May 2020 Hatch-A-Long

[Sciencekathryn]

Woke up this morning to one chick out and another pipped! Nothing yet from the shipped eggs but all three were alive and wiggling last night when I candled. The waiting and anticipation is getting to me!

 

[chickiebaby1]

Mine are on day 19 and are already hatching. I had three this morning. I'm working today so I can't hover over the incubator all day. Kind of makes for a nice surprise when I get home. Although I do text my kids throughout the day to send me pictures through the bator windows. It's like Christmas time at my house this weekend.

 

[Pretty Birds]

Day 14- I candled the eggs and all 24 are still growing! I was very excited to see some movement in the eggs.

 

[kelseyk]

I had to buy another incubator to incubate my friends duck eggs one incubator has been running straight for 6 months.

She is thinking it over right now...she is trying to decide whether to buy her own incubator or to have me incubate for her. So I will either get more eggs to hatch or be an enabler. Lol!

 

[FortCluck]

She is thinking it over right now...she is trying to decide whether to buy her own incubator or to have me incubate for her. So I will either get more eggs to hatch or be an enabler. Lol!

It’s a win win

 

[ShannonsChimkens]

Two babies this morning power went out at 1am, so spent a half hour in the dark setting up the small generator for the incubators. Would have eggs full of dead birds if it wasn’t for the generators!

Both of them were malpositioned and needed help, but both walking around fluffing up now. 1 more left, then turkeys are up next

Turkey feed question... should I just buy a bag of turkey grower? Mix it with chick grower? I will have chicken babies and turkey babies brooding together. How does anyone else handle this situation?

 

[jolenesdad]

Two babies this morning power went out at 1am, so spent a half hour in the dark setting up the small generator for the incubators. Would have eggs full of dead birds if it wasn’t for the generators!

Both of them were malpositioned and needed help, but both walking around fluffing up now. 1 more left, then turkeys are up next

Turkey feed question... should I just buy a bag of turkey grower? Mix it with chick grower? I will have chicken babies and turkey babies brooding together. How does anyone else handle this situation?

How long are they going to be together? A lot of people use turkey starter for chicks. Meat bird people start chicks a lot on turkey starter. A lot of folks start all chicks with turkey or game bird starter, but switch them off relatively quickly after the first two weeks or so. If you leave egg laying chicks on turkey too long, they’ll mature and lay too soon.

 

[two j farm]

Ok I learned my lesson the hard way I guess. The 5 eggs I put under my other broody hen hatched. I guess she didn't want them in with her and her eggs so she pushed them out of the nest. 1 dead, 2 cold and wet, 1 alive and well, and 1 pecked in the head to the point of bleeding.

The 2 wet ones are now under another hen. The well one is with it's Mama and other babies. The bloody one was cleaned up and is under a hen. Fingers crossed when I get home from work tonight all is well.

 

[jolenesdad]

Ok I learned my lesson the hard way I guess. The 5 eggs I put under my other broody hen hatched. I guess she didn't want them in with her and her eggs so she pushed them out of the nest. 1 dead, 2 cold and wet, 1 alive and well, and 1 pecked in the head to the point of bleeding.

The 2 wet ones are now under another hen. The well one is with it's Mama and other babies. The bloody one was cleaned up and is under a hen. Fingers crossed when I get home from work tonight all is well.

argh I’m sorry!!! I hope all works out well, fingers crossed.

I let my broody incubate 6 eggs and kept the other six in an incubator and put them all under her at lockdown a couple of weeks ago. I didn’t even count on the chance she would have not taken the extra eggs. I just assumed it would better for them to all hatch under her than adding chicks after the fact.

Each broody is so different and individual, you just do your best.

 

[ShannonsChimkens]

How long are they going to be together? A lot of people use turkey starter for chicks. Meat bird people start chicks a lot on turkey starter. A lot of folks start all chicks with turkey or game bird starter, but switch them off relatively quickly after the first two weeks or so. If you leave egg laying chicks on turkey too long, they’ll mature and lay too soon.

Thank you!

I’ll probably get a bag of turkey starter and slowly start to mix the chicken starter in and weed the turkey starter out. Problem solved and appreciate the input.