INDIANA BYC'ers HERE!

[barb s]

Just thought that I would drop in for a for a quick update on our first ever hatch. We began with 38 eggs. On day 14 we pulled 4 clears. Of the 34 eggs left we had 26 hatch, 1 was an assist. All chicks are doing great so far including the assisted one and the two that hatched at the very last. We are going to set another 41 eggs tonight which include 12 that I got from Brad (thanks again Brad). Like I really need any more chicks. I have a question for when we go into lockdown. This last time we took the turner out with the eggs still in it and covered it with a blanket while we quickly candled them. I am pretty sure that is not the way it should be done, so any suggestions on what a better way to do it would be are greatly appeciated. We only have the one incubator right now and mostly likely will not be getting another one any time soon. So we have to hatch in the incubator.

Oh and our shipment of chicks from Walt's Ark came today. They shipped yesterday. If any one is looking for some really nice quality birds, I highly recommend her. She is super nice and very helpful. And I think that their birds are just beautiful.

If any one is interested I will try to post some pics later of our newly hatched/newly arrived chicks.

Still waiting on one more order of chicks. Hoping they ship today. And I have a broody sitting on 6 eggs. Then I am done for at least a week or two.

Brad I think I can give you a run for your money as far as the number of chicks. And I have a couple that are almost as pretty as yours.

 

[racinchickins]

I have a question for when we go into lockdown. This last time we took the turner out with the eggs still in it and covered it with a blanket while we quickly candled them. I am pretty sure that is not the way it should be done, so any suggestions on what a better way to do it would be are greatly appeciated. We only have the one incubator right now and mostly likely will not be getting another one any time soon. So we have to hatch in the incubator.

I don't even bother with the blanket. I don't think 15-20 mins out of the incubator harms them a bit. It would be just like the mother getting off the nest to go eat, drink and leave a huge smelly poo. I candle them and then put them in the hatcher. My hatches have gone really well, averaging 85-90%, with one 100% hatch (all non-shipped eggs) this was for a mix of chicks and poults.

One question for the serial hatchers on here.... What do you think of keeping the eggs upright in cartons to hatch? I've been doing it all spring, and it has been working great! The later hatching eggs get climbed on and over, but don't get rolled around. I haven't experienced any issues with chicks not getting out of their eggs after zipping. It also keeps the hatched shells in place for the most part too. I did have one BC Marans that was upside down in the egg and pipped just at the line where the carton meets the egg. I had to help that one finish. I don't think having the egg on its side would have helped that one. Just wondering if anyone else does this?

 

[bradselig]

Just thought that I would drop in for a for a quick update on our first ever hatch. We began with 38 eggs. On day 14 we pulled 4 clears. Of the 34 eggs left we had 26 hatch, 1 was an assist. All chicks are doing great so far including the assisted one and the two that hatched at the very last. We are going to set another 41 eggs tonight which include 12 that I got from Brad (thanks again Brad). Like I really need any more chicks.  I have a question for when we go into lockdown. This last time we took the turner out with the eggs still in it and covered it with a blanket while we quickly candled them. I am pretty sure that is not the way it should be done, so any suggestions on what a better way to do it would be are greatly appeciated. We only have the one incubator right now and mostly likely will not be getting another one any time soon. So we have to hatch in the incubator. 

Oh and our shipment of chicks from Walt's Ark came today. They shipped yesterday. If any one is looking for some really nice quality birds, I highly recommend her. She is super nice and very helpful. And I think that their birds are just beautiful.

If any one is interested I will try to post some pics later of our newly hatched/newly arrived chicks.

Still waiting on one more order of chicks. Hoping they ship today.  And I have a broody sitting on 6 eggs. Then I am done for at least a week or two.

Brad I think I can give you a run for your money as far as the number of chicks. And I have a couple that are almost as pretty as yours.

did your breda chicks arrive? If so get a picture of one please! I dont recall one of my chicks hatching from a white egg but im thinking my black chick might be a breda.

I don't even bother with the blanket.  I don't think 15-20 mins out of the incubator harms them a bit.  It would be just like the mother getting off the nest to go eat, drink and leave a huge smelly poo.   I candle them and then put them in the hatcher.  My hatches have gone really well, averaging 85-90%, with one 100% hatch (all non-shipped eggs) this was for a mix of chicks and poults.

One question for the serial hatchers on here....  What do you think of keeping the eggs upright in cartons to hatch?  I've been doing it all spring, and it has been working great!  The later hatching eggs get climbed on and over, but don't get rolled around.  I haven't experienced any issues with chicks not getting out of their eggs after zipping.  It also keeps the hatched shells in place for the most part too.  I did have one BC Marans that was upside down in the egg and pipped just at the line where the carton meets the egg.  I had to help that one finish.  I don't think having the egg on its side would have helped that one.  Just wondering if anyone else does this?

agreed!
On the hatching ive done it both ways and saw no suignificate difference in hatch rates. I did notice that I had a lot of hand turned eggs pip the wrong end of the shell. That was the first time I hand turned and jot surebif it was a fluke or what.

 

[Leahs Mom]

Got my heat plate. Kiddos and I are getting used to it and getting things set up. This is how they've situated themselves so far.



Seriously - these kiddos should have a mamma.

 

[barb s]

My Bredas did come. I will definitely post pictures. They are all banded, but she is supposed to email me the color coding. I have a pretty good idea which ones they are but I hope I get the list today to be sure.
Just got a email about my other chicks they shipped today. So hopefully they will be here tomorrow.

 

[barb s]

Forgot to add the Breda will have no comb at all and there beak looks kinda funny compared to other chicks I think.

 

[Dish chickens]

I don't even bother with the blanket. I don't think 15-20 mins out of the incubator harms them a bit. It would be just like the mother getting off the nest to go eat, drink and leave a huge smelly poo. I candle them and then put them in the hatcher. My hatches have gone really well, averaging 85-90%, with one 100% hatch (all non-shipped eggs) this was for a mix of chicks and poults.

One question for the serial hatchers on here.... What do you think of keeping the eggs upright in cartons to hatch? I've been doing it all spring, and it has been working great! The later hatching eggs get climbed on and over, but don't get rolled around. I haven't experienced any issues with chicks not getting out of their eggs after zipping. It also keeps the hatched shells in place for the most part too. I did have one BC Marans that was upside down in the egg and pipped just at the line where the carton meets the egg. I had to help that one finish. I don't think having the egg on its side would have helped that one. Just wondering if anyone else does this?

This is what I did this year and I loved it. It was a much cleaner hatch and eggs didn't get bumped around while they were trying to hatch.
this is a card board egg carton cut in half with holes cut in it..... only issue I had was, on the first hatch I filled the water channels too much and the card board wicked the water. I discovered that while I was bringing the hatcher up to temp so I drained water and put dry cartons in. I used them on 3- hatches so far and LOVED it. the most I hatched at one time was 32 eggs and there was plenty of room to allow the hatched ones to roam around. I did notice that they love to roost on the cartons more then the floor

 

[racinchickins]

Quote: I cut holes in my cartons just like yours. And I have also seen a tendency for the chicks/poults to sleep in/on the cartons. I also have a gqf thermometer that is on a plastic card. I set it on top of the eggs until I see pips, then put it on the floor. The chicks will all huddle together on top of it. They definitely don't like the wire floor.

 

[LonelyPageTurne]

I got a birchen marans from brad when he did the last chicken train. She's incredibly docile. I think she's 12 weeks old now and she was still in with all my chicks until last night. Since I was worried about over crowding I moved them into 3 separate brooders and put her out with the big girls. But she is so docile she's been picked on pretty bad. Both of her shoulders are picked bare and bloody. I don't know what to do. Should I leave her out there to try to find her own way? Should I put her back with the chicks? What do I do?

 

[LonelyPageTurne]

Just one problem after another. What the heck.