Overdue Hatch Stories

[humster]

As I've said before this is my first hatch.

Sooo, I'm trying to occupy myself while giving a little extra time for some eggs and really getting my hopes up for some that are around day 21/22 tomorrow.
I'm thrilled with the two chicks from mail order eggs I have that are now three days old, so it's not like I've gotten nothing, and I will definitely be trying again soon regardless.

But in the meanwhile, I'd love to hear any past day 21/22 (overdue) hatch stories you've got! Especially because of my lack of experience. It would be nice to learn
from what you all have seen for incubation periods that vary from the norm (even early birds). If you think you know the cause, do tell!

 

[Matt A NC]

5 years ago I had 3 lonely bantam eggs going. On day 20 one hatched. My little Snickers was so lonely, I started looking everywhere for someone else that had a chick. In the mean time I was having to keep my hand in her brooder to keep her calm. Just from pure laziness I didn't remove the last 2 eggs from the bator and left it running. When I finally started cleaning the bator up I heard a peep from an egg that I had set aside to toss out. I quickly put the now clean bator back together and put the eggs back in. Little Cricket hatched 4 full days late which was 5 days after Snickers. She was perfect.

Sadly Cricket was taken by a hawk at about 2 months old when I had turned my back for 5 minutes. I lost my precious Snickers 2 years ago to an impaction. She is the picture(avatar) under my name.

I have had a few hatch 1-2 days late in bators with uneven temps due to bad circulation from the fan or lack of one. More then that and there is normally a problem with the chick. The most common problem is the feet/legs are curled in and do not work correctly or at all.

Matt

 

[humster]

Great story, Matt! Thanks for sharing. Your avatar is gorgeous, what breed is that?

Interesting observation on the feet and legs.
You seem like a great chicken daddy.
It's also nice to hear someone else who gets lazy with the bator cleanup.

 

[humster]

AAAAAAAAAACCCCCCCCKKKK! Sorry, just enthusiastic, but I got a rocker here! If I even get one more I'll lose it completely, but a partridge silkie is wiggling in the bator. Hoping for more to follow.

 

[gryeyes]

I have had chicks hatch out on day 24 and 25. Really surprised me. I had just been too sad to turn off the 'bator, and clean it out. So now I simply wait that long for the rest of the eggs!

 

[Matt A NC]

Quote:
They are pure Mutts, but some how they breed true. If I had more varied bloodline I would love to try my hand at starting a new breed. I lost my beloved Dot(rooster) a few weeks ago, but managed to get one of his son's back. His name is Andy and he has 3 ladies that I will breeding from next year. Peanut is his mother, Caramel is his grandmother, and Nougat is his great aunt. Caramel and Nougat are Snicker's daughters. Dot was the father to all of them, so the genepool is kind of thin to start with.

I hope the wiggler hatches in good condition.

Matt