Harris Farms Nurture Right 360 Incubator is AMAZING!

[FortCluck]

Update on Lucky!!

What breed is lucky?

 

[CrisAnderson27]

What breed is lucky?

Sorry for the delayed reply! I never got notification.

He's Ayam Cemani/Cornish X.

I actually just hatched two more literally this morning...same parents but they look quite different lol:

Still a dismal hatch rate. 20 set, 16 viable, 5 hatched. I'm going to put 20 more in this evening.

 

[CluckNDoodle]

Sorry for the delayed reply! I never got notification.

He's Ayam Cemani/Cornish X.

I actually just hatched two more literally this morning...same parents but they look quite different lol:

Still a dismal hatch rate. 20 set, 16 viable, 5 hatched. I'm going to put 20 more in this evening.

They're so cute! I wonder why you're experiencing low hatch rates. At what point are they quitting?

 

[CrisAnderson27]

They're so cute! I wonder why you're experiencing low hatch rates. At what point are they quitting?

This time I did it with 40%-50% the entire time. I pulled 4 that were infertile. The majority of the rest quit between days 7 and 16. Of the 16 that were fertile I have 6 hatched so far. Three are still in the incubator (on that had pipped upside down is moving around!)...so we'll hope for 7. That leaves 9. Two more still look viable and could hatch (and are in the incubator).

If I end up with 9 of 16 that'll be my best hatch.

 

[SnapdragonQ]

OMG! Spots!! I love spots!!
So cute!

 

[JacinLarkwell]

Love the spots. Could it maybe be because of the Cornish X genetics?

 

[CrisAnderson27]

Love the spots. Could it maybe be because of the Cornish X genetics?

Doubtful...I've had very poor hatch rates all season. Around 30%.

Good news is, on more hatched...so that's 7/16. Closest to 50% I've come yet.

Also, these are my own eggs, not shipped.

 

[CrisAnderson27]

Soooooo!!

I set 42 more eggs lol. Both incubators full less the slots for my temp/hygrometer. Today is actually day 10, and I candled to find only 6 duds. 5 infertile and one definite blood ring. The rest seem quite healthy...some further along than others...but still all well veined, moving...and solidly growing. That's usually how it goes...so I'm keeping my fingers crossed for hatch (which is when they all seem to die). I believe 2 or 3 of this batch are Ayam Cemani/Cornish X mixes...and there's at least 1 Ayam Cemani/Australorp in there too. I REALLY wish my Ameraucana boys would start breeding. Their younger Ayam Cemani broodermates are going berserk trying to cover every hen in the place...and the MUCH bigger Ameraucana just hang out on the roosts and run from the meanie Barred Rock hens lol. I'll share some pictures I took of two of them below.

The last hatch gave me 7 birds total (out of 21 set, and 16 that started...for a 44% hatch rate...my best so far), but the last to hatch couldn't stand. Poor girl just laid on her side and spun in circles. I tried nutri-drench and vitamin b, along with feeding egg yolk. None of it was doing any good and by day 3 she was very weak. She would kick herself out from under the heat and I'd come in to find her ice cold.

I had to cull. It sucked. Bad.

But the remaining 6 birds are freaking adorable. Friendly if a bit skittish, cute as can be...and freaking little piggies. They're downing fermented 20% chick starter like it's water. Every time I come in their little crops are bulging full.

Here's a quick video of where things stand overall:

And here's some pictures of the two Ameraucana boys:

Their faces are messy from eating fermented feed...but they're BIG lol.

 

[SnapdragonQ]

So how big is Jenny the broody mom? It sounded like you said 18 lbs?

I've probably already asked this before, but how is your hatch rate without any ACs in the mix? And eggs from your own flock? Sorry, I can barely keep track of my own flock...lol!

Still LOVE the spots!

My kids from the first hatch are almost 15 weeks I think? They have grown well and some of the Ameraucana mixes are cool looking! (Am. x Black Autralorp) I'm really hoping for some green eggs too.
The whole batch was Aussie x Aussie, Aussie x Sapphire Gems, and Aussie x Am.
I'm like the Aussie x SG and have a beautiful blue cockerel from that cross.

And yeah, having to cull a chick really sucks!

 

[CrisAnderson27]

So how big is Jenny the broody mom? It sounded like you said 18 lbs?

I've probably already asked this before, but how is your hatch rate without any ACs in the mix? And eggs from your own flock? Sorry, I can barely keep track of my own flock...lol!

Still LOVE the spots!

My kids from the first hatch are almost 15 weeks I think? They have grown well and some of the Ameraucana mixes are cool looking! (Am. x Black Autralorp) I'm really hoping for some green eggs too.
The whole batch was Aussie x Aussie, Aussie x Sapphire Gems, and Aussie x Am.
I'm like the Aussie x SG and have a beautiful blue cockerel from that cross.

And yeah, having to cull a chick really sucks!

Last weigh in Jenny was 17lbs 10oz lol.

I don't have any other breeding rooster at the moment...so I don't know what the hatch rate would be without. I should by next spring though. I'm trying not to think of a late fall/winter hatch if my Ameraucana start laying/breeding lol.

I have two laying Australorp hens myself!! Pictures of Ameraucana mixes and your sapphire gem mixes are always welcome lol!