Set 42 eggs - hatch date 2/25!

[alicefelldown]

I think we have 19 chicks hatched. So hard to count when they move around. Pictures will come when the 'bator is opened WHICH IS TAKING FOREVER!

2 of the BCM and Onthespot Olive eggers group are zipping. That should leave another 3 eggs at no activity?

6 of the strange feather ameras eggs left, we thought we saw a pip on egg #9, but we can't get a good look at it anymore.

1 White/Splash egg is somewhere in there.

and finally, 2 BCM x Olive layer (home flock) eggs have no visible activity.

 

[alicefelldown]

Day 18 (charts aren't uploaded yet.) we tossed another 3 eggs, (#'s 5, 13, and 39) so it was 33 eggs at lock down.

We tried to follow the Weight Loss Method, and for the most part, did reach the goal of approximately 12-14% weight loss.

Average Ambient room temp days 1-10 = 66.1
Average Internal Egg temp days 1-10 = 97.0
Average Ambient Incubator temp days 1-10 = 99.0
Average Humidity Incubator days 1-10 = 33.8%

Average Ambient room temp days 11-18 = 66.7
Average Internal Egg temp days 11-18 = 97.7
Average Ambient Incubator temp days 11-18 = 99.2
Average Humidity Incubator days 11-18 = 44%

Average Ambient room temp days 19+ = 66.0
Average Internal Egg temp days 19+ = 98.0
Average Ambient Incubator temp days 19+ = 99.2
Average Humidity Incubator days 19+ = 75%

 

[alicefelldown]

FINAL TALLY - PICTURES TO COME SHORTLY -- 23 babies have hatched!

- Strange-Feathered Ameraucana (Jubaby) : 8 attempted, 7 at lock down. 1 hatched. 12.5% hatch rate.

- OnTheSpot BCM: 13 attempted, with 3 clear/infertile by day 14. 9 at lock down. 6 hatched. 60% hatch rate.

- OnTheSpot Blue Olive Eggers(redbrick): 9 attempted, 1 clear/infertile by day 14. 8 set at lockdown, 8 hatched. 88.89% hatch rate!

- OnTheSpot White/Splash Ameraucana: 3 set at hatch, 2 hatched. 66.67% hatch rate

- EE Hen / BCM Roo (from my backyard flock): 2 attempted, 2 set at lock down and 2 hatched. One has a GIANT head. 100% hatch rate!

- Pure BCM (from my backyard flock): 4 attempted, 1 clear/infertile, & 1 blood ring by day 14. 1 set at lock down, 1 hatched. 33.33% hatch rate

- Dark Olive Layer / BCM Roo (from my backyard flock): 3 attempted, 3 set at lock down. 3 hatched. 100% hatch rate!

--------------------

I feel we got a pretty decent hatch rate - as long as we aren't counting Julie's birds (which no one appears to be having any kind of luck with - but we knew that was a possibility going in.)

So, with 42 eggs set - 8 Julie eggs = 34 - 5 infertile eggs = 29 eggs, of which 22 (again, not counting Julie's) did hatch. So really, there were only 7 duds. Incubator hatch rate is 76% for our first incubator attempt.

 

[onthespot]

Congratulations on your hatch, but ESPECIALLY on that strange feathered Ameraucana!!! You are IN the club now!

 

[drumstick diva]

Meticulous record keeping - much to learn from it. Can't wait to see your babies

 

[alicefelldown]

Here they are, about 3 minutes after leaving the incubator. Glamor shots later when the sun comes out. Only 19 in this shot for some reason. Notice the devious looking Strange-Feathered Ameraucana chick in the back. Clearly up to no good.

 

[drumstick diva]

Yes, I see that strange chick, ''world domination is written' all over his face. Either that or he is concentrating on a bm. I'd still keep both eyes on him/her.

 

[kathyinmo]

Look at all the shades of grey and silver shimmering and glistening in that picture! You are gonna have some nice blues, aren't ya? Congratulations on your hatch!

 

[alicefelldown]

Thank you!!

Really, Onthespot is to blame - over a year ago, I show up to buy a few Barred Bearded Olive eggers to slip under a broody that wouldn't give up and she's got trays and trays of eggs, just glowing there in the sun!! Never got any barred females from that first batch, but now I've got BCMs up the waazoo and what looks like even more blue bearded olive layers. The puffy cheeks on the white/splash ameraucanas of hers are insane.

I'm very excited to see how those blues come out, I think that's got to be one of the prettiest chicken colors possible.

That woman is trouble, I tell ya!

 

[alicefelldown]

ALL the baby chicks say: "WE LOVE POOPING - EVERY CHANCE WE GET - POOOOOOOP!!!"
alicefelldown says:

Today marks (basically) their one week 'birthday'.

Pure BCM from OnTheSpot: (the orange legband is OnTheSpot's Pure BCM grandchick)

Blue Olive Eggers from OnTheSpot:

White/Splash Ameraucanas from OnTheSpot:

Strange Feather Ameraucana from Jubaby:

Olive layer from Heidi (Blue Ameraucana roo/Wheaten Penedesenca) x Pure BCM:

EE (Privett Hatchery) x Pure BCM: