Now I'm confused.....!!???

[OR4-hmom]

"Wrong Way Willie" seems to be doing just fine. Trying to figure out the legs and being upright. I candled the remaining eggs this morning and I've got the last one in to see if it finishes up. If this one finishes that will be 7.

16 went into lockdown, 2 were maybe's, looked like 2 stuck yolks, 2 had what looked like cross-beaks, (lower mandible longer than upper), the last one seemed fully developed. Yolk sack was mostly absorbed but had tissue exposed on the back of the neck. I wonder if it was just trying to hatch so hard it injured itself?

I think I'm going to try trap-nesting before my next set. I need to figure out if the cross-beak is a genetic thing. I would also like to figure out which one is throwing the light chick in my avater.

 

[gimmie birdies]

I got a cross beak from a farm once even though his beak was crossed he still ate and was fine.

 

[Outrun Acres]

So far, 5 chicks have hatched, and 3 more eggs have pipped. Two of those chicks have been "sticky" chicks. I think the combination of a temperature that was too low and humidity a tad high may have contributed to this. I hope the other eggs that haven't pipped yet didn't drown . Yet the three other chicks that have hatched were perfectly normal. So I don't know? I don't think I am going to have a very good hatch rate this time around. Maybe I should start collecting eggs for the next round too. It seems to be quite difficult to figure these cheap styrofoam incubators out. I guess you just have to tinker with them. I think maybe next time I will rotate the eggs every couple of days to try to get all the eggs to the same stage of development by lockdown, then have lower humidity (60% or lower). This time my humidity was around 65%-70% and I think it was too high. The chicks didn't hatch as vigorously and quickly as they did last time when my humidity was lower. Live and learn I guess. Does anyone else have any ideas on how to prevent sticky chicks?

 

[NestingHillsSC]

Well I'm going with the dry method this time. Running test right now after really good clean yesterday. Seems I can run with the mods I made to the incubator at a good steady 38%. I just took the foil off the rest of the 9" pie pan and seeing how much it will go up. Trying to simulate day 19-21. So I know this time.

 

[OR4-hmom]

I have no idea which one "Willie" and that's OK with me. I ended up with quite an assortment of color hues and markings.

 

[Outrun Acres]

How cute! I love the mason jar waterer in the background too. Congratulations on your hatch. I think I am going to have to practice on my own eggs one more time to work out the kinks in my incubator, before I spend money hatching eggs. My hatch is still going, but as things stand now, I'm looking at a 50% hatch rate. Last time was much better at 85%. Glad I still had some success though. I love the color of all your chicks. Hatching is addicting!

 

[gimmie birdies]

this is my bantie EE she is a good mom, the chicks in the foreground were bought chicks later we introduced some we hatched and she took everyone.

 

[OR4-hmom]

They are a week old now and growing so fast. Ended up with 4 girls & 3 boys.


I'll be loading some more next week so I'll have some hatching when my 87 year old MIL comes over for her birthday dinner.

 

[NestingHillsSC]

Tomorow will be day 7 on my second try. LOL. Promised myself not to touch them until then. So hopefully everything in there is doing better than last time. We shall see.

 

[OR4-hmom]

Sending great hatching vibes your way!