March 2023 hatch-a-long

[Canadian Wind]

I really like the polish as chicks and up to teenager age. I'm not as much a fan once they can't see properly.

I clipped the feathers in front of mine's eyes so he could see!

 

[Canadian Wind]

Had to take my daughter to the hospital and just got back about an hour ago (she slipped and herniated her back). Three more chicks hatched, making the total now 10, four more are pipped, and five are waiting although I think a couple of those are DIS.

The last six to hatch are all blacks, with yellow tummies, apart from the one bantam which is black with a silver tummy. Mixture of clean legs, semi-feathered, and full feathered. I'll try to get pics in the morning, after I go pick up daughter's pain meds.

Considering getting more eggs from this seller. I don't mind that I had a low hatch rate (about 50% or so) since I only paid $12 for 48, and the dozen+ clears are being used as food for my dog. Still means less than $1/chick!

 

[notasilkie]

Had to take my daughter to the hospital and just got back about an hour ago (she slipped and herniated her back). Three more chicks hatched, making the total now 10, four more are pipped, and five are waiting although I think a couple of those are DIS.

The last six to hatch are all blacks, with yellow tummies, apart from the one bantam which is black with a silver tummy. Mixture of clean legs, semi-feathered, and full feathered. I'll try to get pics in the morning, after I go pick up daughter's pain meds.

Considering getting more eggs from this seller. I don't mind that I had a low hatch rate (about 50% or so) since I only paid $12 for 48, and the dozen+ clears are being used as food for my dog. Still means less than $1/chick!

Hope your daughter is doing OK!

Sounds like you are getting an interesting mix of chicks

 

[Canadian Wind]

Hope your daughter is doing OK!

Sounds like you are getting an interesting mix of chicks

Thank you. She's in a lot of pain, but I got her to smile by bringing over some of the chicks. I live in a trailer in her yard, which is more of a barn right now with all the critters in here!

Yes, I love every egg hatching and seeing what it contained! Latest one (up to 12 hatched now!) seems to be reverse-chipmunk! Will have to see once she dries out.

 

[Kwoka]

Ok I think the mystery chick is going to be a tricolor/mottled/speckled whatever Leghorn (in Poland and Germany it’s called “Porcelain” color) …and in fact I might have two of them now, because there’s a freshly hatched yellow chick with dark wing feathers in the incubator. An Araucana also just hatched, whee !

 

[Iluveggers]

Thursday is lockdown for me! I might candle tonight. Out of the 27 still left, 3 of them had veining but not a ton of movement, so I want to check & make sure those 3 are still ok. Fingers crossed! This has gone by so fast! I still have to dig my small brooder out of the shed and get it ready, along with my heat plates and heater/waterer.

 

[Dinoroar]

omg what is a mini cow?

Do not google unless you are prepared to be shocked by cuteness. Especially don’t go looking for ‘fluffy’ ones.

 

[Dinoroar]

Thank you. She's in a lot of pain, but I got her to smile by bringing over some of the chicks. I live in a trailer in her yard, which is more of a barn right now with all the critters in here!

Yes, I love every egg hatching and seeing what it contained! Latest one (up to 12 hatched now!) seems to be reverse-chipmunk! Will have to see once she dries out.

Glad you got a good hatch and that the chicks are brightening up a hard time. Hope your daughter recovers fast. And I agree it still seems worthwhile to get the eggs at that price even if only 1/2 were fertile.

 

[Pamv88]

Do not google unless you are prepared to be shocked by cuteness. Especially don’t go looking for ‘fluffy’ ones.

And dont think of a pencil with a pink eraser on top? LOL So yeah i googled. OMG sooo cute - life goals

 

[BarnyardChaos]

Here's an update on my chick with the brillo-like down on his back. Did I post about him in this thread? I don't remember! Anyway, he was one of the last to hatch on Sunday. He and three others had a very hard time. One died overnight, but the others are doing FINE. This one chick is very, very tiny. As of this morning, he weighs 37g - while one of the other late chicks that hatched with him is 40g, and a typical sample from the group that hatched a day earlier (Saturday) is 48g. Photos below.

Anyway, this one little chick has down on his back that's very short, stiff and wiry, almost like a brillo pad or beard stubble. The rest of his down is normal. At first I thought it was dried membrane or thick albumen, but I gave him a sponge bath and ... nothing. So I dabbed some coconut oil on his back, and it's softer, but just weird. The breed is simply a barnyard mix, maybe Australorp, BPR, RIR, or EE combinations.

Here he is. It's still oily with coconut oil. I hesitate to bathe him, but will need to:

And here he is with one of the other chicks who struggled to hatch on Sunday. He is 37g, the yellow chick is 40g:

And this gray chick is pretty typical of the rest of the hatch from a day earlier. The gray one weighs 48g:

Any thoughts or advice are appreciated!