JANUARY 2015 Hatch-A-Long

[ChickenLady2014]

Another morning with tears in my eyes. You know how you just get that feeling that when you wake up you will never see your chick again???  Yup. I think I am going to rename myself to nolucklady.

So, that was my second loss of my silkie chicks...both little guys with the hip dysplasia have now passed. My last little guy was walking...although like a drunk...he could get up on that foot and get to food and water & I was hand feeding him when we would do our physical therapy.  Sucks to spend so much time on a little guy just to lose him anyhow.

I lost the orp that was glued into his shell too. He would not take any food or water...never did. 

So, from that batch...I killed one in the egg. Lost two who had walking problems and the last guy had pip, fully zipped but was glued in and he passed in 2 days.

Well, onward!

So sorry Purpletie3, that's tough to have to deal with with loss. In the long run I'm sure it was better for them. I know you wouldn't have wanted to see other birds peck at them because they were different. Your in my thoughts & prayers for a successful Sat. hatch.

 

[Renee572]

Sorry sorry to Purpletie3 and ChickenLady2014 that your hatches didn't turn out better and for your losses. Sounds like you guys are moving to the February hatch so good luck with that and I wish you all the best.

I haven't posted in a while, got a little busy with life. My chicks are getting bigger, louder, and hungrier(is that even a word). They are feathering out and their personalities are really showing. I have a black one that pecks me every time I stick my hand in that brooder, I bet it's a roo! And then I have my black with brown face who is so sweet. It's wings feathered out from all black to black and white striped. I'm wondering if it has barred rock in it but I have no idea where the brown face comes from. I've decided if that one is a pullet and it turns out to be a nice looking girl then she is mine for sure!

Hope everyone is going to end the week on a good note!

 

[Purpletie3]

Hi ~

I am okay with all this. Just part of the territory I am learning. It cost me a bag of doritos and some dip! I honestly consider the hatch very successful...just had some new obsticles I haven't had before.

Renee~ I hope you have a ton of hens in your hatch! i am glad they are working out for you! Has hubby started building you a new hutch yet?

 

[Renee572]

Hi ~

  I am okay with all this. Just part of the territory I am learning. It cost me a bag of doritos and some dip! I honestly consider the hatch very successful...just had some new obsticles I haven't had before.

Renee~ I hope you have a ton of hens in your hatch!  i am glad they are working out for you! Has hubby started building you a new hutch yet?

yes very true, I am sure the more a person hatches the more things they will experience both good and bad.

Not yet but I just asked him if we can get started this weekend. The chicks just moved over to my neighbors house a bit ago. They are almost 2 weeks old already! How did that happen? Anyway, we will get started this weekend, hopefully finish up next weekend. Move the big girls in the new one, clean up the old one and begin mixing the 2 bigger chicks with the 18 little chicks. Will be a busy month ahead of me!

I just noticed this morning that Peppermint, my lone hatcher from my first hatch has very red wattles already, I may cry if Peppermint is a roo. I really wanted my first hatched chick to be a pullet so I could keep her!

 

[Purpletie3]

Awwee...I hope little peppermint is a hen too! I had crowing this morning from the grow out room. One of my Dec 6th chicks. Scared the dog to death! Hysterical! I can't wait til this snow melts. I need to make some progress outside!

 

[Purpletie3]

I am Sorry! It happens sometimes with hatching. I hate it but I have learned its best to Cull the ones that need it----I look at it as I am keeping them from suffering. Hatch some more!!


Keep your fingers crossed because I have 185 eggs in lock-down---hatching now----due Today.

Wow! 185 eggs! You are the hatching King!

I think that is another lesson I am learning. Don't help them hatch. Culling will be the harder lesson...

 

[Renee572]

Awwee...I hope little peppermint is a hen too! I had crowing this morning from the grow out room. One of my Dec 6th chicks. Scared the dog to death! Hysterical! I can't wait til this snow melts. I need to make some progress outside!

they crow that early? Well peppermint hatched Dec 13th so I guess I may keep an ear out for anything resembling a crow :/

 

[blackgoat]

I feel just aweful...I went to check the eggs because no one has hatched since yesterday afternoon...So, I broke into the air cell of one egg and it was liquid.

I broke into the air cell of the next one and the shell just cracked in my hand and blood started pouring and chirping...c'mon...totally killed this poor chick. Day 24 here. I feel aweful.

So, I took the remaining 6 and put them in the brinsea mini and we will see what happens. 

Aw, I'm sorry. I had a similar thing happen. I thought the chick was stuck because it had started to zip and then stopped for more than 24 hours. I broke the air cell open, didn't see any blood, so kept breaking the shell. By the time I realized that the yolk hadn't been absorbed the egg was almost all the way open. I put it back in in a cup, but it didn't make it. I felt terrible. But, I at least I learned something, and know to be a bit more careful next time.

 

[PD-Riverman]

I think that is another lesson I am learning. Don't help them hatch. Culling will be the harder lesson...

I do help them hatch if needed. Sometimes 2 or 3 out of a big hatch might not finish breaking out the shell. When I remove the chicks I take a egg that has pipped but not broke out and in about 2 seconds I break the shell off it. If it looks normal, egg yolk absorbed--I put it/them back in the hatcher for a few hours. Most of the ones I put back in the hatcher for a few hours make it and seem fine the next day. If it does not look normal, or the egg sack is hanging I """quickly""" cull it and move on. If I was to stand there looking at it for say a Hour---I would start getting attached and might think I need to spend hours trying to save it---having done that in the beginning and not having much luck saving the "bad" ones---Culling is best for me and the chick so it does not suffer. If a chick/s looks good but has shell/stuff stuck on it---we warm water wash the whole chick then blow dry it.

 

[Purpletie3]

PD- Thanks for your experience and advice,as always! Greatly appreciated!