May Hatch Thread--Fill up those bators n' broodies!

[Wishapup]

. That's great ! I think may is the month every body is having good numbers ,,,,, hatch on

Not exactly I got 15% this time. I think I'm the only one, though.

 

[el pollo rey]

Not exactly I got 15% this time. I think I'm the only one, though.

bummer , shipped eggs ?

 

[jnjmanning]

yes jn o2 o2 o2 they need it now more than ever

I have 10 air holes for circulation. My humidity still has not gotten above 58%. I added another sponge. I really dont like this incubator......LOL

 

[BCMaraniac]

I am so glad to have this thread, since this is my first attempt with a broody hen. My FBCM was acting strange the last days of April. She laid an egg on May 1 in the morning, and that same evening she was in one of the nesting boxes. So I took her egg and two other FBCM eggs from that day that were still on the counter, and put them under her, thinking that if she stayed on them overnight I would know that she was broody, and if she moved to the roost for the night, then I would just retrieve them. Well, she stayed on them overnight, and the next morning would not get out of the box despite harrassment by the other layers. Her being there stressed the other hens since I only have 3 nesting boxes, rather than them stressing her.

I free range my layers, and they are so good about laying in the nesting boxes, even though there are 13 layers who share 3 boxes. However, after she began her set, they began laying outside somewhere, because I only got 4 eggs yesterday, when I normally get 10-12 per day. Today it is raining, so I am keeping them up all day, and I have already gotten 7 eggs.

Because they were so stressed, and because of the nesting boxes being off the ground, I opted to try to move her. Night before last, we took her and her eggs(the number of which had increased by two) to a private area. She seemed to settle onto the eggs, but when we got back to her the next morning, she had moved and the eggs were cold. She obviously did not like the place in the new location that we had chosen for her. The unfortunately thing was that there were good blood webs and embryos inside the original 3 eggs that I put under her.

So, I put more eggs under her, and she stayed there all day yesterday, last night, and this morning. This morning I picked her up, and carried her out of the pen and sat her down, and finally coaxed her to get up and move around with some scratch feed. She ate, drank, and did the big broody poop. Boy, was she stiff! Her toes were even curled under, but she got everything stretched. As soon as she was done, she began looking for her nest. So I took her back to her pen, and she found her eggs, and oh so carefully sat back down on them after getting them situated. Her total time out was approximately 15 minutes.

I know that some folks leave them alone, but whether she feels better or not, my knowing that she has had a bit of food, water, and stretch makes ME feel better. So we are only on day 2 which put a hatch date of 5/25 to 5/26.

I am going to be interested to see(if they hatch) what the cross between the FBCM and my lavender Orpington rooster looks like. Should be fluffy things.....even if they are mutts.

 

[cluck5]

Well here goes May,
Last month was not so good. 41 eggs / 2 hatched / 1 died a day later. Now left with only one keeping us busy with chirping lol. I have set 42 buff ori again.

I did my inspection of the the last set of eggs and found 9 that were shrink wrapped (my fault) did not take auto turner out in time I forgot about it ( how can you miss that big thing in the bator?)
and found about 15 that were only partially developed, not sure what that was all about. the rest were unfertial or did not develope could have been because of holding period, to hot/cold this set of eggs were two days old kept between 55 and 60 degrees before setting, Well I will be keeping my

for the next 21 days. cause my little girl (I hope) needs more sisters. even if they are a bout 1 month younger.

Is there anything special you do for one lone chick, thats all I am getting out of my incubator (long story, but the post service froze my eggs so only 1 egg out of 7 developed) my one BCM is due to hatch in the next few day, but I wonder isn't one chick going to be very lonely? I am getting more hatching eggs in a few days but this first chick will be huge compared to the new ones that will hatch at the end of May. Can I put the new babies in with the original baby, will they get a long?

 

[hokankai]

Can you get a chick from a store or something?

Mirrors in the brooder help too...

 

[el pollo rey]

I have 10 air holes for circulation. My humidity still has not gotten above 58%. I added another sponge. I really dont like this incubator......LOL

. I have the same machine I use as my second or hatcher or visa versa the can be temperamental as far as foam bators go they are not a hova by any means but I use a double stack of paper towels under the wire and on top of the wells it will hover at 65-67 % during lockdown

 

[Twizzlebee]

We have a pip!

 

[jnjmanning]

I am so glad to have this thread, since this is my first attempt with a broody hen. My FBCM was acting strange the last days of April. She laid an egg on May 1 in the morning, and that same evening she was in one of the nesting boxes. So I took her egg and two other FBCM eggs from that day that were still on the counter, and put them under her, thinking that if she stayed on them overnight I would know that she was broody, and if she moved to the roost for the night, then I would just retrieve them. Well, she stayed on them overnight, and the next morning would not get out of the box despite harrassment by the other layers. Her being there stressed the other hens since I only have 3 nesting boxes, rather than them stressing her.

I free range my layers, and they are so good about laying in the nesting boxes, even though there are 13 layers who share 3 boxes. However, after she began her set, they began laying outside somewhere, because I only got 4 eggs yesterday, when I normally get 10-12 per day. Today it is raining, so I am keeping them up all day, and I have already gotten 7 eggs.

Because they were so stressed, and because of the nesting boxes being off the ground, I opted to try to move her. Night before last, we took her and her eggs(the number of which had increased by two) to a private area. She seemed to settle onto the eggs, but when we got back to her the next morning, she had moved and the eggs were cold. She obviously did not like the place in the new location that we had chosen for her. The unfortunately thing was that there were good blood webs and embryos inside the original 3 eggs that I put under her.

So, I put more eggs under her, and she stayed there all day yesterday, last night, and this morning. This morning I picked her up, and carried her out of the pen and sat her down, and finally coaxed her to get up and move around with some scratch feed. She ate, drank, and did the big broody poop. Boy, was she stiff! Her toes were even curled under, but she got everything stretched. As soon as she was done, she began looking for her nest. So I took her back to her pen, and she found her eggs, and oh so carefully sat back down on them after getting them situated. Her total time out was approximately 15 minutes.

I know that some folks leave them alone, but whether she feels better or not, my knowing that she has had a bit of food, water, and stretch makes ME feel better. So we are only on day 2 which put a hatch date of 5/25 to 5/26.

I am going to be interested to see(if they hatch) what the cross between the FBCM and my lavender Orpington rooster looks like. Should be fluffy things.....even if they are mutts.

You are a good chicken Mom, I would do the same thing....lol Good girl soon to be Momma! Good luck, keep us updated. I have staggered hatches on 9th, 16th, and 21st. So I will be here!

 

[jnjmanning]

. I have the same machine I use as my second or hatcher or visa versa the can be temperamental as far as foam bators go they are not a hova by any means but I use a double stack of paper towels under the wire and on top of the wells it will hover at 65-67 % during lockdown

Well that did it! Humidity jumped to 72%. I opened one humidity plug, got it to 67% now. Lets see if I can hold it there.
My main bator is a Hova, my borrowed is the temperamental one....lol But I am learning it!