Nervous! 1st Time Lock-down Questions!

[Chicky Tocks]

I heard a peep!!!

 

[O.C.Chick]

YaaaaY!!!!!! Chicky, was just wondering about your hatch a few minutes ago! Good luck!!! Please post photos when they're out!

 

[Wynette]

WOOT! Chicky Tocks!!!

I have a pip! One of my Jersey Giants! They are SOOO much fun to hatch, because I have b/b/s, so it's so fun to watch them pip & zip and then hold your breath and wait to see what color they are!! My Jersey eggs are the smallest in the bator now, so it makes sense that they would pip first. Just the one, so far!!

O.C., I think, in a situation like yours, it might be best to hatch only during the time of year when temps are more stable....just a suggestion! I have to say my bator holds temp and humidity really well - I don't know what you're using (?) I have a Brinsea, and I tell you...temps are within a 1/10 of a degree all along. It amazes me! Humidity is not as easy to regulate, though.

GOOD GOOD GOOD hatching vibes, my friends!!

(edited because apparently I cannot spell when I'm excited about hatching!!!)

 

[O.C.Chick]

CONGRATULATIONS WYNETTE! KEEP THOSE GOOD HATCHING VIBES COMING!!!

I'm using a Hova-bator with air fan and egg turner...I forget what model # but it was just a few dollars less than the Genesis model with pre-set temp. Normally my temps are very, very stable here...it's just a freak weather pattern that only happens a couple of times a year, not season-specific. The last time we had a heat wave this bad was in March, so it's pretty unpredictable. One of my friends suggested a swamp cooler, so I'm looking into that. Well, hopefully we'll see what happens tomorrow!

Good luck to all of you hatching right now!!!

 

[FenDruadin]

Awesome!! Hurray!!

 

[Wynette]

What in the world is a swamp cooler? So interesting how there are different things in different part of the country...I've never heard of one of those. The weather has been really weird this year all over, I think. We are just beginning to get fall weather here, which is fine since it's my favorite season. But gosh, it would have been nice to have gotten a real summer before fall!

Well, so far I have 2 Jerseys out (both blue) and 2 more pipped. There were only 5 eggs, so far, so good.

I also have 1 black olive egger out, and another pipped.

And, I finally have my first Marans this hatch! I have eggs from two breeders - Fitz Farms...they have awesome Marans, and the one hatched is a Fitz. There are 2 more Fitz pips. I also have two lonely eggs that are a German imported line - Krebs. I was so fortunate to get them (long story) and only 2 developed. One is zipped all the way, I'm just waiting for it to pop it's lid off! If ONLY the other will hatch...

WOOT! Hatching is just so much fun!!!

 

[O.C.Chick]

My only experience with a swamp cooler is that my dad has one to cool his greenhouse...They use water evaporation to bring temps down...I just read up on them, (because I had no idea what they were either) and I don't think it would work very well here due to high humidity. Oh well...Back to the drawing board!

 

[Chicky Tocks]

I have one BCM chick completely out since about 3:00 a.m. this morning, and my frizzle egg is pipped. These little stinkers are going to make me wait and chew all my fingernails off!

I had to go ahead and put the little BCM in the brooder with a fluffy stuffed animal because it's fully fluffed out and was panting pretty hard in the bator. Had to go to the farmer's coop to get a red heat bulb first because when I plugged in my lamp, the one in it went *pop-shewwww* RAWR $7.00 for a light bulb!!

ETA:

Another BCM egg just pipped and it's the Wade Jean/Jessie Bryant egg!

 

[O.C.Chick]

Have any of you ever put a hatched chick under a broody hen? I know I've read posts on that, but I'm wondering if any of YOU have ever done it, and if so, what your results were???? My 5 month old Araucana has been broody for a little over a week now. She is super young to even be laying, so she' obviously not experienced in ever hatching chicks (plus I have no rooster

). Do you think I should risk it? Or could I possibly move her into the brooding area to see how she reacts? Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated!!!

Congratulations Chicky!!! So glad everything turned out with the BCMs!!

 

[cracking up]

I have an Ameraucana that has been broody for--ever! I decided to give her a couple of chicks to snap her out of it. When I gave her the first chic it snuggled under her and I thought it was going to be great. Went up to the house to get the second chick and when I got back to her she was chasing the little chick trying to peck it and it was running around peeping. I snatched it up and took them both back to the brooder. I would try it again with another broody. I've heard others say it worked for them. Just keep a close eye on her for a while. Some say to do it after dark - just don't think I would have gotten any sleep if I tried that. Give it a shot!