Michigan Hatchers! What'cha got cookin?

[gladahmae]

My husband, saint that he is, has yet to complain about all the chicks. However, when I fill the incubator for a 3rd time (with olive and chocolate eggers) he may start having a problem.

 

[LisaLouHoo]

I'm very excited at the moment because I'm pretty sure that I have my first broody of the season. I've been im-patiently waiting since March. She's a buff Orp and her sister hatched a clutch last Aug, but she's a first-timer. I'm taking a total gamble that she'll stay this way and went ahead and ordered eggs tonight from a local person. She's only been broody for this whole day. It's risky, but the person I'm getting the eggs from could only get them from her mother today or I'd have to wait a couple weeks. So I have my fingers crossed.

I also have a friend hatching 9 silkie eggs from my new silkie pair. We're only on day 3. If only my broody would have been broody 3 days ago!!

 

[naglady]

lisa is your broody staying in the nest overnight. i wait till the broody stays in the nest a couple nights in a row. because i have had mine get on the roost after sitting in nest for daytime a couple of days
then when they start sitting in the nest at nighttime, go ahead and put eggs under her, mark them with pencil so you know which eggs she is sitting under, i relocated mine to another small coop also because the other hens were laying their eggs along with the hatching eggs, and out of 14 eggs i have 4 left to hatch.. and one has a pip.

you can have your eggs on the counter a couple of days till you know for sure.


good luck with your hatch.. that is very exciting i had my first broody last month..

 

[LisaLouHoo]

The broody stayed in the nest last night and was sitting there this morning. We left today and when we got home she was still sitting. She has plucked a patch of chest feathers and she's very warm. I'm going to go out tonight at dark and see if I can move her to the special broody box that is on the floor. I'm also going to put 4 infertile chicken eggs under her to see if she'll stay with them. I haven't picked up the hatching eggs yet, but will do as you suggested and keep on counter until she proves herself. Still have my fingers crossed.

Congrats on your successful hatch!! What kind of broody was it that you put 14 eggs under? My egg source says they give lots of extras and to expect 16-18. I thought this was a bit much, so now I'm hoping some of the other hens will play monkey see/monkey do and go broody, too. btw, I just talked to her and she is giving me 18 and I'm picking them up on Tues.

 

[Peep-Chicken]

EEK!! Lots if power losses around us. If we loose power, I'm gonna have to put the eggs under my broody... Meaning running into the rain with eggs on day 21 :/ Please power, stay with us! As we have no generators... Besides the motor home. That might work to. Lets just hope we stay with power

 

[Peep-Chicken]

Problem! Need help! The incubator fell off the shelf, only one developing egg cracked. It's not leaking but it's cracked. The one that leaked everywhere was infertile. But what do I so with this one? And the ones that tumbled out of place with it??

 

[Candy442]

Problem! Need help! The incubator fell off the shelf, only one developing egg cracked. It's not leaking but it's cracked. The one that leaked everywhere was infertile. But what do I so with this one? And the ones that tumbled out of place with it??

I have heard people taping or using elmers glue to fill the crack of incubator eggs

 

[Peep-Chicken]

I have another problem with the eggs. https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/885742/help-incubator-toppled-on-hatch-day#post_13478440

 

[Peep-Chicken]

Thanks!

 

[gladahmae]

Honestly, I wouldn't mess with them if tomorrow is day 21. Someone on another thread (i think) recently had a power outage and someone suggested using jars of water that was drained from the water heater as a beat source until power came back on. Good luck!