May 2023 Hatch-a-long

[Waterfaery]

Thank you for the support. That is true it could be the eggs. They were for a customer so it could have to do with their flock or the handling. I hatched for them last year and the results weren’t great. But more like 75% not 40%

I am very pleased with the ducklings so far. They are a real joy to watch

That's interesting, even if it wasn't quite as bad. It probably means something.

I can imagine they are a joy! There's something extra lovely about ducklings. I'd love to have some one day. Do they follow you around when you're with them?

 

[Hedgeland Farms]

I got behind this week! Congrats on all the hatching.

My hatch from Monday didn’t go well I knew something was off when I saw one of the first to zip failed to hatch. I ended up with 39 chicks out if 80 eggs in lockdown. With most if the remainder either failing to pip and a few just giving up mid zip. The customer was understanding but that was not a good day for me opening all those eggs.

My only explanation for what could have gone wrong is that it has been very humid here. I have my auto humidity on and wasn’t really monitoring things that closely so I’m guessing it just averaged too much humidity & the chicks got too big. I’ve been hatch in that incubator successfully since February so I suppose I got complacent and was paying more attention to my school finals and duck hatch so I can’t be sure but that it my guess.

Thsnkfully I didn’t have any other eggs in there as I’ve been trying to wind down the hatching for a bit.

So dickeys is taking a rest and will have a good clean out. There are 42 marans eggs split between the brinsea and nr 360. Sadly I expect that to be a low rate as well. Hatching sure gets tiring when things don’t go right.

Meanwhile I got a wild hair that I want some silver laced birds in my flock. Wyandottes I suppose are the default for that but so many feathers… & I wonder they go broody nonstop? Anyway I’ll daydream about that for the future. And my adorable ducklings are keeping me pretty well distracted from focusing too much on the failure.

So sorry your hatch didn't go well!!! But your ducklings are so adorable!!

Ugh I am at work and my broody is on the wrong nest!!!! One girl went and laid in there so kept them warm for a bit. Hopefully someone else goes in or she goes to the correct one. I still have close to 3 hrs till I am home

I had no idea broodies get confused...I should read some more lol hopefully she makes it back to her eggs!

 

[Hedgeland Farms]

Hey....guys....
I went into Rural King today...and they had GOBS of black sex link chicks. (Someone got on the computer, ordered a TON of birds they didnt need, then quit is the story i got) Pretty big, wings feathered. Terribly over crowded and picking feathers off of each other....they were a dollar a piece....sooooo


I only took as many as I can which was 8....but thats 8 more with tons more room and a new home.

 

[junior67]

I had no idea broodies get confused...I should read some more lol hopefully she makes it back to her eggs!

Not sure if they all do but mine don't care which box they go in just which set of boxes. LOL I have my original set of 3. then I have a shared one that is sort of 2 but no divider between them. some use one set some use the other. My broody is in the original set but will go to any of the 3 and not care which one...... It has been a pain and I have tried moving her to the eggs, tried moving the eggs with her all in hopes she would stay put in one...... UGH! I had to move her back to her eggs. have some pips they were all still moving, and some that have internally pipped that were moving. then some that just filled the whole egg and couldn't tell if they were moving but hopefully they are!

 

[OzarkCountryGirl]

All five of the Ayam Cemani eggs have hatched! I'm hoping for at least a couple pullets as I have a young cockerel already. Excited to add these to my flock.

 

[Hedgeland Farms]

All five of the Ayam Cemani eggs have hatched! I'm hoping for at least a couple pullets as I have a young cockerel already. Excited to add these to my flock.

How exciting !!!!

 

[FeatherProfessor]

@FeatherProfessor how is the hatch going?


well peeked under my broody. have a few internal pips that were peeping at me. And then some with lots of shadowing that seem close to internal pip. No external pips yet but hopefully today! Can't wait to see the first baby and really hope this goes well! I am so nervous!!!!!!

Looking good so far! If you’re watching on the live stream, I made a marked up picture below so you can see where your favorite is it did look like two were a little further along than the rest. 1 was set a day late so will probably not be til Tuesday or even Wednesday since it’s my luck lol

Lightning Bolt - Iluveggers
Martini - junior67
Rainbow - honora
Christmas Tree - ???
Dinosaur - Canadian Wind
Candy Cane - Hedgeland Farms

 

[FeatherProfessor]

How exciting !!!!

Congrats!!!

 

[FeatherProfessor]

Hey....guys....
I went into Rural King today...and they had GOBS of black sex link chicks. (Someone got on the computer, ordered a TON of birds they didnt need, then quit is the story i got) Pretty big, wings feathered. Terribly over crowded and picking feathers off of each other....they were a dollar a piece....sooooo


I only took as many as I can which was 8....but thats 8 more with tons more room and a new home.

All the hens staring in made me giggle

 

[Dinoroar]

That's interesting, even if it wasn't quite as bad. It probably means something.

I can imagine they are a joy! There's something extra lovely about ducklings. I'd love to have some one day. Do they follow you around when you're with them?

The do follow me! It’s so charming. I had them in their pool today while I was gardening and they peeped loudly for me when I went around a corner. I’ve thought about getting ducks for years & I wonder now why I waited so long.