May 2020 Hatch-A-Long

[Vantic]

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Questions for you about he pictured egg turner. I assume it is manual. How do you like it? What would you change if you made another?

TIA

 

[matlock585]

After my day 7 candling it looks like I have 55 viables moving on to the 2nd week.
Much to my surprise 17 of 20 of the refrigerated eggs are developing nicely.
Guess I'll candle again about day 10 or 11 to see if I can free up some space. Now I'm worried about being so far over capacity.
We just had some terrible storms pass through. The battery backup did it's job and the incubator kept running during the few minutes we were without power. I was thankful to have it.

 

[kelseyk]

So I went down to spend some time with my chicks and decided to do a little experiment with the ring test (using my trusty ole metal washer). I think it seems to work pretty accurately on older chicks - larger with more physical magnetism, but not so well on day olds and younger chicks. My theory is that the ring (washer) picks up my physical magnetism because the chicks is so small. So my experiment was to hold one of my 4 day old chicks and do the ring test and then put the chick in a cup and do the ring test. When I held the chick it said that it was a pullet (back and forth), but then when I put it in a cup and did the ring test it said it was a cockerel (in a circle). I also did the ring test on my 3 week Bielefelder cockerel and one of my 3 week Bielefelder pullets and it was right (both while I was holding them). I have tested all my chicks but 8 of my 4 day olds and marking them with leg bands so that I can see how accurate it is. Out of my older chicks (18) it says that I have 9 cockerels and 9 pullets. (This changed since the first time that I did it at 2 weeks when it said I had 4 cockerels and 14 pullets) Out of my Silkies (2 weeks old and smaller, so tested in a cup) it says that I have 3 cockerels and 2 pullets. I am uploading videos on my phone and will post them once they are uploaded for anyone that wants to join in on the fun.

 

[kelseyk]

Here is the ring test on my Bielefelder cockerel and pullet. They are auto sexing, so I already know what they are - ring test says they are what they are (circle =male, line=female).

 

[kelseyk]

Here is my magnetism experiment. I won't have any idea what this chick will be until it shows secondary signs. It is one out of the group of 9 I am trying to sell....so may not ever know (unless I remember to ask whoever buys them....if I get them sold). It is interesting how the pattern of the washer changes though. I guess I will have to go back down another time and see if I can get a chick that does the straight line both ways.

 

[Vantic]

One mutt out and 32 (foreground) is zipping. So many pips and chirps. There are down sides to the incubator being in your office. Very distracted.

 

[CluckNDoodle]

Here is the ring test on my Bielefelder cockerel and pullet. They are auto sexing, so I already know what they are - ring test says they are what they are (circle =male, line=female).

I thought he said line for male in the video?? I need to watch it again.

 

[Vantic]

I thought he said line for male in the video?? I need to watch it again.

I did, but she found with her washer and no human contact that is was the opposite I think.

 

[Jehri]

I'm going to try the nail sexing thing today- we are renovating so I have steel brad nails on hand. Yay! I will also try the laying the bird on its back to see what it does with its legs.

Okay this is another new one . Someone explain!

The females are definitely eye candy and so aren't the roosters.

Do you have pictures I’ve then talked about but haven’t ever seen them

 

[kelseyk]

I thought he said line for male in the video?? I need to watch it again.

He did, but the site I found says the opposite. (https://www.healthline.com/health/pregnancy/ring-gender-test#how-to-do-it). I just did another search and found both circle/boy;line/girl and circle/girl;line/boy sites. I tested it on myself (line....and no, I am not pregnant), and on my female dog (line), and one of my 3 week old BCM's is already getting a pretty good comb and wattles with a red hue already (circle). So this is the way I am going to go for my experiment.