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

[Sally Sunshine]

Introducing... (from left to right) Sleepy, Lacey, and Squirt the duckling sisters. Lacey is the spitting image of her mom with a small, perfectly centered crest and a tuft of feather over the left eye (makes her look like she is wearing a fancy hat).

quakers!!! love the names!!!!

I have a pip! At least one of them might make me eligible for this HAL!!

sweetness!! lol you are eligible you set them!! have eggs in the bator!

6 hatched 2 pipped....13 more to wait for after that LOL..

sweet!!!!

Waffles (the black) & Biscuits (the lavender)

awwwwwwwww so cute!!

Quote: yer terrible!! do you have stewie yet?

*sigh*you could take mine. Got Termination notice from boss today. After 30 days paid leave I'm broke.
Quote: I am so sorry, awwww I am glad you have thirty days, its going to be tough either way, so chin up now and know there is another door waiting for you to open!! Just gotta go search for it!

Hello. Completely new to chicken keeping. I got 23 hens from my mom late last fall, 10 of which remain and an easter egg rooster from a neighbor. I currently have a batch of 30 eggs; first internal pip happened today. I heard it half an hour ago! I was worried as today is day 21 and on day 18 the bator dropped below 90. Fingers crossed. I thought i lost them all on the 18th day.

*IMPORTANT INFO= TIMELINES PIPS ZIPS!!! & MARKING AIR CELLS DAY 18, DRAW DOWN, INTERNAL PIP, EXTERNAL PIP, and ZIPPING post #35770

My hatch is over...15 out of 27 set. 16 went into lockdown but 1 died because it pipped on the underside of the egg and couldn't get air

I'm happy with the 15 I have though. I would post a pic but the website isn't uploading for me. Hopefully tomorrow.

congrats!!! did you have them upright in cartons?

 

[weegarden]

2 Silkies hatched with 7 more pips. #2 has a vaulted skull. I have never hatched a chick with a vaulted skull before. Didnt even know my birds had the genetics for it. Chick is doing fine so far.

How exciting! I have noticed that the vaulted skull ones have gorgeous crowns down the road.

All six of my silkies are out and three bantam Cochins. One Cochin died overnight trying to get out of the egg. Ayam Cemani also died overnight

. Looks like it fell on its back and couldn't get up. Easy come, easy go I guess. I almost feel a little relieved that I feel less pressure to buy hatching eggs I can't afford. I'm going to get them in the brooder today and get some photos.

I am super excited about my own Silkie eggs in the bator, I think I have at least 3 that are developing!

Having your own silkie eggs in the bator is the best!

Zipping...we have a zipper!

Yippee!!! Good luck!

Keep us posted! Hope all goes well!!!

I have used poultry drench for wry neck with great success. 1 drop in the beak every 3 hours for 3 times and added to the water.

That is a good tip. Thank you in case I ever need it.

 

[mlm Mike]

My hatch is over...15 out of 27 set. 16 went into lockdown but 1 died because it pipped on the underside of the egg and couldn't get air

I'm happy with the 15 I have though. I would post a pic but the website isn't uploading for me. Hopefully tomorrow.

Congratulations! I hope you can upload a pic soon.

Anyone Else Collect Poultry books? Lol

Not that many!

Congrats on everyone's successes so far!

We're on lockdown, tonight being the start of day 18, and while candling eggs, I noticed the air cells looked small (I forgot to take weights on the eggs this time). We have a Brinsea and have been keeping it an average of 45%, I even suspected it might be running a bit high and had it down to 39-40% for a few days. Ambient humidity has been about 40% in our house.

So while I should be increasing humidity, I feel like several chicks may not tap into their air cell because they're a bit small, especially on some of the giant Bielefelder eggs. I'm conflicted about what to do though I know some chicks will hatch OK.

I also think I'm a bit paranoid.

You can keep it lower for another day or so.

Day 20 started tonight...the first little fluffy butt hatched around 9pm tonight. 3 others are externally pipped at this time and I'm POOPED so I'm headed to BED!!

Happy hatching everyone!!! (Or to those who are still at that point!)

Congratulations! I hope you wake up to more!

2 more hatched during the night/early this morning bringing the hatched total to 8. 1 EE with a pip. can't see anything happening with the other 12 but today is only day 22 so maybe they just are taking their time.

Congratulations! I hope the other 12 are just late.

8 hatched, 1 died after pip and 3 active pips. 14 with nothing happening.
Wouldnt you know it. Decided yesterday I would sell all the blacks. Only 1 black hatched so far.

Congratulations! Sorry about the one that died.

Just wanted to stop by and let everyone know that my 0% hatch on the shipped eggs has turned into 10% (for now)!

Still have a little work to do with this one...

I would also like to note that this chick was super sticky, which means I was running too high on humidity. Basically I'm owning my bad hatch. Looks like it's totally my fault.

Congratulations mrleeroy!

This whole situation will teach me not to buy auction eggs again.

I saw the parent stock, they all looked very good. Well, looks can be deceiving. A total of 37 Dominique eggs were set. Many of the eggs were infertile, however, 20 made it to lockdown but only 11 hatched.

Of the 11, two have wry neck. One is up and walking normally but can't straighten its neck. The other (a malposition chick) can't stand, is throwing its head back, and flipping over. The kids have named the poor little thing Flipper. I have been using Poly-Vi-Sol for a full day. A couple drops in the beak and some added to the water. Still no change. How long should I give the vitamins a chance to work?

I was considering keeping the hens and swapping out any roosters with another line I know is good quality, and starting my own line of Dominique. Now, I am not so sure. If the chicks don't respond well to the added vitamins then it may be a genetic condition. If that is the case then the whole bunch could be suspect.

The last thing I want is to perpetuate a bad bloodline. I have only had one other case of wry neck and the chick did not survive. I discontinued breeding that bloodline and have not had a case since.

I'm sorry.

 

[Sueg4332]

Quote: those are the cutest babies.
I like to see whats in the eggs that don't form myself. It,s part of the addiction I think. I've sure had a lot of infertile or quitters this year. Maybe it is my staggered hatches. I do have some old birds too. hope to hatch enough chicks to replace the wheaten marans .
Going over to May hatch Locked down a 5-1 hatch 40 eggs lots of CLBs, Brahmas, a few wheaten marans, 6 wheaten ameraucana, .
Going to pick up some blue eggs this morning from a friend. this will be a fun hatch. He has a wheaten roo , 3 or 4 dark colored EEs , blue layers, 2 wheaten hens, clb hen, Swedish something hen. If the wheaten hens eggs are in the group I should be able to pick out the chicks.

 

[DwayneNLiz]

2 more hatched during the night/early this morning bringing the hatched total to 8. 1 EE with a pip. can't see anything happening with the other 12 but today is only day 22 so maybe they just are taking their time.

Adorable!!!! Congrats!

Oh yes, my daughter likes to break the eggs that I candled as infertile, out in the garden. I sent her with some SPECIAL ones this time! "Can you hear evil wicked laughter? ROFL!!!)

Oh No!!! LOL!!!

Just wanted to stop by and let everyone know that my 0% hatch on the shipped eggs has turned into 10% (for now)!

Still have a little work to do with this one...

I would also like to note that this chick was super sticky, which means I was running too high on humidity. Basically I'm owning my bad hatch. Looks like it's totally my fault.

sorry, But look at that beard!

This whole situation will teach me not to buy auction eggs again.

I saw the parent stock, they all looked very good. Well, looks can be deceiving. A total of 37 Dominique eggs were set. Many of the eggs were infertile, however, 20 made it to lockdown but only 11 hatched.

Of the 11, two have wry neck. One is up and walking normally but can't straighten its neck. The other (a malposition chick) can't stand, is throwing its head back, and flipping over. The kids have named the poor little thing Flipper. I have been using Poly-Vi-Sol for a full day. A couple drops in the beak and some added to the water. Still no change. How long should I give the vitamins a chance to work?

I was considering keeping the hens and swapping out any roosters with another line I know is good quality, and starting my own line of Dominique. Now, I am not so sure. If the chicks don't respond well to the added vitamins then it may be a genetic condition. If that is the case then the whole bunch could be suspect.

The last thing I want is to perpetuate a bad bloodline. I have only had one other case of wry neck and the chick did not survive. I discontinued breeding that bloodline and have not had a case since.

i've never dealt with it but i read somewhere it can take a week to fully correct

those are the cutest babies.
I like to see whats in the eggs that don't form myself. It,s part of the addiction I think. I've sure had a lot of infertile or quitters this year. Maybe it is my staggered hatches. I do have some old birds too. hope to hatch enough chicks to replace the wheaten marans .
Going over to May hatch Locked down a 5-1 hatch 40 eggs lots of CLBs, Brahmas, a few wheaten marans, 6 wheaten ameraucana, .
Going to pick up some blue eggs this morning from a friend. this will be a fun hatch. He has a wheaten roo , 3 or 4 dark colored EEs , blue layers, 2 wheaten hens, clb hen, Swedish something hen. If the wheaten hens eggs are in the group I should be able to pick out the chicks.

Sounds like some fun mixes!!

 

[Sally Sunshine]

Congrats on everyone's successes so far!

We're on lockdown, tonight being the start of day 18, and while candling eggs, I noticed the air cells looked small (I forgot to take weights on the eggs this time). We have a Brinsea and have been keeping it an average of 45%, I even suspected it might be running a bit high and had it down to 39-40% for a few days. Ambient humidity has been about 40% in our house.

So while I should be increasing humidity, I feel like several chicks may not tap into their air cell because they're a bit small, especially on some of the giant Bielefelder eggs. I'm conflicted about what to do though I know some chicks will hatch OK.

I also think I'm a bit paranoid.

Day 20 started tonight...the first little fluffy butt hatched around 9pm tonight. 3 others are externally pipped at this time and I'm POOPED so I'm headed to BED!!

Happy hatching everyone!!! (Or to those who are still at that point!)

8 hatched, 1 died after pip and 3 active pips. 14 with nothing happening.
Wouldnt you know it. Decided yesterday I would sell all the blacks. Only 1 black hatched so far.

chicken math at its best!

Just wanted to stop by and let everyone know that my 0% hatch on the shipped eggs has turned into 10% (for now)!

Still have a little work to do with this one...

I would also like to note that this chick was super sticky, which means I was running too high on humidity. Basically I'm owning my bad hatch. Looks like it's totally my fault.

@mrleeroy She is freaking perfect though!!! look at her coloring and stuffs!!!! love her!!

 

[mamahmendez]

So, today is hatch day and so far I have nothing to report other than seeing 2 eggs slightly rocking. I confirmed blood flow right before lockdown so I think the problems would be with hatching, and positioning, which I think are all related to humidity (the air cells on these eggs are huge). I am going to keep them in there but I don't anticipate having much to report.

All the cute ducklings and chicks are wonderful to see this morning too! Looks like chicks are popping out everywhere!!!

 

[TJordan]

*sigh*you could take mine. Got Termination notice from boss today. After 30 days paid leave I'm broke.

I'm sorry to hear that you got let go. Finding a job worth a crap is hard these days.

 

[mlm Mike]

So, today is hatch day and so far I have nothing to report other than seeing 2 eggs slightly rocking. I confirmed blood flow right before lockdown so I think the problems would be with hatching, and positioning, which I think are all related to humidity (the air cells on these eggs are huge). I am going to keep them in there but I don't anticipate having much to report.

All the cute ducklings and chicks are wonderful to see this morning too! Looks like chicks are popping out everywhere!!!

Rocking is a good sign.

 

[SunnysideFowl]

I never saw rocking but i have two external pips of 30 eggs. They are killing me!

I forgot to mention in my first post that these are rhode island red crossed with an easter egg rooster.

40 eggs were set. 30 made the cut.