Only two of my polish eggs made it to lock down..So far I had one hatch last night, and the other is still drying in the incubator. Here's a pic of the first chick. I've been doing a staggered hatch all week so we have 9 babies total.
I just put down the 4th baby that hatched. His foot was completely twisted the wrong way and his hock seemed malformed. We were going to give him 24 hours but he was really struggling and constantly crying. This was my first and I had a melt down afterwards. I do know it was the right thing to do. Bless his little fuzzy heart.
oh I'm sorry corny! :-( I know how you feel after all my losses the past day. And I agree, I think what made the two the hardest today was the fact that I worked on them and held hope for them, and then they died anyway despite my best efforts... :-( HUGS, I feel for you!
You can see my 8 that lived though on my video stream (at least until I go to bed and turn out the light LOL) and they are doing a good job making me happy, making me laugh and taking the sorrow away!
OK .... DONE ! I am finished with my 3 part staggered hatch! YAY!!!
Last ones are out ... 8 Spanish. The other 4 eggs were clear.
Part three .... 8 White Faced Black Spanish
Part one .... 13 French Black Copper Marans
Part two .... 11 Heritage Delawares, 1 Barred Rock, 1 mix (Suede baby)
I just sold all the MFD's from my Christmas Hatch.
After losing a bantam Cochin to a hawk yesterday I decided I didn't want anymore tiny, feather footed, slowpokes around here. I also traded my lone remaining buff Cochin to the guy for one of his Marans pullets, to be picked up later. Oh, I think he might buy my Hovabator.
I am sad to see the little guys go. They were so darned cute. But, I'd rather them be safe from hawks. So for me, at least until it's legal to shoot hawks or they become extinct I will stick to the standard birds. Except, of course ,for my ugly little silkies who will have a new coop and covered run by the end of the week!
Thanks for hatching with me and I'll be seeing some of you on the New Year's Hatch thread. I have little hope for that one. Five out of 10 light Sussex eggs remaining all with big weirdly positioned aircells. I know there is growth going on but can't see much else. Time will tell. Lockdown is the 29th.
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I did that exact same thing and it was horrible to watch it die. Mine bled out because I just cracked the egg to see how far it had made it. Thought for sure it was dead. Horrible.