lock-down tomorrow... 10 still in the running

[v.cyr]

out of 17 eggs, we had 7 that quit around day 7-9 from the looks of it... the other 10 of them look good to go... can't wait till Friday!... any tips for keeping track of which chicks are which till we remove and band them... I was going to divide the 'bator with a piece of cardboard, one set on one side, the rest on the other, but I was wondering what you folks do...

 

[joe17]

A lot of people have the sportsman incubators and they hatch each set of eggs in a different level. You can take those strawberry basket things that strawberries come in and put an egg or two in there. I don't know how to close it though. A lot of people just rig something up. I asked the same question a while back. I think someone said they use those 6 pack glass beer bottle box that they come in. You know how the glass bottles come in the cardboard box with 6 separate compartments for each bottle? They put an egg in each and throw them away after.

 

[LilyD]

I have a little giant and I am doing the same thing. I am going to try and put thick cardboard dividers (cut from a box) between each set of eggs so that I know which is which. I am hoping it works but you never know lol.

 

[joe17]

Also, someone told me to use old finger nail polish on there nails to mark them or use a marker on there feathers. Those are great ideas!

 

[v.cyr]

thanks everybody... so the cardboard divider idea should be fine then... I like that strawberry basket idea, might have to find some of them next time... lockdown today at 6pm(when I get home from work)... so psyched...

 

[Gypsy07]

I just asked a question like this about how to keep chicks separate while they're hatching. I thought little wire mesh boxes, someone else suggested cardboard, I never thought about beer bottle boxes but wonder how much you'd be able to see with cardboard dividers all over the bator...

For once they've hatched, the smallest size of zip ties in different colours work great. If you get a bunch of them in five different colours and put one on each leg, you can get 25 different combinations. If you double them up on each leg, you can get loads more. Just remember to write down who's got what zip tie combo, and keep checking they're loose enough, and replacing them as the chicks grow.