New to BYC and new to raising chickens

Date sort Score sort
heimdall

heimdall

Hatching
Joined
Nov 20, 2015
Messages
2
Reaction score
0
Points
7
Hey all!

I put 40 eggs into my home made incubator 21 days ago tonight! Already last night, 50% of my eggs have hatched, and I see a bunch of more holes in the eggs that sit in the incubator. I pulled my chickens out of the incubator pretty quickly, 6 or so hours after they hatch and put them in a brooder.

For begging I have news paper lowest, and then I put two towels into the bottom just for the first two-three days, to keep them warm. I have a 60watt light bulb and they sit next to a radiator and they look pretty content chilling together, mostly sleeping though.

I just wanted to say hi and thank this website for many good tips. One in particular today, about one of my chicks who's intestines were hanging out, and I had to put him to sleep. I also have another chicken that seems to have problems keeping his balance, if I keep him in my hand, he will lay towards my palm, and put him into my other he will go the other way. He has absolutely ZERO balance, but he eats and drinks, if I help him. I don't know if I should help him sleep too, or if I should wait a couple more days and see if he improves, he is currently in special care, sitting on my office desk under the light, all cozy, but likes to complain when he gets thirsty and hungry, heh.

I'd like to thank this website for great tips. I've been nervous throughout this period of 21 days, wondering if I've kept the heat right, enough humidity and such, but so far so good!

Thanks,
Ragnar
 
Hello, and welcome to our "flock!"
frow.gif


Congratulations on your successful hatch! I'm sorry about the chick you had to put down.
hugs.gif

As for the other chick, I'd give it a little more time to gain some balance. If it is about the same by late tomorrow, though, I'd consider putting it down.
 
Yeah I hope I don't have to put him down, I have grown a little attached to him now :-/

A little update, I mention in the OP I put 40 eggs into the incubator, I candled them around day 11 and 36 were fertile and had babies in them. So far 22/36 have hatched. Two of the 14 left are likely dead, they've had a hole in them for like 12 hours now. We'll see how this goes!

How much time over 21 days should I give them? Also I hear people breaking the eggs after 22 days or so, and that way get most to live. Sounds brutal, but I don't know.

Thanks,
Ragnar
 
Welcome to BYC. Glad you decided to join our flock. Congratulations! It's always so egg-citing to have a successful hatch. I'm sorry for your losses and hope you don't any more. It's always so sad to lose some of our flock, but unfortunately that's the reality of having (or hatching) chickens. :o( BYC has a step by step guide to assisted hatching at https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/step-by-step-guide-to-assisted-hatching. Please feel free to ask any other questions you may have. We are here to help in any way we can. Cheers.
 
I would give them more than 12 hours to hatch. 21 days to hatch isn't written in stone. It could be maybe 2 earlier or later depending on breed and if all eggs received the same amount of warmth in the incubator. There are always hot or cold spots and that can influence hatch date one way or another. Congratulations on the one that have hatched.
 
Have you checked the temperature in your brooder at floor level- under the light. The chicks should be at 95 degrees for the first week, then each following week lower the temps. 5 degrees (by moving light farther away) . If your chicks are piled up, they are cold. If they are spaced far away from each other they are too hot.. Be sure to show them where their chick feed is and gently dip each chick's beak in the water dish so they know what water is.
 

New posts New threads Active threads

Back
Top Bottom