South Carolina

[WestKnollAmy]

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I have several EE/Ameraucana roos. They are looking a lot like their dad, the EE/Ameraucana roo on my website down at the bottom. I think I have an Ameraucana roo from someone else's eggs. It looks like a roo to me. Very pretty! Of course, all the roos are beautiful. They get me that way!

 

[huckleberryfarm]

Question for you hatchers.... my last hatch was kind of a bust in that Hovabator but I have a way to see the humidity now so it should help. I did get a few to hatch including 9 Black Copper Marans out of 10 eggs and three black/lav split silkies. I put 11 Wheaten Ameraucana eggs into lockdown and only three hatched. They seemed fine. Over the last three days, they've all died! I had one dead yesterday morning and two this morning. They seemed fine yesterday. What do you think? Is that a genetic problem or something I did? I'm really disappointed. They weren't cheap! They did come from a BYC member that I think is well thought of.

Kimberly, How's your horse this morning?

Do you ever dream about chickens? I swear I've been dreaming about chicken genetics, hatching, chicks for the last week. I might need a break from chickens!

 

[WestKnollAmy]

Susanne,
What was your humidity when hatching the Ameraucanas? Do you know?
If not, don't worry. It really does not sound like a humidity problem if they died after hatch. Could have been something going on with the adult flock or could be something growing in the incubator. I wash mine out with Oxine between hatches. That plastic tray gets disgusting so quick! My house may look a mess but my chicks and birds live as clean as possible!

I also scrub that wire even though I have those plastic or rubber shelf liners on it for chick foot support.

Why is it when we spend a ton of money on eggs they don't want to hatch well???

Does no one on here go over to the Crazy Egg Chain or the Crazy 24 hour auction threads? I try to stay away but I can't!

 

[huckleberryfarm]

So humidity issues will still allow them to hatch and then die? I assumed that's why the others didn't hatch. I don't know what the humidity was. It's the first time I used that incubator. It said to fill all three channels for lockdown so I did. I should have known it would be more than that! What is Oxine?

I cleaned it with soap and water this morning. Yuck. What a smelly mess! Phew!

I need to use it for hatching again today. I have a double layer of eggs in my RCom and I don't think that's a good idea for lockdown! This time I will keep track of the temp and humidity. It's supposed to be preset. Don't know if I need to do anything with that or not. People seemed to really like this Hovabator but so far, I'm not sold!

 

[huckleberryfarm]

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What are you talking about... and before you answer, if you cause me to buy more eggs, you're in big trouble with my husband! Are they on the hatching egg thread?

 

[WestKnollAmy]

He he he! Your hubby is going to be.....no, wait a minute, there is a way around this......YOU can sell eggs! Go to Chickenstocks, Shows, Meet-Ups and look at the first few threads.
The 24 hour auction is fabulous! I love the fast pace and it helps when I can no longer set more eggs and need to sell them quickly or else make eggs for the chicks. Of course, I also see eggs I truly NEED!

The Crazy Egg Chain is more difficult for me to keep up with but I try to watch it in case something comes up I would like.

And then can offer back some.

I was just wondering on your hatch if there wasn't too much water and the chicks drowned in the eggs and then still had too much fluid in the lungs after hatch.

I am glad you have a hygrometer now. Luann taught me how to keep up with the temp and humidity and it has worked great for me!

Soap and water is fine, really. I use my Genesis 1588 for all my hatches and have totally loved it except for clean up. That styrofoam is extremely difficult to clean!
Oxine is a cleaner supposedly safe for chickens and chicks. I use it to clean my water containers, too. If tehy get some in them it won;t hurt them like bleach could. I even add a few drops to my water tank in the big Sportsman while it is running. Of course, it is always running! I have to fill it every day so I just put 3-4 drops in the 2 qt pitcher while adding the hot water. Then pour it all in the little tank in the 'bator. My vents are mostly closed on the Sportsman.

 

[ranchhand]

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Examine your brooding process too, maybe too hot, cold, drafty? Hope you can work the kinks out, somehow. I tend to brood a bit cooler than most, I start them at 90F with a red, 100 watt outdoor floodlight for heat. The local Ace Hardware store had the bulbs.

I have the Genesis 1588, sounds like you do, too. I've never had to adjust the temp in it, but I do use a thermometer/hygrometer combination in it.

Good luck!

 

[phoneman]

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if you had nine out of ten black copper marans hatch i do not think your hatchability was your problem i have a red heat 250 watt light bulb in my brooder the brooder is 2-5 ft wide 2.5 ft tall and 7 ft long that way if they are to cold they get closer to the light and if they are to hot they move away from the light but i do not have any drafts. if you want any more wheaton/ blue wheaton ameruacana eggs let me know. i just bought 1 trio and 30 eggs from a man that has been breeding them for 45 to 50 years they will be alot cheaper than what you paid i think. he used to show birds until he lost sight in one eye.

 

[huckleberryfarm]

I think the brooder is fine. They're under a heat lamp in my half bath. Even the silkies are doing okay and they're the worst!

Amy, what specifically did Luann tell you? Anything I need to know? I'm so used to having everything computerized that I'm spoiled and need help!

 

[huckleberryfarm]

Quote:
if you had nine out of ten black copper marans hatch i do not think your hatchability was your problem i have a red heat 250 watt light bulb in my brooder the brooder is 2-5 ft wide 2.5 ft tall and 7 ft long that way if they are to cold they get closer to the light and if they are to hot they move away from the light but i do not have any drafts. if you want any more wheaton/ blue wheaton ameruacana eggs let me know. i just bought 1 trio and 30 eggs from a man that has been breeding them for 45 to 50 years they will be alot cheaper than what you paid i think. he used to show birds until he lost sight in one eye.

Yes, I might want to do that. But first I have some Wheaten/Blue Wheatens from Jean Ribbeck in the bator. Just set them last week so we'll see how they do!