March Hatch-A-Long

[Ranchwithaview]

Speaking of candling, I might have 2-3 eggs non fertile-candled @day 8, decided to put it back to be candled on day 15th. We’ll see if these 4 roosters are doing their jobs, Last spring I had great fertility rate, therefore great hatches, with Don Quixote-the Black Copper Marans. He was beautiful, excellent with his hens and a definite alpha male but had to retire young to Iceland.

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I have a black copper Marans mix cockerel, and he is so good with the hens. I got mixed advice on getting a rooster, but I am glad we have him.

 

[Ranchwithaview]

Hi, I set 4 eggs from our own flock on Sat. I was happy to find this March hatch along today. In our last hatch in Feb., we didn't get any chicks from our black frizzled hen that lays extra large eggs. They are also quite dark, so I suspect she is part Marans. I am interested to see what we get from her and my cockerel that looks to be part black Copper Marans.

I have a still air incubator, and plan to do a dry incubation.

 

[Bonniebooboo]

Up date. have 54 live chicks hatched out of the 80. Just a few pictures.

 

[Ranchwithaview]

Up date. have 54 live chicks hatched out of the 80. Just a few pictures.

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Cute! What kind is the sable brown one?

 

[SA Farm]

Up date. have 54 live chicks hatched out of the 80. Just a few pictures.

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[MontainBourbons]

Just raised the humidity of the incubator to 60%. This is the max I can do with proper airflow in my GQF.
That should be enough right? I can do a little more with containers of water but that would require me opening the incubator 2 days before hatch.

 

[two j farm]

Just raised the humidity of the incubator to 60%. This is the max I can do with proper airflow in my GQF.
That should be enough right? I can do a little more with containers of water but that would require me opening the incubator 2 days before hatch.

I like to get to 65 but when the chicks start hatching your humidity will go up, or at least mind always does.

My incubator has has airs holes on top that can set a straw through, that's how I add water if needed so I don't have to open after lockdown. Good luck can't wait to see some chicks.

 

[HeartsDelight]

I, uh, had a March hatch before I knew there was a thread or had even joined.

But my two Serama hens co-hatched me out 6 beautiful chicks, one on March 2, the other 5 on March 3. I set the clutch on Feb 11, so days 18 and 19 respectively.

Here are my fuzzy marshmallows.

 

[cppeace]

all the cute babies awwww

 

[HeartsDelight]

I couldn't be happier with the whole thing.

I've done all the bits before. I've had doves, parakeets, cockatiels, and finches nest and hatch clutches for me before.

I've incubator hatched a dozen chicken eggs a couple times many years back.

I've incubated all manner of reptile eggs.

I've brought in day-old chick shipments back when I owned my pet store, and raised them until they sold.

But this is my first clutch with my own birds, and the start of my own breeding program, and it is all different this time.

And it went as well as it possibly could have.

I ordered a dozen shipped eggs after my girls went super broody. Pulled 4 empties on day 7, 2 blood rings on day 14.

Of the remaining 8, 6 hatched and the hens kicked the last 2 the second evening. One had gone off probably at day 14 (I had marked it questionable at the time) and the second was nearly full term but had massive beak and skull deformities that were incompatible with life.

Of the 6 truly viable eggs, they all hatched and all the chicks are thriving at day 3.

5O% isn't shabby for any Serama clutch even one's own eggs, and for shipped Serama eggs it's pretty close to spectacular as far as I understand.

I'm so proud of my girls.