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

[mlm Mike]

It's halfway into day 22 and the bator is starting to stink.

9 hatched five more are pipped and 15 not yet showing signs. Last night one had what we are assuming is yolk ooze while it was pipping. It had a little empty sack hanging when it finally emerged and has been slow to progress. But is progressing.

When if at all do I clean out the incubator? I don't want to hurt the hatchlings/pipplings. But I also don't want bacterial issues.
Our temp was lower in parts of the incubator and we didn't realize until most of the way through the hatch. So I think some eggs are viable just in need of time.

You can do a quick clean out of empty eggs and dry chicks, but do it quick. Use a moist warm/hot paper towel, toss that in to bring the humidity back up quick.

I hear chirping yay cant wait to see them

I realize I'm a bit late to the party, but I'd like to join in. I wasn't intending on brooding any time soon, but one of my clever little cochin hens managed to hide a nest from the pet sitter when I was away last week, and here we are. She's the best broody I've ever had, and a fantastic mother. She's sitting on 8 eggs that will be bantam mixes from any of the following in that flock:

Possible Fathers:

White Silkie
Brassy back Silchin
Mottled Japanese Bantam

Possible Mothers:

White Silkie
Blue Silkie
Splash Silkie
Buff Silkie
Black Frizzle Cochin
Black Cochin
White Cochin
Partridge Cochin
Red Cochin

So I have the chance of some pure silkies, but I'd put it as fairly low. Rickey (white silkie roo) is the alpha roo, but he's kind of, um, bad at mating. He falls off- a lot. And he's VERY fluffy and I haven't trimmed his vent feathers, so I'd put the chances at somewhat low. The most interesting of the crosses would be if I managed to get a frizzled japanese cross I think- that would be different!

Not sure when the eggs started incubation, somewhere between 2 and 5 days before I found them on 4/23. Will be candling and updating!

I'm glad your clever little cochin hen decided to have you join us!

Okay, so I'm around 1,500 posts behind, but I'll catch up eventually.

Sorry if I'm behind on any information because of that.

Ruby, my broody hen, is on four bantam mix eggs and then there are 13 in the incubator. Pip Squeak, another bantam hen, just went broody on 5 bantam mix eggs. The eggs in the incubator are due to hatch around the 27th of April, so only a few days away.

Here is Ruby on her nest



I'm hoping her babies turn out white with black spots (Dalmatian Bantam) but last bantam hatch ended up with some strange colors. This is my grey and white speckled boy, Coulsen. He isn't really barred, and he shouldn't be since I don't have any barred bantams. I'm not sure what he'll grow up to look like.


This is Roshashannah, a partridge with white on her neck. She obviously has silkie in her, but I'm not really sure why she turned out this color. Her mother was a Partridge Silkie, I'm not sure who the father was.

Good Luck!

 

[mlm Mike]

Today is day 19 and we have four pips

I'm impatiently waiting for this evening to get here... time for last candling and LOCKDOWN!!!

I've got the refrigerbator set up as a hatcher, and it's holding temp and humidity very well. Ignore the temps on the IncuTherms... I have 3 and all of them read about 3F high. I've also got 4 liquid thermometers, 2 of which I've hatched with twice, and all 4 read exactly the same... so those are what I'm using as my guide. I have eggs from 2 pens, so I made some baskets to separate them, and included auxiliary holders (zip tied to back of baskets) for the eggs with large saddled air cells...

Looks like you are all set!

number12 out of 24 hatched and healthy on day 22. Tomorrow I will empty and clean Bator and start the 5 goose eggs. This is the first time trying geese, thanks for the info on the site for information. I am going to have to stay away from poultry shows for awhile. Hope these turn out ok, the guy said they were less then a week old and he had them refrigerated. Never used cold eggs before, am bringing them up to room temp and setting tomorrow. Wish me luck.

Good luck with the goose eggs!

The four pips .

Chicken Hawk, do you always hatch in carton like that? You should cut them down some to improve air circulation.

 

[mlm Mike]

Well, when I got home this morning the first egg from yesterday hadn't made much progress but the second one looked real nice. When I woke up this afternoon I found the chick in the first egg had died about a third of the way hatched but the second one was out and still wet so she is still in the incubator waiting to fluff up. I'm hoping her chirping will encourage the others. When I removed the dead chick I tapped on the other eggs and heard tapping back so they are all still doing well, just late bloomers. So now off to work again. Hoping that when I get home at seven in the morning I'll have more progress to report.

Sorry the one died. Glad the other one hatched, I hope the others get moving soon.

I've got 15 in the incubator late Friday evening. I had some temperature fluctuations and we had to iron out the kinks in the turner on the first night and yesterday. Now everything seems to have stabilized.

Good luck!

Look what just happened... oh yes i did!

 

[TJordan]

Hopefully it doesn't take long.

Well nothing today. My little boy is running a fever and husband stayed home with him while my daughter and I went with the church children's department for a nice game of LASER TAG!!!!

 

[JadedPhoenix]

Quote: Thanks. I told my son that if none of the others hatched I'd try to see if TSC has any more chicks so the one wouldn't be lonely. I hope the others get moving fast since I have turkey eggs that need the bator. May put them in tomorrow, just without the turner, in the morning. Then time to start another batch.

 

[mlm Mike]

Quote: Sorry your boy is sick. Sound like you and your daughter had fun today.

Quote: Thanks. I told my son that if none of the others hatched I'd try to see if TSC has any more chicks so the one wouldn't be lonely. I hope the others get moving fast since I have turkey eggs that need the bator. May put them in tomorrow, just without the turner, in the morning. Then time to start another batch.

Yes, you don't want a lonely chick, I hope others hatch. Good luck with your turkeys!

 

[BullChick]

It's halfway into day 22 and the bator is starting to stink.

9 hatched five more are pipped and 15 not yet showing signs. Last night one had what we are assuming is yolk ooze while it was pipping. It had a little empty sack hanging when it finally emerged and has been slow to progress. But is progressing.

When if at all do I clean out the incubator? I don't want to hurt the hatchlings/pipplings. But I also don't want bacterial issues.
Our temp was lower in parts of the incubator and we didn't realize until most of the way through the hatch. So I think some eggs are viable just in need of time.

I feel the need to give a longer answer than Mike or the other person that answered you.
Basically, I'm going to add that the shells will make the incubator stink. When you feel the need to give up, you need to be sure there is no one else alive. Some people have had chicks hatch as late as 28 days. I am certainly got going to tell you that is normal!
Around today 23, remove each egg individually. If it moves put it back. Tap on it, and see if it makes noise.
The next test is to candle. Last, you can put it in 99.5° water. If it rolls, it's alive.

 

[junebuggena]

Almost day 16, and I've got eggs rocking! Guess I'll be doing lockdown a day early.

 

[mlm Mike]

Almost day 16, and I've got eggs rocking! Guess I'll be doing lockdown a day early.

Good luck!

 

[TJordan]

Man guys. I'm so proud of my daughter. We got to go play all afternoon and she won over 1000 tokens on those games with just 30 tokens to use. She found the honey spot on 1 game

Anyway. When we were trading out tickets for toys she saw a "Jakes and the Neverland Pirates" sorry pop up game for 600. She never blinked when she chose that for "her sick bubby at home". She chose a small stuffed toy for herself.
Upon seeing this 1 of the moms went and got her a juice and snack and an older girl handed her the toy she had chosen. A card game.