January 2023 Hatch-a-long

[FunClucks]

Not to be a “Debbie Downer” but I’ve had plenty of fully developed chicks die in the shell. There will be casualties along the way.

That's what I expect to happen, just surprised I didn't get any clears at all. I really hope not too many die in the shell fully developed. Guess we'll see...

 

[Tumbleweedlynn]

That's what I expect to happen, just surprised I didn't get any clears at all. I really hope not too many die in the shell fully developed. Guess we'll see...

That sucks when that happens, it’s frustrating not knowing how they got so close and then just stopped. Everything happens for a reason

 

[WallyG74]

That sucks when that happens, it’s frustrating not knowing how they got so close and then just stopped. Everything happens for a reason

Quite the mystery, but it happens every time I hatch.

 

[gimmie birdies]

I think the ones that made it to almost hatch got put into lockdown too soon.

 

[Sally PB]

Following, just to see the cuteness! I will get more chicks in a few months (how long till April!?), but chances are they'll be purchased sexed pullets.

 

[Jen Leigh]

Pictures??? Because cuteness!!!

Sorry it took so long, we had a leak and with the recent cold snap before Christmas it appears most plumbers are backed up!

 

[FunClucks]

Sorry it took so long, we had a leak and with the recent cold snap before Christmas it appears most plumbers are backed up!

Adorable!!! I just want to cuddle them!

How do you know that one chick is male? Did he have a head spot?

I hear you about the cold snap. It took me all morning to find an electrician and another day before he came out to fix my electrical for the bucket heater for the chicken water. No fun!

 

[3KillerBs]

You just open it a few times a day and rotate the extra eggs and any that are prevented from turning by hand, right?

Yes. That's what I'm doing.

I have numbers and weights written on them and I'm making sure to turn them over when I pick them up.

They're balanced in between the two rows and the turner seems to move them a little, though not fully turning them, of course.

That sucks when that happens, it’s frustrating not knowing how they got so close and then just stopped. Everything happens for a reason

Yeah.

I've been telling myself that my genetics will improve over the generations since the weak chicks are weeded out. But I hate doing an egg-topsy and finding an apparently perfectly-developed chick that simply never pipped.

I don't want to do assisted hatches though unless I'm 100% sure the problem is not the chick's fault. https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/slowpoke-a-reality-check-after-an-assisted-hatch.77702/

 

[BrandonsBirbs]

16/16 fertile, unfortunate accident broke one so 15/15 fertile left

 

[3KillerBs]

I will get incubator photos tomorrow in the daylight, but I am wondering if I might be accidentally trying to incubate my homebrew OE's first egg.

I'd taken it for a Marans egg, though sort of wonky-shaped, being long and thin, and tucked it in just as an off-chance thing since the weight was good (I prefer to incubate 60g+ eggs, though will go down to 50g when I have a lot of fairly-new layers).

I noticed that the OE -- who hatched last Easter -- had FINALLY gotten a red comb and then I got another long, thin, Marans-dark egg today. It seemed weird that one of my FCM girls, who had been consistent layers of large, well-shaped eggs, would have two weird ones in a row.