I woke up this morning (yes, I did actually get some sleep) to SIX chicks.
Unfortunately, in the time between double-checking the brooder and going back to take the "oldest" (fluffiest) chicks out of the incubator, one had drowned in the water reservoir.
SO fast, that was! I feel terrible. But I suppose that could just as easily have happened in the night before I saw them all - it was just bad luck that it happened when I was up and awake.
One egg left in the incubator, with the two newest and damp chicks. (And the little drowned chick because I keep hoping if it is kept warm in there it MIGHT take a breath and not be dead..... )
I'll post some pics of the chicks in the brooder once I get things more settled.
What a great hatch - six of seven shipped eggs. Too bad one of the hatchlings fell asleep with its head over the side of that water reservoir. I'm gonna have to figger out a way to prevent that in the future!
Wow, this entire thread has been my first morning read and it was so exciting!! I haven't hatched mine own, hopefully I won't but it sounds so delish and fun!! Congrats on your hard work!
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I had problems with the humidity with my Brinsea, and lost 4 of 7 chicks. I learned my lesson and with my second hatch started taking them out as soon as 2 had hatched. The brooder was nice and warm and they dried off beautifully in there. Didn't lose a chick. Other than that, I love my Brinsea!
I've never had chicks this young before. All my chickens (with the exception of two laying pullets I bought from a BYC member) have been feed store chicks at least 5 days old, sometimes as much as 2 weeks.
These little bitty babies are adorable. They wake up in concert, flap a wing, take a step, peck in another chick's direction, and all fall asleep at once, together. About a minute per waking session.... that must have been such hard work all night getting out of those eggs!