I just finished my lesson plans for tomorrow & it's time for bed. Didn't mean to tease everyone & say chicks are hatching & not share pics.
I don't have any good pics yet, but here's what's in the incubator:
8 chicks total (2 EEs, 1 Leghorn, 5 laced orps)
5 pips
2 eggs without pips.
In addition to those chicks, I got an extra one today. Someone bought hatching eggs from me for a 4H project & only one blue orp hatched. Poor little thing was lonely & not thriving. (Hatched Sunday) Since I happened to have chicks due today, I told her I'd take it off her hands. I also happened to have some extra orp eggs that were destined for breakfast, so I told her she could try again. I had experienced some egg fertility issues, so I wasn't sure if the problem could be my roos.
She brought over her incubator for me to examine; we discussed results and tried to figure out the problem. It turns out that her digital LG incubator has a box with heat coils. It looks about the size as a fan & even has openings - but no fan inside. Her eggs hatched 4 days late because she had it set for 99.5 (circulated air) and not 101 (still air). That also explained why so many had died.
Anyway, the little blue orp seemed weak and cried nonstop unless held. As soon as my friend arrived I popped the chick into the incubator. It was just as my 1st chick was zipping. It wanted a sibling so badly that it pecked away at the shell to help. I also put some food into the incubator & it went crazy. (1st time my friend saw it eat.)
The inner toes looked crooked at times, so I made little orthodics - chickie shoes. Not sure if the little blue will make it, but boy has it improved in just 6 hours! I need a good name like Lucky, Fortune, etc. Any ideas? Can you imagine hatching after being 2 degrees cooler throughout the entire incubation? It's got such a will to live.
I don't have any good pics yet, but here's what's in the incubator:
8 chicks total (2 EEs, 1 Leghorn, 5 laced orps)
5 pips
2 eggs without pips.
In addition to those chicks, I got an extra one today. Someone bought hatching eggs from me for a 4H project & only one blue orp hatched. Poor little thing was lonely & not thriving. (Hatched Sunday) Since I happened to have chicks due today, I told her I'd take it off her hands. I also happened to have some extra orp eggs that were destined for breakfast, so I told her she could try again. I had experienced some egg fertility issues, so I wasn't sure if the problem could be my roos.
She brought over her incubator for me to examine; we discussed results and tried to figure out the problem. It turns out that her digital LG incubator has a box with heat coils. It looks about the size as a fan & even has openings - but no fan inside. Her eggs hatched 4 days late because she had it set for 99.5 (circulated air) and not 101 (still air). That also explained why so many had died.
Anyway, the little blue orp seemed weak and cried nonstop unless held. As soon as my friend arrived I popped the chick into the incubator. It was just as my 1st chick was zipping. It wanted a sibling so badly that it pecked away at the shell to help. I also put some food into the incubator & it went crazy. (1st time my friend saw it eat.)
The inner toes looked crooked at times, so I made little orthodics - chickie shoes. Not sure if the little blue will make it, but boy has it improved in just 6 hours! I need a good name like Lucky, Fortune, etc. Any ideas? Can you imagine hatching after being 2 degrees cooler throughout the entire incubation? It's got such a will to live.
