"Springing in the Chicks" 2016 April Hatch-a-Long Hosted by Mike & Sally

[chickendreams24]

Okay first I just wanted to say that phone I hate you massively right now. I had 12 quotes and on the last two pages my phone decided it didn't like quotes any more tonight. So I don't remember all I was going to say. So I'll just start rambling and hope some things come to me.


First I remember a while back Sally Sunshine, dear, that you mentioned being overrun with hatching eggs. I can help with this

Secondly for all the chicks and little fuzzy this GS and not so little fuzzy things congrats and welcome to the worlds.

Also thank you for the emu updates please add more photos. I was wondering about little number four until I found that post. I hope it makes it for you. Sound like it really wants to live.

And last thing I remember for the person. Who mentioned the chick that died that had fluid coming out of its lungs. My Easter hatch-a-long had two chicks that got fluid in their lungs one I caught right away when it started but it didn't survive to finish hatching. The second one I had to assist out and it lived about 36 hours but it was too weak and had inhaled too much fluid. I stayed up with it for over 24 hours clearing it's mouth and nose of the fluids and just when it started breathing better it passed. I'm sorry for the loss but I think you did all you could.

@Sally Sunshine we ended up actually taping two of the six holes closed-too much cool air. Hubs cut them with a hole saw and then cut the portion of the top of the cooler out and replaced it with an old 8X10 glass. Took about four days to get the set-up just right as far as temp and humidity. The funny thing is that he told me I couldn't spend any more money on chickens but then he made me the incubator.

He said no more money on chickens he didn't say no more money on hatching eggs lol there is a difference! Lol

Thanks. And yes I have devoured everything I could read on this site. Very informative. If only I hadn't missed the bits about humidity until I was already several days in. I followed the hovabators instructions instead. It calls for pretty high humidity from the get go. So I diligently complied. Naturally once I read further into this site I discovered that the manuals are no bueno and I ditched them and chunked an emergency pantyhose of of rice into the bator to suck up humidity. I kept it low for the last couple weeks like 25-30% until the pip. But the air cells are still too small compared to what they should be at this point. So. I'm worried. Ugh.

My first hatch I felt the same way. Our first hatch was shipped silkies eggs and bantams. Little did I know how difficult they were still we ended up with 8 wonderful chicks out of starting with 17 eggs(air cells intact and most stable) 4 eggs were inferts and one was a late quitter that we didn't discover until eggtopsied. We did lose four chicks to malposotions and humidity issues may have played a roll. More than that though every one we opened to eggtopsy but one(cross beak) were massively vaulted skulls and malposotioned.

Have you read the assisted hatch article just in case?

 

[Sueg4332]

HELP my hens have come down with a contagious case of broodiness. 4 and counting. So I'm officially in on the April Hal. Approximately 40 eggs.
@Sally Sunshine

Your not by yourself I have 2 rhode island reds setting on RR eggs, a turkey setting on chicken eggs, 2 black marans sitting on Ranch eggs. And cochin bantam s sitting together on a bunch of cochin eggs in 2 different places....
baby chicks around here with broody dont make it 2 many feral cats and foxes.......good luck with your broodies....

 

[Cynthia12]

Awww!

 

[Sueg4332]

I'm getting myself some of these for my birthday! I need to up my amount though, so I don't have to pay shipping. Does anyone have a recommendation for a super powerful egg candler?

I've had really good luck with this one at school, but is there a better one?

where you find those ? they are so cute

 

[Sueg4332]

Quote:
I always get more roosters. Except the legbars. More girls....

 

[shahtir101]

Update:
I set 27 eggs. Broke one. Candles on day 7 and 5 aren't fertile. So I have 22 going strong!
@Sally Sunshine

 

[firedragon1982]

LOL I just might!! Ya know, I actually do want ducks too! Figure they're pretty messy though but they sure are cute and pretty

maybe I'll add some Welsh Harlequins, Swedish, or Runners too. And of course Pekins. This is turning into a rather expensive, extravagant endeavour

I love my ducks!! Yes, they are messy, I put them outside by 4 weeks because of how much POOP they created/water they splashed. But they absolutely LOVE it outside. They are Welsh Harlequin, and they are so cute! A bit skittish because I didn't socialize them enough, but I love them anyways! And the geese that hatched with them are HUGE already!

And yes, the hatching addiction is expensive...

 

[jrc85]

 

[sasafras4u2]

So okay I finally have 6 healthy chicks. 1 chick with curled toe paralysis. 2 DIS during hatching. One quitter was probably about day 18. So the FI was most consistent with heat and humidity. And the quietest. But the invcaview would have been fine except for the day I found the lid off. For prob 12 hrs. I think it caused them to be about a day later. But lookie what arrived today!

20 barnyard mixed,(Roosters are:Sumatra,Crele Orp,Langshan, mixed, Polish, Bantam welsummers
Hens: Welsummer, , Blue copper marans, cuckoo marans, EE and olive eggers, Bantam olive eggers, Langshan, games and mixes, polish, Ameracanu, ,Bantam welsummers,light Brahma, .Rhode island red, leghorn) from ebay packed very well. No damaged eggs.
7 isabell leghorn with possibility of split to brown leghorn, 7 ayam cemani thank you BYC member also packed very very well. 10 sizzle silkies ( one looks scrambled)from ebay that were packed horribly (6 not in the pic because they were shattered,16 total I paid for 12.) Going to give them a day or 2 to rest. Going to set them Saturday or sunday!!!!!!

 

[Sueg4332]