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.

 

[AnneGirlGG]

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.

 

[AnneGirlGG]

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.

 

[redinator]

The reds are already laying in there new home. Adam says one laid in the rabbit nest box. I asked him if he was sure the chickens laid it. His rabbits might me Easter Bunnies

 

[AnneGirlGG]

The reds are already laying in there new home. Adam says one laid in the rabbit nest box. I asked him if he was sure the chickens laid it. His rabbits might me Easter Bunnies

Haha that's hilarious! But so great they're laying already!

 

[redinator]

Haha that's hilarious! But so great they're laying already!

Now he's wondering how many eggs were left around his yard from his last flock. He kept swearing they didn't lay for their first year since he never found eggs, lol.

 

[redinator]

Sweety's 3 chicks have disappeared

I woke up to Sweety frantically screaming and running the fence trying to get out of the run. I left all the birds in the run yesterday since I was gone for several hours.

The chicks were safely tucked under mom the night before when I checked after they all went to bed. I didn't check on them yesterday since they weren't let out. I can only assume they somehow got out an an owl got them, or a snake got in threw a small gap.

No blood, no feathers, just disappeared! I don't think Daisy would've hurt them at this point, and if she had I would've found some evidence left behind.

Poor Sweety, she's been screaming for three hour looking for them, my heart breaks for her

 

[AnneGirlGG]

Sweety's 3 chicks have disappeared

I woke up to Sweety frantically screaming and running the fence trying to get out of the run. I left all the birds in the run yesterday since I was gone for several hours.

The chicks were safely tucked under mom the night before when I checked after they all went to bed. I didn't check on them yesterday since they weren't let out. I can only assume they somehow got out an an owl got them, or a snake got in threw a small gap.

No blood, no feathers, just disappeared! I don't think Daisy would've hurt them at this point, and if she had I would've found some evidence left behind.

Poor Sweety, she's been screaming for three hour looking for them, my heart breaks for her

I am so sorry! That's so sad. Poor Sweety.

 

[redinator]

I leave the house for a few hours and all hell breaks loose.

On top of the 3 missing chicks I found a dead Black Sexlink in the second run. It clearly has a hole in the top of the head, so I can only assume one of the other chickens killed it.

All the younger chicks are in hiding, Kettle and Sweety are alarm calling like crazy and the local Jays are in a panic.

I can only assume there's a hawk in the trees I can't see.

I found one small gap under the fencing in the run, so a snake could've gotten in, or the chicks could've gotten out. The only snakes I've seen are small garter snakes though, and I can't imagine one of those taking 3 5 week old chicks in one night.