Setting eggs tomorrow! Advice?

[mcclucker]

Fear Factor.

Haha, fair enough

 

[The Golden Egg5]

They are so funny. This batch is super feisty - I don't remember my last hatch being so manic so early! They don't want to be held but they do want to run all over my hand!

#9 just hatched for a 100% hatch rate! #9 was having trouble --I think the shell was extra thick or it was not positioned super well. I was about to go home and intervene (I'm watching on remote camera from work...) as it was taking 3 hours to zip but it just finished.

Yay! Congrats!
Do you have any pictures of your new babies?

I am taking the chicks up to the farm today. I spent the day yesterday setting up their permanant brooder there, and I am excited to bring them there. I’m sad that they won’t be with me all the time now, but I will still be able to see them when I go to work.
Their brooder is a large rubber water trough, and we are using the MHP method of heat. No heat lamps!

 

[mcclucker]

I do have some pics! They are in an old rabbit cage with a premier 1 heater - not a heat lamp. On my washer and dryer in my laundry/bathroom they will stay there for a week or so and then go into a puppy playpen in the basement and then into my old coop before they get integrated with the flock. Two pullets are promised to a neighbor and we are keeping two and one boy is going to another neighbor. The rest I will sell/give away as we are full up

 

[aart]

They are in an old rabbit cage with a premier 1 heater

Got power in your coop/run?
Put them out there now.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/integrating-new-birds-at-4-weeks-old.72603/

 

[mcclucker]

Got power in your coop/run?
Put them out there now.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/integrating-new-birds-at-4-weeks-old.72603/

I do but we like to play with them a lot when they are tiny - it's harder to do that out in the coop. Have raised several batches this way, and used to have them in the garage as in-between but had a weasel in the garage last winter so that's a NOPE.

 

[The Golden Egg5]

I do have some pics! They are in an old rabbit cage with a premier 1 heater - not a heat lamp. On my washer and dryer in my laundry/bathroom they will stay there for a week or so and then go into a puppy playpen in the basement and then into my old coop before they get integrated with the flock. Two pullets are promised to a neighbor and we are keeping two and one boy is going to another neighbor. The rest I will sell/give away as we are full up

Awwww! They are so cute! How exciting!

 

[mcclucker]

Are any of yours autosexing OP? I think my Marans are (should be even with a non Marans dad) and I’m trying to figure them out. I think I have 2 boys and 3 girls out of those 5. Plus I have a crested cream legbar that I’m sure is a girl because she looks exactly like her mom as a chick! Here’s the mom and the daughter.

 

[The Golden Egg5]

Awww! They are precious! I don’t think mine are. They are speckled Sussex mixes, and I’ve never heard of them being autosex. I think I’m just going to have to be patient and wait, unfortunately.
They do look really similar! I really hope they end up being girls for ya!

Are any of yours autosexing OP? I think my Marans are (should be even with a non Marans dad) and I’m trying to figure them out. I think I have 2 boys and 3 girls out of those 5. Plus I have a crested cream legbar that I’m sure is a girl because she looks exactly like her mom as a chick! Here’s the mom and the daughter.
View attachment 1757414
View attachment 1757415

 

[aart]

I have a crested cream legbar that I’m sure is a girl because she looks exactly like her mom as a chick! Here’s the mom and the daughter.

Those chicks don't look close to 'exactly' alike.

Autosexing chicks happens in certain pure bred breeds...not crosses.
Sexlink chicks happen with solid color males over barred females.

I have BCM x CCL and they produce sexlinked chicks.
Kinda cool, but you just are happy or disappointed 6 weeks earlier,
(when you can tell males from females n most breeds and crosses anyway).
Where it was really advantageous is when I want to sell day-old OE pullet chicks.

 

[mcclucker]

Gotcha.