Keeping track of individual eggs as they hatch?

[Gypsy07]

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Yeah, I was thinking of something like that. I only need to separate them just long enough to get tags on their legs, then they can all go into the one brooder.

I have three separate incubators so I think I might divide them up that way as well as putting up dividers in each bator.

 

[Gypsy07]

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I'd say that by lockdown, cold spots in the bator don't really matter. The chicks have done all their developing by then and a degree or so cooler won't matter.

But of course I'd be stuffing in thermometers all over the bator just to check anyway...

 

[Gypsy07]

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Ah, now that sounds like a VERY good idea. If I'd ever dyed chicks before I'd maybe be brave enough to try it. But I haven't and I wouldn't want to risk these eggs trying out something I've never done before. I think I shall plan on setting some mutt eggs soon and having a shot at dying some chicks, so I could use it for sorting out important future chicks.

 

[BigChick]

Lots of good ideas on here but wanted to share what I do when I set different breeds. I use some small nylon netting that I get from a hardware store or either use the netting that onions come in from the grocery store. Just put the eggs in it and tie off the ends. You can do this a day or two before the eggs are to hatch.

 

[Gypsy07]

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So each egg is in a soft net bag? Wow. Cool idea. But do the chicks not ever get tangled up in the netting?

 

[CelticOaksFarm]

If you are running multiple incubators then making the dividers is easier, could just be the lid to an egg carton.



I haven't had issues with hot/cold spots before. Running 4 Brinsea currently. I band them as soon as possible and then they share brooders and the outside grow out pen.

 

[Gypsy07]

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I have a Brinsea Octagon, a small Lincu TopHatch and a homemade styro box with lightbulbs for heating and a really cheap thermostat.

But in any case, after first candling, I think I might be looking at single digit chick numberss rather than the 20 or so I was hoping for.

Sorting them out might be easier than I was expecting...

 

[CelticOaksFarm]

Oh no, I hope not.

 

[Gypsy07]

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Yeah, it's not looking amazingly good so far. My own four eggs (same breed) put in as a control are doing fine as I expected, but of the other 18 that were shipped to me, quite a few are seeping and have dried crusty bits on their shells. Another few appear to be not developing. That was a day 6 weighing and candling. I'm going to inspect them again on day 12 and any that are still showing signs of seeping will be removed and put in my styro box for the rest of the incubation. I don't mind cleaning that out if there's an unfortunate disaster but I don't want a stinkbomb exploding in my new Brinsea. I also don't want to throw out any of these eggs that have even the smallest chance of hatching out...

 

[Gypsy07]

Well bugger it! Out of 18 eggs, only six are developing, and I think one of those has a blood ring.

So it looks like I won't have much difficulty sorting out the chicks come hatch time after all.