how to keep day olds straight (who is from which hen)

[Minky]

I am going to be incubating for the first time. Ive had chickens (30) for 3 years and have always bought day olds or let broody hens hatch out.
I have borrowed a 42 egg incubator, so Ill likely fill it up! once the chicks start to hatch, how do I tell which chick is from which hen? For example, I know that If I buy some fertile Maran eggs , I will be able to tell those apart- but for my own eggs- I have 3 welsummers Im crossing with my EE Roo in hopes for olive Eggers- how can I "mark" those chicks so I dont sell or give them away by accident? My roo is an EE and most of my hens are too, with different coloured blue and green eggs. I can tell which egg is from which hen, and it would be great to know which chick is from which hen when they are out of the tell tale shell.

Once they are in lockdown and start to hatch- will I be able to open the incubator- take some pics of each chick as it comes out of the dark brown speckled shell/or blue shell?


Any tips or tricks for me?

 

[sourland]

Wire baskets or dividers separating the eggs according to the hen that laid them can work.

 

[MGG]

I am going to be incubating for the first time. Ive had chickens (30) for 3 years and have always bought day olds or let broody hens hatch out.
I have borrowed a 42 egg incubator, so Ill likely fill it up! once the chicks start to hatch, how do I tell which chick is from which hen? For example, I know that If I buy some fertile Maran eggs , I will be able to tell those apart- but for my own eggs- I have 3 welsummers Im crossing with my EE Roo in hopes for olive Eggers- how can I "mark" those chicks so I dont sell or give them away by accident? My roo is an EE and most of my hens are too, with different coloured blue and green eggs. I can tell which egg is from which hen, and it would be great to know which chick is from which hen when they are out of the tell tale shell.

Once they are in lockdown and start to hatch- will I be able to open the incubator- take some pics of each chick as it comes out of the dark brown speckled shell/or blue shell?


Any tips or tricks for me?

Can you write on the eggs who is from who? When they hatch I use small colored zip ties. You just have to make them loose enough, and check them every day to make sure they aren't too tight. There are many differentnt colors. Get several packages though so you can change them as they grow. That's what I use.

 

[Minky]

Can you tell me where you'd get such small zipties? Would a little bit of pipe cleaner work?
I like the idea of wire baskets but im not sure how to divide a small styrofoam incubator.....

 

[MGG]

Can you tell me where you'd get such small zipties? Would a little bit of pipe cleaner work?
I like the idea of wire baskets but im not sure how to divide a small styrofoam incubator.....

I use these. Walmart and Amazon have them. I just slide them on enough that they don't come off, and then clip the extra off as close as I can. You'll have to change them often, so get several packages. They sell white and black ones too. Then i keep a list of who has what color.

 

[sylviethecochin]

If you have pale chicks and aren't nervous with needles... You could dye the chicks. (This is illegal in some states, including my own, because of Easter Chickens. I don't think it's illegal in Ontario).

First, you get a vegetable-based dye and some small syringes, wax, and a dremel.

On day fourteen of incubation, clean a small area with alcohol, then drill a tiny hole in the eggshell. Don't go all the way through, just a little bit (practice on some other shells first).

Draw a half CC of dye into the needle, and insert just the tip of the needle through the remaining shell and membrane, and into the egg. (you don't want to puncture the yolk.) Inject.

Seal the hole with wax.

The chick comes out whatever colour the dye is.

 

[MGG]

If you have pale chicks and aren't nervous with needles... You could dye the chicks. (This is illegal in some states, including my own, because of Easter Chickens. I don't think it's illegal in Ontario).

First, you get a vegetable-based dye and some small syringes, wax, and a dremel.

On day fourteen of incubation, clean a small area with alcohol, then drill a tiny hole in the eggshell. Don't go all the way through, just a little bit (practice on some other shells first).

Draw a half CC of dye into the needle, and insert just the tip of the needle through the remaining shell and membrane, and into the egg. (you don't want to puncture the yolk.) Inject.

Seal the hole with wax.

The chick comes out whatever colour the dye is.

Never heard of that, that's awesome! Thanks for posting that!

 

[Ghosty]

If you have pale chicks and aren't nervous with needles... You could dye the chicks. (This is illegal in some states, including my own, because of Easter Chickens. I don't think it's illegal in Ontario).

First, you get a vegetable-based dye and some small syringes, wax, and a dremel.

On day fourteen of incubation, clean a small area with alcohol, then drill a tiny hole in the eggshell. Don't go all the way through, just a little bit (practice on some other shells first).

Draw a half CC of dye into the needle, and insert just the tip of the needle through the remaining shell and membrane, and into the egg. (you don't want to puncture the yolk.) Inject.

Seal the hole with wax.

The chick comes out whatever colour the dye is.

Wow! Weird.

 

[Finnie]

I have used these to separate the eggs in the hatcher:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B017HJS8QY?psc=1&ref=ppx_pop_mob_b_asin_image&th=1

 

[sylviethecochin]

I have used these to separate the eggs in the hatcher:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B017HJS8QY?psc=1&ref=ppx_pop_mob_b_asin_image&th=1

And the chicks don't get tangled in them?