June Hatch A Long

[CluckNDoodle]

Okay expert hatchers, I could use some advice! After incubating for 18 days, eight eggs went into lockdown, split under two broody hens. All but one OE egg were set at the same time; one OE was set 15 hours late. Naruto got three OE eggs and one BCM eggs. Two of the OE and the BCM looked good but I suspected that one OE was DIS. Susan got 2 good OE, the late set OE, and one BCM that I suspected was DIS. Narutos eggs started hatching Friday night, at the beginning of day 20. By sat morning, midway through day 20, she had two babies, I’m not sure which ones. She is still setting but I got a quick peek under her and think she has two OE still under her. Took a quick peek under Susan. No action. Since 2 eggs have now hatched 36 hr before the rest, I’m getting quite concerned. Also, Susan hasn’t left the nest now for three days (when I kicked her off last before setting day 18 eggs), though I did get her to drink some water. She’s lost weight during this whole thing, and I’m worried about her health. I suspect a problem with the OEs, maybe the roo was too young? He’s about 9 months... Question: have my daughter remove Susan, try to get her to eat and drink while I candle her eggs? Maybe drill safety holes if I see movement in the babies? Or just leave them alone until tomorrow night? I don’t plan to mess with Naruto until she wants to get up as it would be too disruptive; I’ve been able to feed and water her two chicks. She is still very aware of her eggs, keeps looking at them and touching with her beak. Thanks for any thoughts!

Let us know how things look after candling! It may just be that they're going to hatch "on time" rather than early like the others. You also mentioned Naruto was hotter the other day, I can't confirm it would make a difference but it would make sense to me that it can cause an early hatch under a broody hen just as easily as in the incubator.

I'm going to transfer the chicks to under my broodies in just a couple hours... wishing all of us a bit of extra luck tonight!

 

[jolenesdad]

Let us know how things look after candling! It may just be that they're going to hatch "on time" rather than early like the others. You also mentioned Naruto was hotter the other day, I can't confirm it would make a difference but it would make sense to me that it can cause an early hatch under a broody hen just as easily as in the incubator.

I'm going to transfer the chicks to under my broodies in just a couple hours... wishing all of us a bit of extra luck tonight!

Good luck! This has been a big build up, Im sure it will go super well!

 

[CluckNDoodle]

So far so good! None of the broodies seemed to mind me taking eggs and putting babies under them! Tomorrow morning will be the big reveal, I'm getting up early to check on everyone and hoping for the best! I forgot to count in all of the excitement but I gave most of the chicks to my proven broody, Margaret and she had them all cozy under her fluff and wings before I was even done giving the other broodies chicks. I gave 2 chicks to broody #2 Nutmeg, and 1 chick to broody #3 Buckbeak. When I went back out a moment ago I didn't hear any peeping complaints so hoping for the best tomorrow morning!

 

[jolenesdad]

So far so good! None of the broodies seemed to mind me taking eggs and putting babies under them! Tomorrow morning will be the big reveal, I'm getting up early to check on everyone and hoping for the best! I forgot to count in all of the excitement but I gave most of the chicks to my proven broody, Margaret and she had them all cozy under her fluff and wings before I was even done giving the other broodies chicks. I gave 2 chicks to broody #2 Nutmeg, and 1 chick to broody #3 Buckbeak. When I went back out a moment ago I didn't hear any peeping complaints so hoping for the best tomorrow morning!

Poor, poor buckbeak.

 

[Mixed flock enthusiast]

Let us know how things look after candling! It may just be that they're going to hatch "on time" rather than early like the others. You also mentioned Naruto was hotter the other day, I can't confirm it would make a difference but it would make sense to me that it can cause an early hatch under a broody hen just as easily as in the incubator.

I'm going to transfer the chicks to under my broodies in just a couple hours... wishing all of us a bit of extra luck tonight!

I do indeed wish you luck, CluckNDoodle! I candled Susan’s 4 eggs and they were all dead. I opened them up, and one was fully formed and in position to pip, but had not internally pipped. One was close to developed but not fully formed and not in position. The other two were rotten so I didn’t do more than open them up and see that they were sloshy and smelly. I tried to get Narutos eggs out from under her, but I was stressing her out so I quit. I expect that they are dead too. We are disappointed that this was so much effort for one OE pullet, as we won’t be able to keep the cockerel (another peek suggested to me that these were both OE chicks, so one pullet and one cockerel). Now we have to decide what to do with Susan: 1) try again to break her broodiness. Advantage would be that Naruto would them be able to have her brooder cage, which is safer for the chicks than the cage in the coop. Disadvantage is that this would really stress out our fragile silkie who is precious to us. 2) try to order some chicks from a hatchery that uses the Rispens vaccine and could ship us chicks this week. It would be so ironic if we did this and Susan rejected them, as then we’d have to brooder raise chicks that won’t fit what we really wanted!

 

[CluckNDoodle]

Poor, poor buckbeak.

Lol, I know right! I'm most concerned about her. She was half broody for months and finally committed when the other two went broody. Her ADD tendency made me hesitate, lol.

 

[juliasflock]

This chick blows my mind. Gave it nutridrench for the wry neck 5 hours after the assisted hatch at 6am. 5 hours later it’s up, head straight and started walking!! I know it’s not out of the woods yet, but wow!!

 

[CluckNDoodle]

I do indeed wish you luck, CluckNDoodle! I candled Susan’s 4 eggs and they were all dead. I opened them up, and one was fully formed and in position to pip, but had not internally pipped. One was close to developed but not fully formed and not in position. The other two were rotten so I didn’t do more than open them up and see that they were sloshy and smelly. I tried to get Narutos eggs out from under her, but I was stressing her out so I quit. I expect that they are dead too. We are disappointed that this was so much effort for one OE pullet, as we won’t be able to keep the cockerel (another peek suggested to me that these were both OE chicks, so one pullet and one cockerel). Now we have to decide what to do with Susan: 1) try again to break her broodiness. Advantage would be that Naruto would them be able to have her brooder cage, which is safer for the chicks than the cage in the coop. Disadvantage is that this would really stress out our fragile silkie who is precious to us. 2) try to order some chicks from a hatchery that uses the Rispens vaccine and could ship us chicks this week. It would be so ironic if we did this and Susan rejected them, as then we’d have to brooder raise chicks that won’t fit what we really wanted!

Oh no! I'm so sorry to hear this! Is there a local backyard chicken group on Facebook near you? Maybe someone will have day old chicks you can put under her?

 

[CluckNDoodle]

View attachment 1823097 This chick blows my mind. Gave it nutridrench for the wry neck 5 hours after the assisted hatch at 6am. 5 hours later it’s up, head straight and started walking!! I know it’s not out of the woods yet, but wow!!

I do love a success story amidst all of the difficult hatches this month! So glad to hear the little one is such a trooper!

 

[jolenesdad]

I do indeed wish you luck, CluckNDoodle! I candled Susan’s 4 eggs and they were all dead. I opened them up, and one was fully formed and in position to pip, but had not internally pipped. One was close to developed but not fully formed and not in position. The other two were rotten so I didn’t do more than open them up and see that they were sloshy and smelly. I tried to get Narutos eggs out from under her, but I was stressing her out so I quit. I expect that they are dead too. We are disappointed that this was so much effort for one OE pullet, as we won’t be able to keep the cockerel (another peek suggested to me that these were both OE chicks, so one pullet and one cockerel). Now we have to decide what to do with Susan: 1) try again to break her broodiness. Advantage would be that Naruto would them be able to have her brooder cage, which is safer for the chicks than the cage in the coop. Disadvantage is that this would really stress out our fragile silkie who is precious to us. 2) try to order some chicks from a hatchery that uses the Rispens vaccine and could ship us chicks this week. It would be so ironic if we did this and Susan rejected them, as then we’d have to brooder raise chicks that won’t fit what we really wanted!

I was thinking just raise some and sell them until I forgot you can’t do that.

Honestly after all you go through I would order chicks you may not want that are appropriately vaccinated. If she doesn’t take them then breaking her broodiness may not stress her out anyway.

It seems to me that she is the priority, you guys have worked so hard to maintain the ones you like...