Hatch-Along - Setting eggs this weekend (Jan5/6) WHOS WITH ME!

[Sally8]

I have at least 1 new baby out in the hen house tucked under a hen. I think there might be 2 but it's in the teens here. I don't want to expose them. How do I ensure that they get water? I'd been putting FF in the nest for the hens. Never believed this could happen when it's been so cold. I believe I will let Nature take place after losing Little Bob yesterday. Mama hen's instincts are probably better than mine. Sue

 

[FeyRaine]

1 duck egg has pipped, but it is in the middle of the egg
I fear I know how this story ends...
why does this keep happening? it has to mean something about what the problem w/ this incubator is.

There are still 3 un-pipped ducks eggs & 1 chicken
DH says he thought he saw wiggled in the 2 eggs I saw zero movement in prior when I candled ??!!

Just gotta wait it out , time will tell

 

[tammir]

Woke up this morning to 4 chicks running around the incubator- all dried off pretty well and moved them into the brooder with the ones that hatched last week. I'm not sure if it was too soon for me to move them, but they seem to be holding their own with the older chicks. That being said, I wanted to clean up the smelly bator and get it out of my kitchen (at least my dwarf orange tree is in bloom to cover it up

. I unplugged it, started to candle to check before I accidental tossed a viable chick and heard something peep- another pullet egg! I'm still sad about Miracle dying yesterday so I'm not sure if I want to go through that again or not. I'm just going to wait and see what I find in the morning before I go to work, and then again when I get home.

Speaking of cleaning up the bator- what do any of you recommend for cleaning/disinfecting it? I wasn't sure how the styrofoam would hold up to bleach, and wouldn't want to store it as a bacteria farm until the next time.

 

[Sally8]

Last year I just used soap and water but I'm also wondering about spritzing it with a little bleach. Curious as to what others use since it is Styrofoam.

 

[FeyRaine]

Well bad news, after everything, I just found my tiny Jaylee dead in the brooder : (
was alive 30 mins ago when I last looked
no obvious cause, could have gotten injured by the larger silkies is some non visible way,
or maybe even w/ the hand feeding it still wasn't getting enough,
or it might have had some other issue (it sure had not appeared to grow any since hatching 6 days ago).

I'm seriously frustrated.

 

[chicken pickin]

Last year I just used soap and water but I'm also wondering about spritzing it with a little bleach. Curious as to what others use since it is Styrofoam.

I was also wondering about cleaning. I decided not to use bleach just yet so I washed everything down with dishsoap and warm water rinsed well and then used clorox wipes to give it another good once over. I am setting a new batch of eggs tomorrow morn so I want to be sure the incubator is not full of bacteria also.

 

[nothingbutbirds]

Last year I just used soap and water but I'm also wondering about spritzing it with a little bleach.  Curious as to what others use since it is Styrofoam. 

Woke up this morning to 4 chicks running around the incubator- all dried off pretty well and moved them into the brooder with the ones that hatched last week.  I'm not sure if it was too soon for me to move them, but they seem to be holding their own with the older chicks.  That being said, I wanted to clean up the smelly bator and get it out of my kitchen (at least my dwarf orange tree is in bloom to cover it up .  I unplugged it, started to candle to check before I accidental tossed a viable chick and heard something peep- another pullet egg! I'm still sad about Miracle dying yesterday so I'm not sure if I want to go through that again or not.  I'm just going to wait and see what I find in the morning before I go to work, and then again when I get home. 

Speaking of cleaning up the bator- what do any of you recommend for cleaning/disinfecting it? I wasn't sure how the styrofoam would hold up to bleach, and wouldn't want to store it as a bacteria farm until the next time.

i scrub mine with soap and water then put some water and white vinegar together spray it on let it dry in the sun then wash with water. cleans like a charm.

 

[nothingbutbirds]

Well bad news, after everything, I just found my tiny Jaylee dead in the brooder : (
was alive 30 mins ago when I last looked
no obvious cause, could have gotten injured by the larger silkies is some non visible way,
or maybe even w/ the hand feeding it still wasn't getting enough,
or it might have had some other issue (it sure had not appeared to grow any since hatching 6 days ago).

I'm seriously frustrated.

so sorry for your loss.

 

[chicken pickin]

Well bad news, after everything, I just found my tiny Jaylee dead in the brooder : (
was alive 30 mins ago when I last looked
no obvious cause, could have gotten injured by the larger silkies is some non visible way,
or maybe even w/ the hand feeding it still wasn't getting enough,
or it might have had some other issue (it sure had not appeared to grow any since hatching 6 days ago).

I'm seriously frustrated.

Sorry to hear about your chick that is very sad.

Today I noticed one of my newly hatched EE chicks she is one week today, she is developing a cross beak Ive never had a cross beak so Im unsure what to do. I dont know if I want to raise her and tend to her special through the rest of her life and I dont want her to struggle or starve to death. My Daughters are sad and very concerned for her. For now I will watch her and see how she continues to develope and hope it doesnt get to too bad. Id love it if she was able to hold her own and eat and drink as normal as possible, but out look does not look good

 

[dblea202]

Its the end of day 21 anything yet...we have head consistent wobbling in all three eggs since friday night...but no pips..should we be worried????