July Hatch-a-Long (including 4th of July hatch-a-long)

[ShrekDawg]

Did you let them know the breed was wrong? Meyer is one of the best I've dealt with so far, but I would probably not buy eggs from them because of their pricing. I've gotten some nice looking pullets from them though.

All of the hatcheries have been working in major overdrive for the last 3-4 months. I'm sorry the hatch didn't go well, but they will probably want to know and make it right if you got the wrong breed.

Yeah, I’ve always ordered from Meyer and had nothing but good things. I did order from Idealthis year only because Meyer didn’t have the breeds I wanted but I’ve ordered from Meyer 3 times (2 chick orders and an egg order) and they’ve always gotten the breed and sex right. Even the free chick I added the first time was an extra of a breed I had already ordered and was female. My eggs it was my first hatch ever and they were all fertile and out of 13 eggs, 10 made it to lockdown and 9 chicks hatched. I did end up with 8 roosters out of it but that is not their fault. I have had nothing but good things all been healthy and happy gorgeous chickens too. They also have a 100% sexing guarantee on chicks so I would let them know for sure.

 

[SnapdragonQ]

Please excuse me if I'm posting this in the wrong thread but I have to share it with you guys. I have officially turned the corner of madness... I'm sure we all talk to our chickens to some extent. For me it's normally something like "here chicky-chicky". Over the last few days, I've started 'chirping' at them. I currently only have 7 Icelandic chicks. Four 9 week olds and three 4 week olds. They are pretty much integrated at this point with the littles still able to move back and forth between the brooder and the coop. At any rate, they are chatty, funny, adorable little surprises that I am enjoying immensely! So, as I said, I find myself chirping with them trying to imitate their sounds. Today, I changed my tone and made something of a whirling sound that shut them all up. Everyone got quiet and just stared at me. Then they resumed chirping and we continued on. I found great humor in knowing I got their attention for a moment. I do think I'm beyond help at this point!

When my last batch of chicks (10 from last Sept) were little I would make momma noises to them while giving them treats in my hands. They imprinted enough so that I could purse my fingers like a beak with a little tidbit and they would take the tidbit just like it was from a hen.
They did that for about 3 or 4 months and now beg me for treats every time I go out there and all of them will still eat from my open hand.

I've been doing the same things with the current batch (3 weeks old) but there are more of them and it's like a frantic mob to get some before it's all gone instead of the thoughtful momma/chick exchange like before. So, instead I rub their chests while cooing to them and some of them will gather around my hands, impatiently bumping one another out of the way, taking turns getting petted.

If you think you are beyond help at this point.....just you wait!! ☺

 

[TheBajan]

When my last batch of chicks (10 from last Sept) were little I would make momma noises to them while giving them treats in my hands. They imprinted enough so that I could purse my fingers like a beak with a little tidbit and they would take the tidbit just like it was from a hen.
They did that for about 3 or 4 months and now beg me for treats every time I go out there and all of them will still eat from my open hand.

I've been doing the same things with the current batch (3 weeks old) but there are more of them and it's like a frantic mob to get some before it's all gone instead of the thoughtful momma/chick exchange like before. So, instead I rub their chests while cooing to them and some of them will gather around my hands, impatiently bumping one another out of the way, taking turns getting petted.

If you think you are beyond help at this point.....just you wait!! ☺

You are teaching me tricks... I can't wait to try this out!

 

[AquaDuck]

Please excuse me if I'm posting this in the wrong thread but I have to share it with you guys. I have officially turned the corner of madness... I'm sure we all talk to our chickens to some extent. For me it's normally something like "here chicky-chicky". Over the last few days, I've started 'chirping' at them. I currently only have 7 Icelandic chicks. Four 9 week olds and three 4 week olds. They are pretty much integrated at this point with the littles still able to move back and forth between the brooder and the coop. At any rate, they are chatty, funny, adorable little surprises that I am enjoying immensely! So, as I said, I find myself chirping with them trying to imitate their sounds. Today, I changed my tone and made something of a whirling sound that shut them all up. Everyone got quiet and just stared at me. Then they resumed chirping and we continued on. I found great humor in knowing I got their attention for a moment. I do think I'm beyond help at this point!

When my last batch of chicks (10 from last Sept) were little I would make momma noises to them while giving them treats in my hands. They imprinted enough so that I could purse my fingers like a beak with a little tidbit and they would take the tidbit just like it was from a hen.
They did that for about 3 or 4 months and now beg me for treats every time I go out there and all of them will still eat from my open hand.

I've been doing the same things with the current batch (3 weeks old) but there are more of them and it's like a frantic mob to get some before it's all gone instead of the thoughtful momma/chick exchange like before. So, instead I rub their chests while cooing to them and some of them will gather around my hands, impatiently bumping one another out of the way, taking turns getting petted.

If you think you are beyond help at this point.....just you wait!! ☺

Yes!! Articles about taming chicks rarely dive into sound and talking. Which is strange since sound is perhaps the most important communication between chicks and mother. It's the first contact baby chicks have with their mother, a good 3 days before hatching!

Ok, so it's a little odd chirping and clucking to your baby birds but who cares
I've found that muscovy ducklings respond very well to chirping like a mother duck, but reacts little when I imitate their own pips.

 

[SnapdragonQ]

Yes!! Articles about taming chicks rarely dive into sound and talking. Which is strange since sound is perhaps the most important communication between chicks and mother. It's the first contact baby chicks have with their mother, a good 3 days before hatching!

Ok, so it's a little odd chirping and clucking to your baby birds but who cares
I've found that muscovy ducklings respond very well to chirping like a mother duck, but reacts little when I imitate their own pips.

Exactly!
Sound is very important in those first few weeks. Both good and bad. When I have chicks in a brooder in the house I always have music going and regular household sounds. I don't try to be quiet and have learned that they usually only react badly to noises that have a predatory sound.
Like, I can drop a loud stainless steel mixing bowl on the floor and no chick even bats an eye. But drag a pan across the counter making more of a growly type sound and everyone panics!

They hatch instinctively being able to distinguish scary noises from comforting momma noises. And it does start at internal pipping. I've observed broody hens cooing and clucking to unhatched chicks when there are only a few days left and you can hear the chicks peeping back. It's part of establishing the bond.

I stopped peeping and cooing to these girls once they firmly established that hands bring good things, and here at I think 2 or 3 months old the link still existed.
Now, as adults, they run to me whether I make noise or not.

 

[kelseyk]

1 giant bull snake (as long as my 10 year old son is tall) removed from my chicken pen this morning.

1 external pip from the 5 silkie eggs.

 

[ShrekDawg]

Gonna see about setting up a crate in the coop today because Freckles was on the wrong nest again!! I think you guys might be right about her being pushed out of the nest and then maybe she just forgets which one is hers or something? the eggs weren’t cold cause another hen was on them so that’s a plus. Maybe she just got shoved off this morning or something. There was a new egg in her nest.

 

[UThobbyfarmer]

The eggs are in! They're a combination of Marans, 55 Flowery, and Silverudd's.

I know it's not a great time to be shipping eggs but I couldn't help myself. My local PO is amazing. They called me to pick them up yesterday morning even though they were closed! How's that for service?

Almost all have good aircells with no cracks. Just 1 Silverudd's has a big crack down 2 sides. I wiped the egg with H2O2 (hydrogen peroxide) and applied nail polish. At least it has a shot now. Because the eggs looked so good as a whole I opted to add them into the incubator on their side (I usually do upright with shipped eggs) after only a 8 hour rest period.

I've already checked once for development. Yes, it hasn't even been 24 hours but I know exactly what I'm looking for. 22/29 eggs have started to develop! The other 7 are all "maybes". Off to a great start.

I'm adding more eggs tomorrow from a local source. I'm excited to see what she's collected for me from her mixed flock. Large variety of hens with an Ayam Cemani rooster. I've asked for colored eggs mostly.

 

[TheBajan]

Quick question about lockdown. I have 47 shipped eggs going into lockdown (I hope) tomorrow morning. I tried to candle them before going into the incubator and couldn't see air cells in most. On day 7 I got a better flashlight and I could see well enough into about half of them. Some saddled, some detatched, one even with bubbles, and one with the air cell at the wrong end... my question is; Would it be better to hatch them vertically in cardboard egg cartons or should I hatch them horizontally as they would be under a broody hen?

 

[Rapunzel is a rooster]

Quick question about lockdown. I have 47 shipped eggs going into lockdown (I hope) tomorrow morning. I tried to candle them before going into the incubator and couldn't see air cells in most. On day 7 I got a better flashlight and I could see well enough into about half of them. Some saddled, some detatched, one even with bubbles, and one with the air cell at the wrong end... my question is; Would it be better to hatch them vertically in cardboard egg cartons or should I hatch them horizontally as they would be under a broody hen?

I have only had one saddled air cell that extended far down both sides of a svart hona shipped egg, I hatched her vertical in a cut down carton with hole cut in bottom, she was slow to hatch but got herself out ok.