Redinator's First Hatch-Along

[redinator]

Ok, I finally got it.

I did a video because it was actually easier than trying to get specific shots of squirming chicks.

The first two chicks, Oreo and PayDay, are Sweety's chicks. The other 4 are Pot's chicks. I swear the last 4 are NOT all the same chick with different colored leg bands.

 

[jxp]

Dutch looks like a little gentleman in his black tuxedo and green cummerbund.
.... unless he's a she then she's beautiful in her LBD and wrist corsage.

 

[redinator]

Dutch looks like a little gentleman in his black tuxedo and green cummerbund.
.... unless he's a she then she's beautiful in her LBD and wrist corsage.

They all have a bit of a penguin look to me, but your description is better, lol

 

[redinator]

I also wanted to give and update on the eggs Sweety's been brooding. I figure since I've already been going on about it in this thread I might as well finish it here, instead of starting new one.

She is still sitting and I'm dumbfounded. If her brooding instincts are any indication, she's gonna be an awesome mom.

I've noticed in the last day or so she hasn't come off the nest. The eggs are roughly 7 days from hatching, so I think she went into lockdown

I put food and water near her in the henhouse so she doesn't have to go far to take care of herself.

So far she's still letting me check under her without too much fuss, since her chicks from the incubator all came out looking very different I can't wait to see what's hiding under her

 

[jxp]

I also wanted to give and update on the eggs Sweety's been brooding. I figure since I've already been going on about it in this thread I might as well finish it here, instead of starting new one.

She is still sitting and I'm dumbfounded. If her brooding instincts are any indication, she's gonna be an awesome mom.

I've noticed in the last day or so she hasn't come off the nest. The eggs are roughly 7 days from hatching, so I think she went into lockdown

I put food and water near her in the henhouse so she doesn't have to go far to take care of herself.

So far she's still letting me check under her without too much fuss, since her chicks from the incubator all came out looking very different I can't wait to see what's hiding under her

Remind me, are the eggs all hers?

 

[redinator]

Remind me, are the eggs all hers?

Yes I made sure of it when she first started sitting. Now I wish I had left some of Pot's too since so few of hers hatched in the incubator.

Edit: When I set the eggs in the incubator I had more of Pot's than Sweety's because Pot lays daily, Sweety skips a day here and there. I intended to even out the number of chicks between them with the two hatches, but it didn't work out that way.

 

[redinator]

Yes I made sure of it when she first started sitting. Now I wish I had left some of Pot's too since so few of hers hatched in the incubator.

Edit: When I set the eggs in the incubator I had more of Pot's than Sweety's because Pot lays daily, Sweety skips a day here and there. I intended to even out the number of chicks between them with the two hatches, but it didn't work out that way.

There are a few of Pot's eggs under her from the last few days . . . I haven't collected them since she isn't leaving the nest.

What I might do is pick up incubating those if she abandons them when her 5 eggs hatch.

 

[Esc_Quaily]

I'd wait till at least day 7 before removing any eggs, sometimes they can be slow to start. And sometimes the veins are too small to be sure.

If this is your 2nd hatch, you might be better to wait until day 8 to candle.

 

[Esc_Quaily]

Shipped eggs are a gamble, they really get jostled. If you get a 50% hatch rate on shipped eggs, you've done well.

We got 83% hatch rate from our first batch of shipped eggs.

 

[redinator]

If this is your 2nd hatch, you might be better to wait until day 8 to candle.

That initial hatch is complete, I have a broody that decided to sit on a few eggs after I got the incubator going, go figure, lol.

It's a good thing though, because quite a few eggs didn't hatch.