Mahonri's 2nd Annual NYDHatch, watching them grow...

[pinkchick]

Hi Everyone! Welcome to all the new hatchers that have joined!

This is going to be sooooooooo much fun!

Illia~ I am soooo sorry to hear that. I wish I had Blue Wheatens now so that I could get you some more eggs.

Power Outages~

Seems like everytime I set a batch of eggs we have a power outage. I think during last years New Year's hatch or was it another hatch the year before...no, it was last year, (LOOK OmGosh MY CHICKENS YEARS ARE STARTING TO RUN TOGETHER...

) we lost power on day 17 for 19 hours. 31-39 babies hatched. This year as of a few weeks ago.....28 out of 30? hatched, can't remember exactly. Seems like I get the best hatch rates when there has been a power outage.

I keep water bottles around so that I can have 2 bottles filled with the hottest water I can get out of the tap in each little el cheapo stryofoam 'bator and I keep 6 big old mayonnaise jars for my big home'mator (my big stryofoam home made incubator). I keep plenty of towels and blankets around to cover them with to keep in heat. I also make sure that there is atleast one vent hole uncovered to allow some air flow. It's DH job to start a rip roaring fire in the woodstove and if need be I can move my 'bators in the livingroom close to the woodstove to help keep them warmer. I also keep a huge pot of water on the woodstove for a continuous supply of hot water incase the water bottles in the bators lose heat and they will. I do not open the 'bators unless I absolutely have to so that I can change out the water. I also keep a thermometer probe that I can slip into each vent hole and check temps without having to open them. I have been able to keep temps up to mid 80's will the electricity is out. When the power is back on I remove all blankets, towels and water bottles and let them warm back up and we're off.
Even if I am not using my big home'mator as a hatcher to keep breeds seperate I make sure to keep it plugged in and running so that if I am in the middle of hatch I can put the babies that hatched back into it when the brooder light goes out.

edited to add: When the power goes out I do not worry about humidity at all.....heat is the most important thing.

 

[lostsoulhelpmejebus]

Quote:
I am pretty rural as well, if the wind is really strong, we have a storm or the very frequent tornado...power is gone. After the 2000 tornado that destroyed all our outbuildings and just damaged the house, a generator has come to live here. Use it all the time!!! Well worth the initial investment.

 

[Happy Chooks]

Illia......I'm so sorry. That's a big loss to take. I agree, you should join and it will cheer you up.

For those of you in tornado country......

they scare the crud outta me.

Halo.......one day that generator will come in handy, I'm sure of it.

 

[NellaBean]

What about sticking a hen in a dark box with the eggs under her? LOL. Seems like the darkness would at least make her sit and keep them relatively warm until power came back on.

I will join in on the New Years hatch only if i have a broody willing to sit. I have 3 broodies with chicks right now, a 4th sitting on eggs and just recently kicked the 5th hen back to the flock and gave her singleton chick to a different broody to raise. Hens go broody here at the drop of a hat, so its possible! I'm actually wondering if I can turn a hen broody by picking one of my best broodies and keeping her in a brooder with a nice batch of eggs.....maybe she'll get the idea?

 

[Illia]

Quote:
The eggs came from my own girls, so don't worry, I have plenty more where they came from.

 

[flgardengirl]

I wanna join but not sure when my eggs will be due. I have a broody muscovy. She isn't sitting through the night yet but during the day. I think she has about 9 eggs now if she didn't kick anymore out of the nest lol. I know they take 35 days from when they start sitting through the night. Never had any ducklings hatch around here yet so this should be fun.

Illia I hope you get some more eggs from your girls. The world needs more of your beautiful blue wheatens!!

 

[pinkchick]

Quote:
flgarden~ I knew you couldn't stay away!!!!!!!! Mwuaaaahaahaahaaaahahhaha!

 

[flgardengirl]

Haha you evil temptress, you! Okay she is sitting on her eggs now tonight. We didnt have a separate pen to keep her in (separate from the drakes) so dh made a makeshift pen that opens on top that we can leave open during the day and close at night. We put some wood fence sections up against the wire sides so she can feel like it is private in there. I had to move her nest and make another one so I hope she will like it enough. She has 8 eggs and one that she kicked out of the nest so I left that one out. They like thier nests dug in the ground a little within a pile of leaves. Crossing my fingers that this is gonna work lol. Maybe I should give her some of Bella's (the blue maran chicken) eggs too haha.

 

[flgardengirl]

I think 35 days not counting tonight would make it December 29th. I want baby duckies for Christmas lol.

 

[pirtykitty]

Hoping I'll be able to participate too... I Have a pair of Welsh harlequins and a rescued female crested pekin duck.. If this is in January may have to wait till next one though