May Hatch-a-Long!

[missnu01]

The brinsea incubators are plastic but still a pain to clean since you have to take the whole thing apart to clean it. But once you get it all broken down it just wipes out

 

[Jekajo80]

Thanks for all your incubator cleaning tips!

Yes, I know paper is bad for their feet, but I put it down to try to introduce it to it's feed before I put shavings in. This one has quite the personality!

The parents!

 

[Farmer Viola]

Photo #2 is priceless!

aww thanks!

The one pipped on the wrong end made it mostly out, but it's yolk sack hasn't been totally absorbed. Hoping he or she makes it

if you can, wrap the chick and the unabsorbed yolk in a warm wet paper towel and put it in a cup and back into the incubator. that will help it stay inactive while it absorbs the rest of the way

if you have chick vitamins (like polyvisol or nutridrench) on hand you could give it a couple drops when it's dried off, maybe wait til tomorrow. a nutritional boost can be helpful when they are lacking the yolk vitamins

 

[Farmer Viola]

Thanks for all your incubator cleaning tips!

that face!!

 

[Jekajo80]

that face!!

Thank you! Here's #2

 

[Wishapup]

More heat lamp troubles! We had a back-up lamp but apparently not a back-up bulb. Bulb is burning out - still on, but dimming. It's the weekend so can't go purchase another one. Will have to devise another heating system.

As far as the chicks, 30 hatched. After candling it seems that there were only 5 full-term chicks that didn't hatch. Will be breaking the others open when I have time.

Two of the chicks have had issues. One little Silkie got a splayed leg, and is now taped up and doing well.

The last three chicks in the hatch required intervention. The very last, a big Marans, was in the incubator alone for 24 hours or so. At first, he/she flipped backwards and kept shaking and falling on his/her back. I was concerned about brain damage. But, 12 hours later, chick was walking on its hocks...I fed it vitamin water, it got stronger, and now it is walking almost normally with the other chicks.

 

[Cynthia12]

Thanks for all your incubator cleaning tips!

Yes, I know paper is bad for their feet, but I put it down to try to introduce it to it's feed before I put shavings in. This one has quite the personality!

The parents!

Use Kitchen liner. It's great. I buy some every time I go to the dollar store. I know it will be used.


Farmer, do you use this for lock down? I do, and love the easy clean up, keeps too much stuff from getting in the bottom while hatching.
Here's a photo..from the past, these have hatched.


I have some mixes going into lock down tomorrow, plus, some that may hatch tomorrow..only the two little ones due to hatch on Mon..but it seems my little eggs hatch early.

 

[Farmer Viola]

Cynthia, I LOVE shelf liner! I have not thought to look for it at the dollar store!!I have been getting it for $5 at walmart and with how much I use, its getting a little pricey.

it is really great though for baby chicks. I once had a chick break it's toe on the wire floor in the incubator. never again! the soft lining is much kinder to their feet, and gives good traction. I also use it on the floor of their brooder for the first 1 week!

 

[missnu01]

Photo #2 is priceless!

aww thanks!

The one pipped on the wrong end made it mostly out, but it's yolk sack hasn't been totally absorbed. Hoping he or she makes it

if you can, wrap the chick and the unabsorbed yolk in a warm wet paper towel and put it in a cup and back into the incubator. that will help it stay inactive while it absorbs the rest of the way

if you have chick vitamins (like polyvisol or nutridrench) on hand you could give it a couple drops when it's dried off, maybe wait til tomorrow. a nutritional boost can be helpful when they are lacking the yolk vitamins

Yeah I've had this happen a couple of times. He or she did make it out alright and absorbed the rest of the yoke. I'll have to wash him or her tomorrow but other than that he or she seems to be doing fine. Then again just started walking around about 20 minutes ago. I've had 7 hatch so, 6 waiting...All are pipped all seem to be moving right along. So we will see what's going on in there in the morning

 

[missnu01]

Oh my gosh one of the chicks has the feathered legs and 5 toes like the salmon faverolles... All the chicks are the same orange color so far, but just the one I can be sure who the mother was. Or maybe somehow my faverolles roo got a little, but all the chicks appear to have been fathered by the buff orp. ..