Southern NY, Dutchess county and below

[Toxic Chicken]

Suzanne, I'm sorry your not having a fun experience hatching
Eggs. I hope your WO do good and make this fun again for you.
If your Sussex arrive in a day or two, at least they will hatch
only a few days apart and can be brooder buddies.
and remember most of what goes wrong with shipped
eggs happened before you got them. Don't beat yourself
up over it. HUGS

 

[JerseyHen]

I got up early and did the postmortem on the eggs that didn't hatch. One was a few days behind (a replacement) and even that one didn't make it. One wouldn't have hatched - it apparently had died early on. Of the two that really were viable, one looked ready to pop out and the other one right behind it. Both looked like high humidity was the issue.

I have 12 White Orpington eggs waiting and 12 Light Sussex eggs arriving today. They will all go in the freshly cleaned incubator tomorrow morning. I am going to replace the hygrometer with a more exact one, but in the meantime will keep the humidity low.

The baby that did hatch was so lonely I put a screen up in the brooder box with the bigger chicks (3 weeks old) so they can all be together, but not. She seems warm enough and calm now, but not interested in water. She pecks at the food, but I haven't seen her drink yet. I let her spend a little time with the big girls and they showed her what to do. I'm hoping she's still working on her "box lunch" from the egg and will be eating and drinking normally by tonight. Fingers crossed that she makes it. She looks so tiny compared to the others! Here's a picture I took last night:



Look at the size of those feet! Roo for sure.

Cutest. Chick. EVER! Just look at that face.

 

[JerseyHen]

Got my Appen spitz eggs today !
The auction was for 3+
They sent me 6 .
They are resting.
Cream legbar and mottled Jave are in the mail
I have tracking #s I'll prolly set them all together
My second incubator is in the mail too.
I really need it SOON. Not enough room in
the Brinsea for the eggs in the mail.
I'm a Spaz.
Total spaz.
and.... Shhhh I have bids on welsummer and
Barnevelder eggs.
Shoot me
I'll be over the limit by like 40 chicks.

Have to admire your passion!!! Best of luck! I am trying very hard to resist the temptations of an incubator. So, I stick them all under a broody instead

 

[JerseyHen]

You are all the most wonderful folks! Thank you for the well wishes, and offers for new babies.

Suzanne, I hope it was just a false alarm at your mother's house. That has to be an awful feeling to be wondering what is going on and very frustrating not to be able to get an answer.

Well, I kept the flock inside the coop all day today, didn't even let them into the run. Velmer seems to be ok, just not his usual energetic self and tiny is doing great! I served them some layer made mash style along with raisens, a salad bar of spring mix that was hanging in the fridge and spent a lot of time in the coop with them today. They are wanting out, but until we secure the top of the run and/or "manage" the fox situation, I don't feel comfy putting them out there.

I have had 2 trappers contact me and want to put drift traps on the property and several others who have formed a party to go find the foxes tomorrow. Wow. I had no idea that people cared that much about us and our little flock. Scary and touching at the same time. I mean, I recognize that this particular pair of foxes (we have reason to believe it was a pair) have to be dealt with because they will never leave it alone again. I suppose then it is on me to further secure the area to deter them in the future. I will be biting the bullet and buying the premier fencing and doing a modified "pastured" style instead of full free ranging. At least until the local wildlife kicks its babies out and I (and the dogs) can be around with them whenever we let them free range. The things we do for our chickenkids.

On a positive note: my broody is still on the nest and all 3 are viable, due to pip on Tuesday!

 

[highpointfarm]

YAY =] glad to hear you babies are doing better today... Who all is going to the Sussex country poultry fanciers show on the 19?

 

[gunnarwordon]

finally got the longtails i was looking for. I have ohikis and onagadoris in the incubator, with some crested pekins in the mail as we speak.

 

[stoopid]

Sweet! Good hatching vibes sent your way.

 

[Imprfctme]

I really appreciate the thoughts! It is very frustrating. Two of the three we lost were favored by my daughter, so that is hard. I actually had a visitor a little while ago (another neighbor) to give condolences and to say they are very upset that one was Dottie, his favorite. I am serious, this whole neighborhood is in love with my chickens (which is really good since I am technically a chicken outlaw). Here is to hoping for a good broody hatch, success in picking hens when I chose the EEers, luck at the sussex show! Not that any of the replacements can really take the place of the hens we knew. I hope Velmer makes it through the night and poor tiny (the sussex that the fox almost got before I raced over there) is not too injured. That fox gave her a heck of a roll and I didn't get to check her over too much (very frazzled and it was dark).

 
I am Christine BTW (I don't think I have posted my name on here), Imprftme is Heather, just so we don't get confused... I really do appreciate the support. My poor little girls. I will miss them.

Christine, I am so, so sorry for your loss. Please give your daughter a hug from us.

My daughter and I saw a fox or coyote run across the block yesterday morning at 8:45am. They must be getting hungry.

 

[Toxic Chicken]

Hi
Anyone here read the thing on incubating shipped eggs
by sitting them upright , low humidity, and not turning them
for the first 7 days ? It lets the air cells heal.

Other "experts" say the first 2 weeks is the most
Important time for turning and you really don't have
to turn after that.

These people confuse me.

I got my auto turner in the mail today, finally.
I got a new kitchen scale.
I weighed my Appen Spitz eggs. 295g so by
day 18 they need to lose about 35g.
I guess I'll set them tomorrow.
To turn or not to turn? I guess I should candle
and see if I have loose air cells, before deciding.

I'm stressing out way to much over these eggs.

 

[Imprfctme]

I got up early and did the postmortem on the eggs that didn't hatch. One was a few days behind (a replacement) and even that one didn't make it. One wouldn't have hatched - it apparently had died early on. Of the two that really were viable, one looked ready to pop out and the other one right behind it. Both looked like high humidity was the issue. I have 12 White Orpington eggs waiting and 12 Light Sussex eggs arriving today. They will all go in the freshly cleaned incubator tomorrow morning. I am going to replace the hygrometer with a more exact one, but in the meantime will keep the humidity low. The baby that did hatch was so lonely I put a screen up in the brooder box with the bigger chicks (3 weeks old) so they can all be together, but not. She seems warm enough and calm now, but not interested in water. She pecks at the food, but I haven't seen her drink yet. I let her spend a little time with the big girls and they showed her what to do. I'm hoping she's still working on her "box lunch" from the egg and will be eating and drinking normally by tonight. Fingers crossed that she makes it. She looks so tiny compared to the others! Here's a picture I took last night: Look at the size of those feet! Roo for sure.

Suzanne, so sorry about your incubator issues. I hope your baby is a she. She's super adorable!