Redinator's First Hatch-Along w Bonus Broody: And Everything Thereafter

[redinator]

I agree. I have to laugh sometimes or I'll cry. I had a meltdown yesterday because I'm going to lose one of my new orpington chicks. Looks like another failure to thrive. I know it happens, but I've had some tough luck and can't help but wonder if it's me.

We had company Saturday and it was a very late night, which I never do. So I was already exhausted, and my poor husband had to console me when I started completely bawling about how it was "all my fault." I'm much more composed this morning.

So sorry to hear one of your littles isn't well. Are you getting the chicks from the same place? I'd try a different hatchery or a local seller. I prefer to get chicks from different sources to reduce the chance of inbreeding later.

I've been beating myself up over the last hatch. I know it happens, I know pullet eggs are less likely to produce healthy chicks . . . etc, but that's the second low hatch rate I had so, "What am I doing wrong" keeps circling around in my head.

I'm seriously tempted to try again, especially since I culled Taz and rehomed the reds.

Now that I can get close to the chicks again Cookie, Snickers and Payday from Sweety's eggs are male (3m/3f), and Tamale, from Pot's three chicks, looks like the only female (2m/1f).

I haven't had a good look at the three Sweety is raising Biscuit, Biscotti and Brownie, but they're a week younger than the incubator chicks so it still might not be obvious.

 

[ChickenChick46]

So sorry to hear one of your littles isn't well. Are you getting the chicks from the same place? I'd try a different hatchery or a local seller. I prefer to get chicks from different sources to reduce the chance of inbreeding later.

I've been beating myself up over the last hatch. I know it happens, I know pullet eggs are less likely to produce healthy chicks . . . etc, but that's the second low hatch rate I had so, "What am I doing wrong" keeps circling around in my head.

I'm seriously tempted to try again, especially since I culled Taz and rehomed the reds.

Now that I can get close to the chicks again Cookie, Snickers and Payday from Sweety's eggs are male (3m/3f), and Tamale, from Pot's three chicks, looks like the only female (2m/1f).

I haven't had a good look at the three Sweety is raising Biscuit, Biscotti and Brownie, but they're a week younger than the incubator chicks so it still might not be obvious.

Thank you. These came from Meyer. The other one I lost came from Rural King who, like TSC, gets theirs from Hoover’s. I think it's just bad luck that I got 2 that are FTT. I don't know what else could be wrong because in both groups, everyone else was/is doing great. I clean and change feed and water fastidiously. Brooder plate is fine, so I don't know. I agree with sourcing from other places. I'm going to get more Orpingtons in the spring, but from a local breeder. That way when everyone is old enough to breed, I know I have 2 totally different genetic lines. The only downside buying from her is that they'll be straight run chicks, but that's okay. I honestly don't think I'll buy more vent sexed chicks anyway, from anywhere. I'm sure the odds of vent sexing being the cause of this current issue are low. But I've been reading a lot about it and I'm just not sure if I want to keep taking the chance.

I don't think you're doing anything wrong with hatching. I think the odds were just against you. If I were you, I'd set more eggs and see what happens. But I'm an enabler.

 

[redinator]

Thank you. These came from Meyer. The other one I lost came from Rural King who, like TSC, gets theirs from Hoover’s. I think it's just bad luck that I got 2 that are FTT. I don't know what else could be wrong because in both groups, everyone else was/is doing great. I clean and change feed and water fastidiously. Brooder plate is fine, so I don't know. I agree with sourcing from other places. I'm going to get more Orpingtons in the spring, but from a local breeder. That way when everyone is old enough to breed, I know I have 2 totally different genetic lines. The only downside buying from her is that they'll be straight run chicks, but that's okay. I honestly don't think I'll buy more vent sexed chicks anyway, from anywhere. I'm sure the odds of vent sexing being the cause of this current issue are low. But I've been reading a lot about it and I'm just not sure if I want to keep taking the chance.

I don't think you're doing anything wrong with hatching. I think the odds were just against you. If I were you, I'd set more eggs and see what happens. But I'm an enabler.

You sent this as I was re-reading reviews on one of the incubators: https://a.co/d/3J4iNTL and they're a bit disappointing. One review says the rollers cause the eggs to bunch up on one side of the incubator.

I might give it a test run with fake eggs to see what happens. It could be user error if they failed to read the instructions before use.

 

[ChickenChick46]

You sent this as I was re-reading reviews on one of the incubators: https://a.co/d/3J4iNTL and they're a bit disappointing. One review says the rollers cause the eggs to bunch up on one side of the incubator.

I might give it a test run with fake eggs to see what happens. It could be user error if they failed to read the instructions before use.

That's one I had not seen yet. I've looked at several on Amazon though. My neighbor has the Nurture Right 360 and loves it. It only holds 22 eggs, and she's looking to buy a bigger one especially because she hatches a lot of turkeys and obviously it holds about half the chicken egg number if you're hatching turkeys. But I'm thinking I may buy that one to start with. I don't have turkeys, so it would only be chicken eggs.