May hatch-a-long

[MatthewsHomestead]

I have 14 days to go for my chicks! Less for my quail and a few duck eggs that will be lagging behind. Out of 41 eggs only 3 were not fertile!!!!!

 

[ReLova]

If anybody is doing staggered hatches I recommend downloading the hatchabatch app. (If I set eggs on a Monday I set the start date on the batch in the app on Tuesday (one day late) because the app counts the moment you start as day one.) It will give you development updates and automatically load candle/lockdown/hatch reminders into your phone's calendar and has preset timelines for a few different types of fowl as well as a custom timeline you can set yourself.

 

[NonnasBabies]

Hope everyone’s hatches have been doing well. I’ve been out of commission with my son who was in a wreak Thursday before last.

But I did just candle my first set of shipped eggs and I swear I’m not really believing my thoughts eyes. They will all make it to lock down.

On the 2nd set which is on day 9 they looked really good. I think right now one so far won’t make it through the next candling. But wow these shipped eggs have been really nice. I’m just keeping finger on a decent hatch.

 

[sawilliams]

So 7 of 9 eggs all hatched between 330pm yesterday and 8am this morning. Unfortunately none of the kids got to see then hatch 1 more is pipped and 1 is DIS. Hoping the 1 will hatch during class the other will go home as needing "extra care"

 

[sawilliams]

Dag-gone so the 8th egg looked like it was starting to zip after school today too. Meaning they will miss all 8 of 9 hatching ... I think I will bring them home tomorrow so i can deal with the 9th egg so if I figured it right, I didn't think to count colors earlier, there were 5 green EE and 4 brown eggs with 4 and 3 hatched the 8th egg is the other ee. There are currently 3 gray chicks and 4 black chicks. I'm actually really suprised by the amount of gray. I know there where 2 days worth of eggs that i selected the original 14 from, probably about 18-20 eggs plus the one I added a day later.

I did have to clean 1 pasty butt this afternoon it looked like the umbilical got wraped up and stuck with some shell to him back and part of the mess was blocking it's vent

 

[cppeace]

aww cuties.. too bad on the timing but I'm sure they still liked seeing the chicks.

 

[chickenmama109]

so my broody hen is not getting off the nest at all i think she is scared that the others will start to go and lay a egg and she will not get to get back on so when i go out there i see ants crawling on her back and i have to take it off and her comb is getting to be black i put some green goo all natural stuff on her comb but why is it getting to be black what should i do

 

[cppeace]

from what I have researched comb turning black usually is stress, illness or molt. Make sure feed and water is close. You may want to force her off the nest atleast once a day.

 

[chickenmama109]

from what I have researched comb turning black usually is stress, illness or molt. Make sure feed and water is close. You may want to force her off the nest atleast once a day.

ok thank you for your help and i was wondering if i take up the bedding where she is and spray the floor with half water and half vinegar would that hurt the eggs or the broody hen and will it even kill the ants

 

[ReLova]

How long has she been sitting on eggs? Could you find a chick or two to give her and stick her eggs in an incubator? If she still has more than a few days to go and shes looking unwell I'd bust the nest up or slip a chick under her. If she only has a few days to go I'd try the spray/clean the nesting box and keep a close eye on her.

I take my broodys a small dish of food and water twice a day especially toward the end or in tough weather. Usually they'll let me mess with the chicks after they hatch more when I do that as well. But that means I usually end up cleaning the broody box out once a week so it doesn't attract any extra critters. We have 3 boxes side by side in a small coop that I use for broodys, I just set her/her eggs in the next one and clean out her favorite spot then put her back.

Couldnt hurt to try the vinegar mix as long as you dont soak the eggs

so my broody hen is not getting off the nest at all i think she is scared that the others will start to go and lay a egg and she will not get to get back on so when i go out there i see ants crawling on her back and i have to take it off and her comb is getting to be black i put some green goo all natural stuff on her comb but why is it getting to be black what should i do