Setting eggs today...20th May...anyone else?

[comptonsgonecountry]

BTW, do you mean Racoons? We don't have those here. I never realized they were predators. In the Blue Mountains here, our biggest threats are cats (domestic & wild), foxes and Quoll's. The latter kill quite viciously in packs.

Some of the eggs from the fridge were over a week old. My fridge is old and will freeze items toward the back of it. So for two to be developing chicks, is quite amazing.

Coons/Racoons... we live at the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains. We have grey coons, fox, cyotes, eagles, hawks and the list goes on for preditors. So far the coons and fox have been a big pain this year. But it is this time of the year were they are feeding young. We've trapped some.

Are you in the mountains?

 

[loopy12]

Ashem: yay on the Maran candling…sounds good. Can we see a photo of Disco’s lump? Your breeder with the 12/56 hatch – that is really poor, particularly if they are experienced. Is that normal for him? Sounds like Disco was pretty lucky then.

Regarding cooling, yes, I am trying a one hour cooling period every day from days 7 to 18 for this hatch. Studies show an improved hatch rate and stronger chicks. It just mimics the hen leaving the nest for her daily eat/drink/poo. I don’t do the cooling period on the days I candle because I have the lid off for 30 mins+ then anyway. I am using a Brinsea incubator so it has auto cooling, as Alaskan mentioned…

Quoll – very pretty, looks kind of like a big spotty mink – they also kill chickens. Do Quoll’s climb over fences, or dig under them?


Alaskan: I do know what you mean by heavier, but not heavier…lol…it feels like a density change, like there is a pebble inside instead of just fluid. Candling them as you turn is now big deal, won’t harm them as long as your fingers are clean.

I candled a few on day 12…the white eggs are stunning – I could even see the foot shape at the end of their legs, kicking about, and a dark line of their spines leaning up against the shell. So cool to watch. I did a video, but it doesn’t show it as well and I don’t have a utube account to allow me to upload it here.

Am day 14 today, so one more week to go

Compton: we were in upstate new York, near Ithaca when we had raccoon problems. Sort of hilly, and quite heavily wooded, but certainly not mountainous. I had coyotes snatch chicks (caught it in the act in broad daylight), the raccoons, and hawks as the biggest issues.

 

[loopy12]

This was day 12:
You can clearly see the eye, head, the curve of the spine and the two legs and feet. Even clearer in real life and when moving. Gotta love those white eggs...

 

[Alaskan]

WOW! That is so cool! Makes me want to have chickens that lay white eggs!

Loopy, I am glad you understood what I meant about the getting heavier thing....I was kinda wondering if I was imagining it.

I think I have given up on true candling. It is just way too hard for me to see stuff. HOWEVER, with that said, now the eggs are far enough along, I can tell a differences between most of them.

Anyway...I am thinking maybe I won't candle again until day 18, when it should be WAY obvious...totally dark eggs verses clear eggs.

But I will probably keep peeking.

 

[ashem0]

I don't want to take away from the main topic of this thread, but if anyone has some suggestions about this lump Disco has, I'm all ears! Disco appears active, vital and is eating/drinking lustily! She has first feathers coming through. She has 5 toes on each foot (See pic below for that little phenomenon!). She chirps constantly - I think she's lonely... or then again could be distressed by this lump. It does appear to be getting larger. As you can see when she is standing it covers her right 'shoulder' and now, her chest. I think it distresses her when I touch it because she chirps frantically. It is VERY tight and swollen - as the swell of fluff shows. And one part is bald - shows veining & ? fluid ?? Any thoughts?

 

[ashem0]

Ashem: yay on the Maran candling…sounds good. Can we see a photo of Disco’s lump? Your breeder with the 12/56 hatch – that is really poor, particularly if they are experienced. Is that normal for him? Sounds like Disco was pretty lucky then.

Regarding cooling, yes, I am trying a one hour cooling period every day from days 7 to 18 for this hatch. Studies show an improved hatch rate and stronger chicks. It just mimics the hen leaving the nest for her daily eat/drink/poo. I don’t do the cooling period on the days I candle because I have the lid off for 30 mins+ then anyway. I am using a Brinsea incubator so it has auto cooling, as Alaskan mentioned…

Quoll – very pretty, looks kind of like a big spotty mink – they also kill chickens. Do Quoll’s climb over fences, or dig under them?


Alaskan: I do know what you mean by heavier, but not heavier…lol…it feels like a density change, like there is a pebble inside instead of just fluid. Candling them as you turn is now big deal, won’t harm them as long as your fingers are clean.

I candled a few on day 12…the white eggs are stunning – I could even see the foot shape at the end of their legs, kicking about, and a dark line of their spines leaning up against the shell. So cool to watch. I did a video, but it doesn’t show it as well and I don’t have a utube account to allow me to upload it here.

Am day 14 today, so one more week to go

Compton: we were in upstate new York, near Ithaca when we had raccoon problems. Sort of hilly, and quite heavily wooded, but certainly not mountainous. I had coyotes snatch chicks (caught it in the act in broad daylight), the raccoons, and hawks as the biggest issues.

So you can switch on/off the cooling feature? That's pretty cool!

Do you know what temp it gets down to when cooling? I think the Quoll's climb & dig -opportunist. I would have freaked out seeing coyotes in broad daylight! Are they a threat to you on occasions like that? Can you 'shoo' them away? Or run and get the gun, like we do when we have snakes??

 

[loopy12]

Ashem: could be a cyst, but I'm really not sure what you could do about it. Have you posted a picture on the emergencies & diseases board????

And yes, you can change the cooling period to between 0 and 240 minutes in 60 minute increments. The heater goes off but the fan stays on. I think it drops to around 80 degrees in the hour I have it off for, but obviously isn't at that point for very long because some of it is while the temp is dropping, The temp gets back up within 10 minutes when the heater comes back on.

The coyote did freak me out. I think he was a young male - off on his own. We kind of stared at each other in shock for a minute then he turned tail and ran. It concerned me mostly because my daughter was a toddler at the time and had a habit of escaping the house through the garage and running amok in the garden (often naked).

 

[ashem0]

Haematoma on 4 day old chick

Yes Loopy12 I started a thread several days ago, with no response, but did now just post the pictures, so perhaps soon. I guess my options are to put my 'Surgeon hat' on or take him to the Vet or wait and see!

Can relate to the toddler running naked through the yard.... mine don't even seem perturbed by the fact that it's only 4c out there at the moment!

And guess what! I candled my babies tonight and I have 5/6 kickin' in there!

Here's hoping I can keep them alive!!

Another reason to sort out Disco's problem actually... if it's contagious ( I think more like congenital though) I don't want to have her in there when my Marans arrive... too precious! Have you re-candled yours?

 

[loopy12]

I wouldn't think its contagious. Is it close enough to the skin in the bare bit to see if its clear fluid or pus?
Congrats on the kicking embryos by the way...

 

[ashem0]

I wouldn't think its contagious. Is it close enough to the skin in the bare bit to see if its clear fluid or pus?
Congrats on the kicking embryos by the way...

I think it's a combination. Just more lately, there appears to be more white liquid which is why I'm beginning to think it's pus/fluid. Think I'll ring the vet tom and see what he says. Difficulty will be in transporting her there, it's winter here!