June Hatch A Long

[juliasflock]

Chick #4 that was the assist with small bleed and wry neck yesterday is in with the big kids this morning. Watching it, the only thing I can think of is the song “I came in like a wrecking ball”

That baby is a uncoordinated spaz! it’s definitely able to hold it own with the other 3. I guarantee it’s a boy

 

[CluckNDoodle]

Good morning! Broody #1, Margaret, is my proven broody and she's already teaching the little ones the ropes! I'm still not sure how many chicks I gave her, I keep counting 6 but I didn't lift her. She should have 7, I think, or I'm just a complete spaz because I can count 3 under the other broodies, 3 in the brooder, and 1 I already rehomed...so with 14 chicks hatched total she should have 7 right? I've never had chicken math work backwards on me before so I'm sure it's just cuddling under her.

Broody #2 & #3, Nutmeg & Buckbeak, are my newbies but so far so good! They just don't want to show me their precious few babies, lol! They haven't left the nest boxes and I'm convinced it's because they're sure more chicks MUST be coming since Margaret walked away with a whole troop.

Overall it's a happy ending! The chicks in the brooder are doing even better this morning and if these two broodies are still insistent I may just give in and give them those chicks too, lol. So you CAN successfully have FOUR broody hens raising chicks at the same time with the rest of the flock! lol, What a full house!

And a picture of my poor molting White Leghorn, Nugget with her 3 peeps just because.

 

[jolenesdad]

Good morning! Broody #1, Margaret, is my proven broody and she's already teaching the little ones the ropes! I'm still not sure how many chicks I gave her, I keep counting 6 but I didn't lift her. She should have 7, I think, or I'm just a complete spaz because I can count 3 under the other broodies, 3 in the brooder, and 1 I already rehomed...so with 14 chicks hatched total she should have 7 right? I've never had chicken math work backwards on me before so I'm sure it's just cuddling under her.

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Broody #2 & #3, Nutmeg & Buckbeak, are my newbies but so far so good! They just don't want to show me their precious few babies, lol! They haven't left the nest boxes and I'm convinced it's because they're sure more chicks MUST be coming since Margaret walked away with a whole troop.

View attachment 1823378 View attachment 1823377

Overall it's a happy ending! The chicks in the brooder are doing even better this morning and if these two broodies are still insistent I may just give in and give them those chicks too, lol. So you CAN successfully have FOUR broody hens raising chicks at the same time with the rest of the flock! lol, What a full house!

And a picture of my poor molting White Leghorn, Nugget with her 3 peeps just because.

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What a fabulous update with incredible photos!!!!

I’ve got some that look like they may. E trying to zip. These ducks are SO nerve wracking taking their sweet time. I’m sitting here worried every one of them is shrink wrapped.

I’ve got two that I know pipped internally 30-36 hours ago I’m thinking of doing a safety hole. I’d just really like one to hatch and be drying before I open it again.

My upside down egg is still alive. I can’t tell what the deal is because this membrane immediately dries out after oil, but it is majorly bruised membrane, so I don’t know if that means anything. I’m going to let him have the entire day since it started yesterday early afternoon to show signs of trying something on his own before I take a closer look.

 

[CluckNDoodle]

What a fabulous update with incredible photos!!!!

I’ve got some that look like they may. E trying to zip. These ducks are SO nerve wracking taking their sweet time. I’m sitting here worried every one of them is shrink wrapped.

I’ve got two that I know pipped internally 30-36 hours ago I’m thinking of doing a safety hole. I’d just really like one to hatch and be drying before I open it again.

My upside down egg is still alive. I can’t tell what the deal is because this membrane immediately dries out after oil, but it is majorly bruised membrane, so I don’t know if that means anything. I’m going to let him have the entire day since it started yesterday early afternoon to show signs of trying something on his own before I take a closer look.

I know it feels so slow but I feel like your duckies are making good time compared to a lot of our waterfowl hatches! I think you're going to have a great outcome and I bet you'll have more than one duckling hatched by tonight!

 

[jolenesdad]

I know it feels so slow but I feel like your duckies are making good time compared to a lot of our waterfowl hatches! I think you're going to have a great outcome and I bet you'll have more than one duckling hatched by tonight!

Thank you!!! I think so too... I think they’re kind of quicker than I was expecting but also excruciating slower than chickens. I’ve been practicing my one syllable imprint word and you can see ALL the bouncing of the eggs when I use it.

Here’s one of the ones who pipped through the bottom and into a bruise. This bruise membrane actually looks the best of the bruises, but it looks pretty dry and the most “separated.” But when I shine the light in, you can see where the light stops and it’s just around the bruise where the membrane is separated from the shell. I’m thinking this looks pretty good! Plus the hole is now twice the size as this morning.

 

[CluckNDoodle]

Final stats: started with 12 shipped BCM eggs and 7 home bred OE, from a hen that we successfully hatched eggs from last month but unproven young rooster. In the end, we ended up with one pullet and one cockerel OE. Of the 12 shipped eggs, 2 were early deaths, 8 mid way deaths, and 2 late deaths. One late death was probably about day 17. One was fully developed and in proper position but failed to internally pip. Both had malformed air cells. Of the 7 OEs, 1 was infertile, 1 was set late and had a loose aircell (did not give it time to cool and develop the aircell). Of the six fertile, 2 hatched at the beginning of day 20. Two were autolyzed (rotten, this includes the set late egg) on day 21, and two were in the “beak over right wing” malposition. I’ve read a little on this malposition, and it can be a “normal variant”, it can occur in rounder eggs (our CCL does lay round eggs), and can be due to hot incubation temps. Given that this hen just gave us 2/2 chicks a month ago, and that the survivors hatched a day early, I think that I need to consider my incubator being too hot. I do have a calibrated probe and it’s shown me that I have hot and cold spots. I tried to compensate by moving the eggs twice a day, and the average probe temp was 99.7, but I think I should turn the temp down 0.5 F for the guinea eggs that still have 2 weeks to go. Thanks everyone for all of your help and support. I’ll post pics of Naruto with her chicks once she decides to leave her nest!

I'm sorry this has been such a poor outcome.
Please let us know what you decide to do with Susan, whether you break her broodiness or get her some chicks! I feel like I need to know your sweet girl is ok just as much as you do! Or would it be too terrible a thought to take one of Naruto's babies and give it to Susan?

Thank you!!! I think so too... I think they’re kind of quicker than I was expecting but also excruciating slower than chickens. I’ve been practicing my one syllable imprint word and you can see ALL the bouncing of the eggs when I use it.

Here’s one of the ones who pipped through the bottom and into a bruise. This bruise membrane actually looks the best of the bruises, but it looks pretty dry and the most “separated.” But when I shine the light in, you can see where the light stops and it’s just around the bruise where the membrane is separated from the shell. I’m thinking this looks pretty good! Plus the hole is now twice the size as this morning.


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I'm wondering if the "bruising" could be moisture from the internally pipped chicks, especially since you had some with a good bit of fluid still in them.

 

[jolenesdad]

I'm sorry this has been such a poor outcome.
Please let us know what you decide to do with Susan, whether you break her broodiness or get her some chicks! I feel like I need to know your sweet girl is ok just as much as you do! Or would it be too terrible a thought to take one of Naruto's babies and give it to Susan?



I'm wondering if the "bruising" could be moisture from the internally pipped chicks, especially since you had some with a good bit of fluid still in them.

Great point.

I have enough notes of quite a few.

One of the bottom majorly bruised pips that I actually think is not alive was marked “AWFUL” in my notes. I’m shocked it pipped at all looking the way it did.

This one I took a photo of I HOPE I made a note because it’s bruise is not bloody. Would be so interesting if it was a fluid chick.

In TWO of the bruised bottom pips, I specifically noted on last candling that they had veins I could see near the air cell, unlike most eggs going into lockdown. Interesting. They clearly pipped through a blood vessel it’s a huge black dot.

I think there’s a chance the one that is upside down may be the one with the most fluid. I need to check!

 

[jolenesdad]

I did make a note. This one here I took a photo of was my worst looking egg. It’s been plugging along for more than 16 hours, I’m so impressed. I caught it pipping on the bottom of the shell and rolled it immediately, I’m sure there’s still fluid in there....

 

[SunHwaKwon]

Saddle is just the shape of the air cell. My first hatch in an Incubator actually went great and I knew very little! So yeah, sometimes not overthinking it does work out for the best, lol.
Now that I have plenty of experience under my belt I've had my worst hatches ever this month, lol! Go figure.

I've had pretty good hatches using the "set it and forget it" approach. As long as your eggs are fertile and your incubator isn't nuts, that's really all it takes!

 

[SunHwaKwon]

FIRST EXTERNAL PIP!!!! It’s a Welsh Harlequin egg from Metzer, originally a slightly displaced air cell.

Whew. I feel so relieved when I see an external pip like okay, someone made it this far... odds are it can’t be a total wash, now.




Heres a question.

I can only get the little giant to be at 98 or 102. Classic.

Since it’s only going to be used for an egg that has started assist or a duckling that needs more time, I’m thinking of saying 98 is good and stop trying to get it any higher.

And I read a lot of people turn down the incubator a degree or two once hatch starts, does here anyone do that?

I think 98 will be fine. They are putting off their own heat by that point, you just don't want them to end up chilled. I've had some not-so-good broodies get up and go get a bite to eat and take a bath while a chick is already pipped, and the chicks came out just find, albeit scared, lonely, and cold. Maybe mama realized it would be her last few moments of peace for a while and to take advantage of it lol