black Tailed Buff Marans, not SQ, but was a fantastic flock leader.

And here are a few pics of the newly hatch babies...

Needless to say, there is a lot of variation in color as chicks. Some solid black, black/tan (my favorites), cinnamon, chipmunk, blonde, and even a couple of platinum blondes. The 2 black and tans I was raising before grew up (at 2 mos) to be a golden buff below and solid black above. I also had some light brown RIR type chicks at 4 weeks that had yellow legs and 1 even had slate legs. Most of the darker ones have had slate legs, but I did have a shiny black one with glossy black legs.

It's so fun to see just how varied these guys can be coming from 2 primary breeds.

 

[jm93030]

pretty babys

looks like little to cold for them

check the temp in th brooder