Setting eggs the week of May 7th (Here's to wishing the best this time)!!!!!!!!!

[Sphinx]

Congratulations on all the great hatches, and sorry about the losses.

With your humidity issues, Sprinkles, it makes LA sound crazy humid. I'm glad I live in a desert!

NSampsel, Good luck, hope you have a great hatch!


Well, of the three eggs that went into lockdown, all three hatched. I had to help the coronation sussex out. I kind of regretted it at first because there was 3-4 drops of blood, and I was very, very worried. Now, she has a couple curled toes that I had to tape. I think that was a sign she'd been in the egg too long, so I guess I did good in getting her out. Pictures of all three are at my blog (link in my signature).

 

[chickee]

I finally was able to put the last chick with the broody hen last night. It is from the egg that the broody abandoned that I had to finish hatching in the incubator. It was 3 days behind the other 5 since another chicken sneaked an egg into he nest box along the way.

I have 9 bantam buff Brahma, one bantam Mille Fleur Cochin (shipped eggs) and 4 bantam Polish from my flock going into lockdown today for a Wednesday hatch. I started with 11 shipped eggs and 10 are still looking good

They traveled from Michigan to California, so that is pretty amazing!

Here is a picture of my black laced red Wyandotte hen with the 4 blue laced red and one black laced red Wyandotte chicks.

 

[Sprinkles212]

I shut down the incubator and did an eggtopsy. 4 of the 5 were completely clear. So that means I had 5 clear eggs out of 10, all shipped. 2 had blood rings, 1 was a late quitter, 1 hatched and 1 I accidentally killed in the second week. How does my humidity fit into all of this? Isn't 5 clear eggs not relevant to humidity?

 

[Sprinkles212]

I finally was able to put the last chick with the broody hen last night. It is from the egg that the broody abandoned that I had to finish hatching in the incubator. It was 3 days behind the other 5 since another chicken sneaked an egg into he nest box along the way.

I have 9 bantam buff Brahma, one bantam Mille Fleur Cochin (shipped eggs) and 4 bantam Polish from my flock going into lockdown today for a Wednesday hatch. I started with 11 shipped eggs and 10 are still looking good

They traveled from Michigan to California, so that is pretty amazing!

Here is a picture of my black laced red Wyandotte hen with the 4 blue laced red and one black laced red Wyandotte chicks.

they are too cute with mama.

 

[chickee]

I candle my shipped eggs to see if the air cells have ruptured during shipping. This current hatch, I received 11 eggs and one quit and only 3 ever grew. When I candled these eggs the night I got them I could see that most of the eggs had air cells that were ruptured with free floating bubbles and new these eggs weren't going to grow. Unfortunately shipping is rougher on some eggs more than others. Another factor is the age and health of the hens, egg quality (firm whites to hold the air cell better) and the packing job. So yes, clear eggs have nothing to do with humidity.

I shut down the incubator and did an eggtopsy. 4 of the 5 were completely clear. So that means I had 5 clear eggs out of 10, all shipped. 2 had blood rings, 1 was a late quitter, 1 hatched and 1 I accidentally killed in the second week. How does my humidity fit into all of this? Isn't 5 clear eggs not relevant to humidity?

 

[jandrusrn]

This is my fourth time incubating, and my first time I consider it successfull. The first three were very disheartening but I have found the dry hatch method to be the best for me

Oh that has been a Godsend.... must say. We were able to get humidity up just above 85% during lockdown..... and trying to keep it down during the first 18 isn't such a feat. lucky.

I've got a super big question guys..... please help... I've got a beautiful Lemon Blue Cochin that is a true bully. Has caused some nips on beaks and has now been put in chicken jail. The rest of my babies are so happy and finally getting some much needed rest, food and more happy... friends. I love this Cochin but holy moly.... what a troublemaker!!! I've tried additional marbles around the box to try and increase interest elsewhere but alas, not much has worked..... s(he) has been just systematically.... or randomly, UNLOADING on the others... now making crazy noises while in jail.

SUGGESTIONS ANYONE????

 

[Nsampsel]

Oh that has been a Godsend.... must say. We were able to get humidity up just above 85% during lockdown..... and trying to keep it down during the first 18 isn't such a feat. lucky.

I've got a super big question guys..... please help... I've got a beautiful Lemon Blue Cochin that is a true bully. Has caused some nips on beaks and has now been put in chicken jail. The rest of my babies are so happy and finally getting some much needed rest, food and more happy... friends. I love this Cochin but holy moly.... what a troublemaker!!! I've tried additional marbles around the box to try and increase interest elsewhere but alas, not much has worked..... s(he) has been just systematically.... or randomly, UNLOADING on the others... now making crazy noises while in jail.

SUGGESTIONS ANYONE????

LOL...establishing the pecking order early that 1 is. Sounds like you have found your dominant chick. Give the others a day or 2 without it to bond to each other & establish their order then return it to the group. It will now be at the bottom of the pecking order & everyone else will be teamed against it.

 

[Nsampsel]

Well, everyone from this batch has now hatched. 10 are in the brooder & the last little baby is still in the bator waiting for his cord to disconnect from the egg. It was in an extremely small egg compared to the others of the same breed & just couldn't get it's little body turned to zip so I pretty much delivered it myself. I chipped most of the big end of the egg away & moistened the membrane that had started to dry. Then I very carefully slit the membrane & nudged it away from the chick's beak, face & head. Once most of it's head was free I tipped the egg over above my hand to allow gravity to assist chicky so it could slide out easier as it kicked. Once it was nice & moistened it slid right out & I laid it back in the bator to allow the cord to dry & disconnect. I had to do this procedure with 4 of the 1st 5 chicks as my kids refused to stop peeking in the bator to see what was going on & the chicks got a bit shrink wrapped. 3 others died in the shells cuz I didn't have the rescue procedure perfected yet. All chicks are doing fabulous!!!

Here is what is in my brooder:
2 tiny Silkies
1 Mottled Houdan (accidently mixed in with my Silkie shipment cuz it was mis-marked)
2 Ameraucunas
6 Lemon Cuckoo Orps

Next to go in lockdown tomorrow is:
1 Mixed Banty from my own Girls (under my 2 Broody nest-mates)
3 Banty BYM (under my 2 Broody nest-mates)
7 BYM
1 Assorted Orp
6 Lavender Orps
5 Call Ducks

Headed to lockdown Tuesday are:
1 Assorted Indian Runner Duck
2 Saxony Ducks

In the following week:
1 Black East Indie Duck
1 Mixed Banty from my own Girls

I have also placed 3 eggs from my new SQ Silkies in the bator in the past 2 days to see if any are fertile as there were older roos where I got them from that they may have been exposed to.

Shipping tomorrow:
6+ replacement Silkies from the 1st bunch that was sent Mottled Houdans instead of Silkies
6 Assorted Marans
9 Assorted Cochins
3 Assorted Jersey Giants

Shipping in the next 2 weeks:
2 dozen Assorted Silkies from cjexotics
6 BYM replacement eggs from a poorly packaged shipment with NO development
Anything else I find that strikes my fancy...LOL

 

[DDNONIN2016]

Congratulations everybody on your hatches !!!

And hugs to those with not so good hatches. This has been a great learning thread. So neat to see the different incubators and ideas everyone has. Thanks for sharing all your pics and bless the broodies.

 

[Mmmaddie13]

Oh that has been a Godsend.... must say. We were able to get humidity up just above 85% during lockdown..... and trying to keep it down during the first 18 isn't such a feat. lucky.

I've got a super big question guys..... please help... I've got a beautiful Lemon Blue Cochin that is a true bully. Has caused some nips on beaks and has now been put in chicken jail. The rest of my babies are so happy and finally getting some much needed rest, food and more happy... friends. I love this Cochin but holy moly.... what a troublemaker!!! I've tried additional marbles around the box to try and increase interest elsewhere but alas, not much has worked..... s(he) has been just systematically.... or randomly, UNLOADING on the others... now making crazy noises while in jail.

SUGGESTIONS ANYONE????

I hear that red heat bulbs make them less likely to peck, more docile. I always use red so I can't tell if there's a difference.