Laree's "I CAN'T STOP MYSELF FROM HATCHING!!!" Hatch-a-long

[Hurley]

Have about 50% of my Iowa Blues developing in the incubator, pulled the other half, mostly clears, couple blood rings, couple detached air cells. Think the PO gave them a ride.
Happy with the developers, hoping for a good hatch!

Broody hen has 9 eggs left under her, not sure where the 10th one went, it's completely vanished. She's such a good hen, can pick her up, roll her over, she just stays still as a statue while I check for eggs that don't belong (she collects everyone's eggs every day, it's a communal nest box...got hers marked with pencil and remove the others). She usually manages to bring one out into the coop with her every day, must tuck it under her wing. I keep putting them back. LOL Don't know if any will survive, but we'll see in a couple weeks!

 

[shelleyd2008]

My 'cochilkie' hens have hatched. There are 2 hens (silkie/cochin mixes) and they had a HUGE nest! They had at least 7 chicks hatched and had left the other 18 eggs. 2 of those eggs were no good, the rest went in the bator. This morning I gave them an additional 11 chicks (some from the eggs they had, 3 that were from a different hen's abandoned nest) and they were trying to attack us cause we were holding the babies!

So now they have at least 18 chicks to care for and they couldn't be happier

Good thing they hatch and brood together or they probably couldn't pull it off

 

[LarryPQ]

Random thoughts today:

Lost a hatched poult on Friday, gained 4 more today.

There were 4 (8-12 week?) old poults at the feed store, stuck in teeny cages. I couldn't tell the breeds of the two "heratige" poults, marked $14.99. I am guessing Holland Whites. (They sell the day-old heratige poults for $14.99). The other two poults were broad-breasted whites for $8.99 (they are also $8.99 at a day old). Long story short, I talked the manager down to $10, and got all four started poults for $38! There is AT LEAST 2 bags of feed already in these birds, so it was a swinging deal.

Poults are like used cars...they are taking up valuable lot space, but unlike used cars, they eat and poop. It is SO easy to bargain the people down on price

I also moved my 3-week-old poults out to the Easter Chick pen. Since most of the Easter chicks are banties, they are now comparable size.... But the little poults were still freaked out, so when I went in there check up on them, this one wanted to be held. It sat and pooped on my shoulder for about a half hour.

It sat continuously, not pooped continuously. I am pretty sure it only pooped once.

Anywhoo, I'll have nip the snuggling in the bud. I don't think a 40-pound tom trying to roost on my shoulder is going to work, especially when he gets all hormonal and humpy.

 

[1muttsfan]

Quote:
people keep asking me how many chickens I have, I just answer I don't know. It is easier than actually counting them, then I would have to come to grips with the actual number. I mean does it really matter? I'm pretty sure the answer is going to be too many, so why count? I think I have around 40 in the incubators. Don't want to count them either.

 

[Noncentzter]

The eggs I had under two broodies hadn't done anything by last night, day 25, so I cracked them all and they were either non fertile or scrambled and yes, they were shipped. I'm ok with not getting any chicks (got too many now!) but kinda sad for the girls that have been sitting for so long!

 

[tazcat70]

Quote:
people keep asking me how many chickens I have, I just answer I don't know. It is easier than actually counting them, then I would have to come to grips with the actual number. I mean does it really matter? I'm pretty sure the answer is going to be too many, so why count? I think I have around 40 in the incubators. Don't want to count them either.

I counted my grow out pen.

I sold about thirty, and so now I still have too many.

 

[wolftracks]

I had another Game hen go broody and I didn't have anything to stick under her. She climbed in under the other one and tried to take over, so I had the original one flopped over the new one. I stuck her in another box and put 3 eggs from the clutch under her. BUT I have 2 more FBCM eggs in there too! Someone has been giving her new eggs.

I'm feeding and watering this first broody and she does get up and leave the nest, but she's weak. What can I do to keep her from keeling over on me? There's vitamins and electrolites in her water too.

 

[just2rosey]

Well, I am on day 20 with 19 eggs, I have the first 4 hatched 2 each of Ameraucanas and OE's, and several eggs have pips.

Most of them won't hatch in time for the close of the hatch along, I just hope they all hatch so I can close out my first hatching season with a bang.

I am feeling the same pains many of you others have been feeling, with so many new chicks. I was hoping for a flock of 25 laying hens, so far I have 34 chicks of various ages, 13 are to young to tell, I have maybe 5 pullets out of the other 21.

Only a few of the 19 in the incubator are mine, I am hatching them for my neighbor, she gets all OE's and I we are splitting the Ameraucanas.

I hope I have plenty of pullets in my last two batches, because right now the roos out number the hens 3 to 1.

 

[tazcat70]

Quote:
Give her hatched chicks...or you if you want to let her set, give her additional protein and maybe some carbs like fruit. Or you can just make her get up more often.

 

[NoseyChickens]

Geeze I havent posted on here in forever! I blame softball season and I'm also recovering from pneumonia. So after all my broodies failed miserably I finally had a good hatch. 12 polish, 1 cochin, 4 LF Lav Ameraucanas! I have one lone duck egg due on Tuesday. Loving the new incubator.