Incubators Anonymous

[ozexpat]

Finally getting a good hatch again!! More black copper marans, and turkey poults. A couple sweetgrass are out. Yeay.

Miss broodie was off her nest today. THough she was taking a break, but she was actually shelding her 2 little ones. I was VERY surprized because I checked her yesterday and all the eggs were gone. I felt all around her ( she was under a big wooden crate) and was very saddened that her eggs were gone.

Now I'm stumped-- where were the chicks hiding?

congrats Arielle

Happiness is............. a good hatch

Mine is warming up

5 out 2 zipping 20 pipping

I am 3 hours into day 20

 

[Arielle]

Quote:

Mystery solved !

 

[Arielle]

Quote:

Good hatching vibes coming your way!!

 

[cracrzy4chicks]

Finally getting a good hatch again!! More black copper marans, and turkey poults. A couple sweetgrass are out. Yeay.

Miss broodie was off her nest today. THough she was taking a break, but she was actually shelding her 2 little ones. I was VERY surprized because I checked her yesterday and all the eggs were gone. I felt all around her ( she was under a big wooden crate) and was very saddened that her eggs were gone.

Now I'm stumped-- where were the chicks hiding?

Up under Momma's wings

OOOPS !! didn't see chickenmamma's reply !!

 

[Flowerbh]

congrats Arielle

Happiness is............. a good hatch

Mine is warming up

5 out 2 zipping 20 pipping

I am 3 hours into day 20

Wow. That's wonderful! You hatch so many chicks, do you still watch them all? I have spent many sleepless nights just watching the wonder of it all....does it ever get to where you don't feel that wonder???

 

[ozexpat]

Wow. That's wonderful! You hatch so many chicks, do you still watch them all? I have spent many sleepless nights just watching the wonder of it all....does it ever get to where you don't feel that wonder???

these are special. I am hatching remotely - Bernie my gardener is in control. Between high humidity, temperature swings, power outages and a fire ant invasion, last hatch in the philippines was a disaster.

I have completely overhauled the methodology.

I celebrate every chick.

Many people from byc gave me eggs to take over. I am keeping score for them as well. They want to know when their expatriot chicks made it.

 

[Arielle]

Quote:

I'm learning. We think a raccoon toured thru the area and may have removed all the other eggs. Only one rotten one left. All the others, about3-4, are completely gone. Not entirely sure a raccoon would make off with the eggs but rather, sit and eat quick-quick. I do know they like to wash everything!!

 

[Duck Drover]

I had my first breech duckling and it did not make it. It managed to pip externally at the pointed end so it seems like it should have had enough air to hatch but it died before hatching. With the Silkie eggs it is sometimes hard to tell which end is pointed because both ends of the egg are pointed but I candle them so I can see the air cell before moving them into the hatching incubator and I even trace it out so I can tell which way it is tipped. Most of the chicks and ducklings zip right along the line I draw but this one got turned around somehow. The rest of the ducklings hatched fine and were off to their new home in less than 24 hours from hatching.

I have Silkies due to hatch next. My own Silkie eggs look good but the eggs I bought for hatching look questionable so it will be interesting to compare eggs from different flocks side by side. I had a Sizzle hatch with the BBS Orpingtons and now it will have some banty chicks to hang out with.

 

[gladahmae]

Well I dropped an egg during candling last night. And OF COURSE it was one that was developing.

My husband wasn't very happy with me, and *I* wasn't very happy with me.

My silkie appears to be broody again. I moved her in to the new silkie/crested coop last night (too much picking going on with the crested breeds I have) and hopefully she's still sitting tight on her golf balls. NOW the question is whether to give her the marans eggs that are in my incubator, or a mix of everything I've got going on in there (leghorns, orpingtons, silkies, Sussex, and marans). With the absolutely abysmal hatch rate I've had with Marans, I think I'll give her those and maybe 1 or 2 of the Sussex to hatch out for me.

 

[ChickNmamma]

Well I dropped an egg during candling last night. And OF COURSE it was one that was developing.

My husband wasn't very happy with me, and *I* wasn't very happy with me.

My silkie appears to be broody again. I moved her in to the new silkie/crested coop last night (too much picking going on with the crested breeds I have) and hopefully she's still sitting tight on her golf balls. NOW the question is whether to give her the marans eggs that are in my incubator, or a mix of everything I've got going on in there (leghorns, orpingtons, silkies, Sussex, and marans). With the absolutely abysmal hatch rate I've had with Marans, I think I'll give her those and maybe 1 or 2 of the Sussex to hatch out for me.

I am sorry about that egg.

I am such a clutz sometimes and I have to be extra careful when handling incubated eggs. If I wasn't going to incubate them I would never drop them.. but incubating - oh you betcha!

Silkibators work great for me. I let them keep their eggs after I set 11 of them in my incubator. I hatched at 5/11 - they (so far) are at 4/7 with two more still warm.. I think they do a better job!

I did have good luck with the Speckled Sussex in the incubator though. I haven't tried to hatch Marans - only one girl and one boy - and they are in with all the other large birds right now. I have to decide if I like them for my area yet. Love the eggs though!