March Hatch-A-Long.( How is it gettting here so quick ? LOL )

[Heidisgran]

If any of you are interested in Greenfire chicks, they posted last minute auctions and they are going cheap on rarebreed auction.

going to look my husband is going to kill me...I'm blaming you lol

 

[nicole63021]

That was years ago, I only kept them for a short time..inside! I had this very nice big cage, and thought they would be happy in there. I could tell right away that they needed to be in an outdoor set up. Pretty wild little things. Here are a couple of photos of them. I had read that they could be kept inside..and they can, but, I decide to let them go to a man that had quite a nice outdoor set up.
Here is the cage from the top.

The front..shows the light.

With the room lights on. Top opens, and side opens. I now have a canary in it.

My babies in it a little older. My DH put up plexi glass around the bottom.

When they were just a day old.

They were fun for a while. For me.

Aww! Cute little buggers. We are putting in a couple of outdoor pens for the ones to be used for eggs/breeding.

 

[christine9]

So this is my first hatch. I have 10 AM, 4 EE, and 2 BR. I decided on the dry hatch method. My issue is that I do not see air cells. I just cannot see through these shells. Today is day 4, I candled two eggs. I think they look good, but I hate that I cannot see air cells.

 

[jbenson]

yeah, fluffy butts. I can't hardly stand it, still 16 days away. Will candle on Friday to see what we are working with.

I know, me too. I'm right there with you. 15 days.

 

[nicole63021]

So this is my first hatch. I have 10 AM, 4 EE, and 2 BR. I decided on the dry hatch method. My issue is that I do not see air cells. I just cannot see through these shells. Today is day 4, I candled two eggs. I think they look good, but I hate that I cannot see air cells.

You need to candle the fat end, but keep it up of course. Just shine your light down into the egg from the larger end.....then post pics so we can all see!

 

[sonderah]

I got a pip!!!!! Not even due for 36 hours!!! Its gonna be impossible to sleep!

 

[DiamondDust]

Disaster at my house this afternoon. While I was out something happened...probably the cat jumped on the incubator, little bugger. Well, when I got home I found it on it's side! I don't even know how it happened. Anyway, I had removed all but one chick just before I stepped out so those 6 were safe and the one I had left in seems to be okay as well. The bad news is that several eggs were smashed into each other...two that had started zipping died. One is broken open but must have pipped internally first because I can see it breathing and it seems to be doing okay so far. There is one other egg I still need to examine that was cracked pretty badly...I need to see if it's alive or dead. The eggs that did not get cracked I left in but who knows if they will hatch now...temperature was way off and everything got wet from the water I had in there to raise humidity for the hatch.

Today makes me tired...

DD

 

[Cynthia12]

I got a pip!!!!! Not even due for 36 hours!!! Its gonna be impossible to sleep!

Mine are hatching too..going to be a busy night, they are going crazy. Tomorrow is the due date..I have 4 so far.

 

[Cynthia12]

Disaster at my house this afternoon. While I was out something happened...probably the cat jumped on the incubator, little bugger. Well, when I got home I found it on it's side! I don't even know how it happened. Anyway, I had removed all but one chick just before I stepped out so those 6 were safe and the one I had left in seems to be okay as well. The bad news is that several eggs were smashed into each other...two that had started zipping died. One is broken open but must have pipped internally first because I can see it breathing and it seems to be doing okay so far. There is one other egg I still need to examine that was cracked pretty badly...I need to see if it's alive or dead. The eggs that did not get cracked I left in but who knows if they will hatch now...temperature was way off and everything got wet from the water I had in there to raise humidity for the hatch.

Today makes me tired...

DD

It shouldn't hurt them to get wet at this point. You may have to help the one out that you can see breathing. Are they due today..all of them? If you don't see any pips soon, you may want to pip them, then of course you will be helping them out, but that's better than losing them. I often help, and have great results.

 

[DiamondDust]

It shouldn't hurt them to get wet at this point. You may have to help the one out that you can see breathing. Are they due today..all of them? If you don't see any pips soon, you may want to pip them, then of course you will be helping them out, but that's better than losing them. I often help, and have great results.

Yes, they are all due today...but some started hatching as early as Sunday. Just a couple, then a couple yesterday...a couple more while I was at work this morning...then I took out everyone who was dry just leaving the rest of the eggs and the one wet chick. I decided to go ahead and help the one chick with the smashed shell...thanks for the idea. There was no blood in the membrane so this little one was ready to come out...just a little on the tired side it seems. I went ahead and candled all the eggs and only two others are alive still. One of those doesn't look good...I pipped the shell at the air sack and it seems weak and looks like there may be some internal bleeding...inside the membrane. It had to have been a traumatic event to have smashed shells like that. Well, lesson learned. I will find a better set up next time. One where even if the cat jumps up the incubator cannot fall over and down on it's side.

I'll be happy for the few chicks I got this time around. I'll try to get pictures of the chicks tomorrow when I get the camera battery charged. Thanks again Cynthia12!

DD