September 2023 Hatch-A-Long

[AusHen]

So I'm impatiently waiting for more chicks in lockdown to hatch, got a little bored so marked a few of my eggs to squeeze in another batch, although may fall in October. 11 hopefully pure Marans and 3 hopefully Marans x Barnevelder, the rooster is young and we did have a security breach when one of the kids let two pens out to free range at the same time so I have a small chance of blanks and crosses

 

[NCchickentender]

Not a chick but I have helped whelp many pups and used flour before. one time I even had to use a cupcake mix, she survived and the owner decided to keep her and the name cupcake stuck. Hopefully your little one is a fighter as well

She is doing fantastic this morning! She's stronger, louder and curious. I'll leave her in the bator for a little while longer just so she's strong enough to deal with the older babies. I will name her Flower.

 

[NCchickentender]

#7 has hatched and #8 has pipped! Yayyyy!! 3 eggs haven't done anything yet. I was going to candle them when I pull Flower out but with the newest pip it looks like I'll just be waiting for a little while longer

 

[impr3]

Candled for the first time yesterday on Day 13 (I've been on call at the hospital so didn't have a chance to do so sooner). 11/18 are not developing, either clears or only early development with a blood ring. 5 of the remaining 7 look great, the other two are questionable but definitely have some development based on the amount of shadow and the dark shell limits seeing much else. *Fingers crossed for the remaining 7*

 

[Canadian Wind]

Have you got any baby duckies yet @Canadian Wind?

YES! By this afternoon, there were four hatched, out of the 11 eggs. Two blacks and two chocolates, so far. I'm hoping there'll be some blues. One egg looked bad, but I left it, just in case.

I didn't want to bother mom too much, so didn't check tonight. Will report tomorrow. There were quite a few pips, but again I didn't want to disturb anything. Bad enough that one of my hens (chicken) has decided that she will not lay anywhere else than in that nesting box! So, every day or two, she hops in as if she owns the place, and the muscovy hisses and bites at her, but still lets her! I've been pulling chicken eggs out of that nesting box for weeks.

 

[NCchickentender]

Yayyy Canadian Wind! I hope all the rest hatch out for you! I had a chicken that would only use one box too. It really didn't matter who was in it, she was going in! lol Good luck with the rest of the eggs!
So #6 didn't make it. I tried everything I could. I was feeding her yolk and she seemed to be doing great then withing an hour she was gone. I tried. I don't think I will try that again. Next time I will just have hubby cull. My heart is too soft for that.
She also answered a question about hitting a vein and bleeding out before they hatch. Yes they can bleed out inside the shell. #8 did just that. The pip was the size of a pencil eraser but was below the air cell so...I guess it just happens.
The last 3 eggs quit so I've got 6 babies out of 13 eggs this time. Way better than I thought considering the eggs had been left in the coop and could have been up to 3 weeks old (could have been longer idk) and it was July-August.
So this brings this hatch to a close. I have my roo and big girl's babies to fill my yard (with 4 new security cameras) and to care for. Time to clean the bator and wait for silkie eggs to arrive this week!

 

[Canadian Wind]

Five live ones, out of what was originally over 20 eggs. Probably for the best, due to the time of year. I did put one of the remaining eggs in the incubator, because it looked internally pipped (even though there was no movement).

So, two chocolates, one or possibly both of which is atipico, and three blacks, also with one atipico (these don't have the eye lines or yellow dots on them, and do not develop white primaries as they feather out, making for a more solidly coloured bird, unless Pied of course. It's a trait I'm breeding towards.

I don't think she's the mother for all of them (well, certainly not of all the eggs that were laid!) but I'm fairly sure my big chocolate whitehead male is the father, as he was the dominant male. He's also atipico.

 

[AusHen]

I have 3 pipped eggs put of 4 in one incubator, one the wrong end so will monitor with my eyes lol

 

[AusHen]

The three chicks are out. I had to help the one that pipped the wrong end, it had zipped and spent 6 hours trying to push out but couldn't break the membrane so I assisted after the other two had hatched and no pips in the 4th egg. Was super easy, only needed to tear a little membrane for it to burst out.
Sadly my sex-link pairing has shown some unexpected genetics with two white chicks, so I obviously can't see if there is head spot present or not. The third from a blue egg is a little "chipmunk"

 

[AusHen]

Lockdown is approaching on my next lot of eggs. I have 7 of my own and 12 Silkie eggs, pending final candling. I have decided to give Broody Bella Silkie eggs since all will be staying and I'm only keeping a few of my own. I just can't decide how many to give her. 6, 8, 10 or all 12 lol. she's made a really nice nest for the fake eggs she has so will be an easy switch tomorrow night