Setting Feb 16, want to join in>Hatch-Along

[hokankai]

Many people have mutt chickens! I have some home grown mutts . Mutts actually tend to be stronger due to the "hybrid vigor" phenomenon in genetics. As long as you don't sell them as pure breds...who cares? LOL

 

[Jmurph]

OKAY....Stopped by WallyWorld to pick up some Rubbermaid Tubs. I got two because after reading and deliberating, I thought I would put the ducks in one and the chicks in the other. If all goes well, it may be 6 Pekins and ?# / 28 chicks. I have one heat lamp, so I will have to pick up another at TSC and some Pine shavings...OH and some Unmedicated flock food (since I'll have the ducks). What else am I forgetting?

Another question:
I have a still air incubator with the chicken eggs. I put it in my Living Room on my desk. (The living room is unused for the most part). BUT, I was just thinking that even though my dogs (St Bernard and Austrailian Herding Dog) are good friends with the free range chickens in the yard (in fact, quite protective) and the three cats that pace around with the chickens...(I know, it's weird but they all walk around together...my cats are not right, as we like to say). I am uncertain as to how all will act with the chirping and whatnot. I am afraid if it happens in the night someone may knock over the incubator.

Now, I spent a few days calibrating the thing BEFORE I put the eggs in. It seems to be holding a steady temp. both before and after I put the eggs in, as well as, when I open the bator to turn the eggs or to candle. I would like to move them to my basement office or one of the spare bedrooms. (20/20 hindsight!) so they don't get ransacked if I am not there. (probably not likely, but I do have this grandiose idea that I will sleep...lol). Any thoughts. What if I move the thing and the temp/humidity wack out? What if I leave the thing there and someone knocks it off my desk? Maybe I should just barricade it in the corner of the room? ARGH!!! What was I thinking when I set this thing up? OHHHH!!! Wait I have an idea....I have a Dog kennel!!! haven't used in years. ( St Bernard). I will just set up the kennel and put the bator inside!!! Keep the chicks in the living room until they move to the brooder!

Thanks for letting me talk that out!!! BOO YAH!!!!

 

[MommaSampson]

I like the mutt chicken. I have them too.

 

[gryeyes]

I candled the eggs Miss Sparkle is incubating and removed one of the five. The other four had shells too dark to see through. The one, lighter shelled egg had a crack and was clear.

So, four eggs left under my new broody Silkie. Not her eggs, mutt eggs from my flock.

 

[hokankai]

Day 14, just candled and weighed the mixes, cochins and barred rocks...and they all look great! Average weight loss is about 11%, spot on! Two of the cochin eggs have only lost 3% according to my calculations...but I don't think that's right. There's lots of movement and their aircells are perfect...so who knows what's going on there.

Got some GREAT candling videos! Some of the eggs seem to be transparent enough that it feels like you're looking right at the embryo.

This little one has had me worried since the beginning. It's chilled out at the edge of the egg like that since I first day it, and the veins are not as "robust" looking. Also not as much movement, but we'll see what happens. It's still growing and moving though

And this is one of my day 12 sizzles

 

[McPhersonFarm]

I candled and on the ones I set the 16th didn't remove many but I set alot on the 23rd and today was day 7 and I pulled 58 of about 300 eggs which I don't think is too too bad.

 

[Jmurph]

Day 14, just candled and weighed the mixes, cochins and barred rocks...and they all look great! Average weight loss is about 11%, spot on! Two of the cochin eggs have only lost 3% according to my calculations...but I don't think that's right. There's lots of movement and their aircells are perfect...so who knows what's going on there.

Got some GREAT candling videos! Some of the eggs seem to be transparent enough that it feels like you're looking right at the embryo.

This little one has had me worried since the beginning. It's chilled out at the edge of the egg like that since I first day it, and the veins are not as "robust" looking. Also not as much movement, but we'll see what happens. It's still growing and moving though

And this is one of my day 12 sizzles

Wow!!! Thanks for the videos...it's weird, but I think that the videos help....when are you just looking at the eggs and "thinking" that you may have seen movement, then second guessing yourself...
I candled a few tonight...I tossed 4 orpingtons that were "iffy" a few days back. I think there are more, I think it is really hard to admit failure with embryos! I think my room is darker now and that is making all the difference. There is really no development...never mind movement. I am still not sure about the marans...The polish are spot on...except for one, that I think is iffy...I am really thinking this is not going to be a good hatch...First time...shipped eggs. Still air incubator....learning curve.... UGH! ...and as far as the USPS goes....don't even get me started...I have clearly marked boxes being delivered to me. I am waiting for the mailman...He pulls up into my driveway, where I meet him...proceeds to handle "FRAGILE" marked eggs like a football. SSSSSSSSTOPPPPPP I am yelling...just goes to show...
Candled the ducks too....5 for sure...One has a weird air cell. OH...and one is way darker....as in there doesn't appear to be much room...can I expect it to break through the air sac early?Is this normal? I compare all of this to human embryology...my thoughts are low amniotic fluid(oligohydraminos)...fetal distress or delivery soon....thoughts?

 

[maryhysong]

OKAY....Stopped by WallyWorld to pick up some Rubbermaid Tubs. I got two because after reading and deliberating, I thought I would put the ducks in one and the chicks in the other. If all goes well, it may be 6 Pekins and ?# / 28 chicks. I have one heat lamp, so I will have to pick up another at TSC and some Pine shavings...OH and some Unmedicated flock food (since I'll have the ducks). What else am I forgetting?

Ducklings need a higher protein feed than chicks; give them either game bird or broiler chick starter. I don't use medicated feed for anything. In fact now I usually feed the higher protein broiler chick feed even for my layer chicks. They just seem to do better at 22% than 17%

 

[maryhysong]

Candled my eggs that are on day 14 last night. Out of 11 Buff Orpingtons one was clear, so tossed that one. All 7 duck eggs look good.

 

[heyheypaula]

I candled my day 15 eggs last night and tossed the ones I was unsure of. I have 7 eggs left! So much for shipped eggs. 3 Blue silkies, 3 Blue copper Marans and my 1 Lavender Orpington! I did little egg-cropsy's on the culled eggs and one of them was a day 8 or so quitter and that was kind of neat to look at. I am so nervous!! I hope they all hatch!