Spring 2017 first timers post!

[DrFeathers]

I can't tell you what to do, of course, but I use the clump of sod and I feed non-medicated food. I didn't not use anything in their water - just plain old clean water. But that's what works for me and I know we each have our own comfort levels. After all, most people don't let them get dry out of the incubator and then put them outside to brood, either!

I use vertical nipples for the little tiny ones and then after a couple days I switch them to horizontals. I only have an open waterer available for the first 24 hours then it comes out. Showing one or two chicks is all it usually takes for them to get the hang of it.

My 2 week olds have open water and a horizontal nipple waterer but they don't seem strong enough to trigger the water to come out yet. I chise horizontal over vertical nipples for less leaks but is the vertical easier for chicks to trigger? I have some unused verticals in the garage. You think I should switch to verticals for now and maybe they will be able to use it?

 

[twoisforjoy]

Right now they're in a rabbit cage in my bathroom. I also have 6 5 week old buff orpingtons (that I bought as chicks at tractor supply) in a bigger cage in the kitchen. We are desperately waiting for this cold front to pass thru so the BOs can go outside in their coop. Then these little easter eggers will take over the big cage. Because the 7 eggs in my incubator should be hatching this weekend and they're gonna need that bunny cage! (The bunny has happily moved into a medium sized dog crate.) This weather needs to break soon!!

I live in a rural area, so cages are cheap and easy to find at the flea market. But I've really gotta get busy on a couple more coops in the next few weeks.

This post cracked me up! Gotta love the reshuffling needed sometimes when you have multiple caged pets.

 

[bajabirdbrain]

Need some advice. Margie, our Buff O, about 9-10 days old, is limping and holding her left leg up? She seems to be ok otherwise, eating and drinking, but maybe a little smaller than her sisters. We worry about her. BB

 

[rainee63]

It still might make it. They can wait 24 hours after pipping before they start to zip.

Do they move tho? Or show signs of life? I took the egg out and widened the hole some and got nothing. So I thought it was a goner. Next time I'll just leave it. But I did give it about 10 hours before messing with it. None of the others have pipped yet. I was looking forward to the little d'uccle bantams. I only got 3 of their eggs and one of those never showed anything when I candled. Thank you for your help!

 

[rainee63]

This post cracked me up! Gotta love the reshuffling needed sometimes when you have multiple caged pets.   

Lord, I remember when they all lived in the bunny cage. 11 chicks! Now they're going a little stir crazy and need to go outside. For everyone's sanity!

 

[twoisforjoy]

Lord, I remember when they all lived in the bunny cage. 11 chicks! Now they're going a little stir crazy and need to go outside. For everyone's sanity!

Oh man, I wish that I had a proper bunny cage for like. Baby-baby chicks. Right now all I've got is a bunny condo with 1.5" holes and the dog crate with also too-big holes. Looking forward to having to buy hardware cloth to warp around the bottom of at least one of them. (Not!)

 

[rainee63]

Oh man, I wish that I had a proper bunny cage for like. Baby-baby chicks. Right now all I've got is a bunny condo with 1.5" holes and the dog crate with also too-big holes. Looking forward to having to buy hardware cloth to warp around the bottom of at least one of them. (Not!)

Actually, I put big pieces of cardboard under mine, for the bunny, who's dog crate somehow lost that bottom tray thingy they usually come with. And also for the 6 week old chicks in the large wire cage. Cuz they freak out when their toes hang out the bottom. Lol. My bunny cage has a solid bottom so no worries there.
The bunny crate was wrapped with chicken wire. So I feel ya there. I pulled most of it off when the bunny moved in. I know it's all a little redneck, but we get by!

 

[twoisforjoy]

Actually, I put big pieces of cardboard under mine, for the bunny, who's dog crate somehow lost that bottom tray thingy they usually come with. And also for the 6 week old chicks in the large wire cage. Cuz they freak out when their toes hang out the bottom. Lol. My bunny cage has a solid bottom so no worries there.
The bunny crate was wrapped with chicken wire. So I feel ya there. I pulled most of it off when the bunny moved in. I know it's all a little redneck, but we get by!

Oh my god, wait, do you think instead of using hardware cloth or chickenwire around the bottom of the makeshift brooder, I could just... use cardboard around the bottom half of the sides? Like, is there a downside to having no airflow on their level for chicks? Or have I reinvented an ingeneous solution for those of us who don't have/can't make non-jury-rigged brooders?

 

[Honora]

Do they move tho? Or show signs of life? I took the egg out and widened the hole some and got nothing. So I thought it was a goner. Next time I'll just leave it. But I did give it about 10 hours before messing with it. None of the others have pipped yet. I was looking forward to the little d'uccle bantams. I only got 3 of their eggs and one of those never showed anything when I candled. Thank you for your help!

They don't necessarily move. Yes, better to leave it alone. I have done an assisted hatch before, but it was for a chick that started zipping, got halfway around the egg and then got stuck. It was difficult to do; the chick ended up having some health problems but he pulled through & grew up fine. But if they are pipped an haven't started to zip yet, it can take them 24 hours before they start to zip. When they start to zip they should finish pretty quickly.

Do you have other eggs still in the bator?

 

[rainee63]

They don't necessarily move. Yes, better to leave it alone. I have done an assisted hatch before, but it was for a chick that started zipping, got halfway around the egg and then got stuck. It was difficult to do; the chick ended up having some health problems but he pulled through & grew up fine. But if they are pipped an haven't started to zip yet, it can take them 24 hours before they start to zip. When they start to zip they should finish pretty quickly. 

Do you have other eggs still in the bator?

Yes. I had 3 bantams and 4 australorp eggs. Nothing from the bantams :/ 2 australorps hatched out today. I think the other two have pipped. One I can see breathing movements, the other is still. It's a mini incubator, so I opened it just a few seconds to scoop out the egg shells. But other than that I am doing my best to leave everything alone.