Stella's Social Club

[debs_flock]

Quote:
At least no one is throwing a jar of gasoline on it...................I've seen that done..........................from a HUGE distance!

I think the rest of my hatch is a bust. If the rest of the chicks were anything like the blue one I don't see how they could hatch. I brought them inside and candled and I don't see movement in any of them. I put them back until tomorrow but I am not expecting anything to happen. Would anyone else try to assist at this point? Hatch was supposed to be yesterday a.m.

Did you try to float test them? I have five eggs I thought were a bust today. I tapped on them while holding them to my ear and nothing. I float tested them and four wiggled. I put them back in the incubator and one pipped about an hour later.

Deb

 

[The Sheriff]

I was certain they were dead so I opened them and all five were dead. The little sizzle was positioned wrong in the shell and probably just couldn't get it's beak out to pip. Too bad too. It was the black and white paint that was so pretty.

The two golden cuckoo Marans were fully formed, not sticky, yolk absorbed completely, no blood at all, absolutely perfect chicks with no internal pip. They were beautiful chicks too. Both roos though if the theory of sexing them holds true. They wouldn't have contributed to my dark egg layer pool anyway.

Both Penedesencas probably died last week with the power outage and temp spike to 114 while the incubator was hooked up to the generator. Both were no where near ready to hatch.

I really can't fault Julie Gabbard on this as almost all of the eggs were fertile. I think the difficulty of hatching Marans coupled with the power outage, temp spike, and being driven back and forth 7 miles between houses probably was the contributing factor. I am not sure why the blue Marans was so sticky but it looks good now. Up and moving around in the brooder with the splay babies. I took the EcoGlow out and put the three babies in the bottom part of my Hovabator then put that in the big brooder. I have the Sweeter Heater hanging low over it and a 75 watt heat bulb as back-up. The temp was 94.0 when I just checked it. It is still going to get colder tonight so I am just leaving things as they are. I wanted to corral the little ones to a smaller area until they are standing and walking better then I will put the EcoGlow back in.

Michael just yelled downstairs and said to tell Kelly that her flare and diesel idea didn't get the fire going it was my store-bought firewood and the leaf blower. Oh, and he said I can't order more eggs. No problem, I'll just get chicks! The good news is that the big pile of branches is history tonight and the fire is just glowing embers. For the first time we get to see the side yard with fallen branches, tree limbs, bark, etc. It will be really pretty when the grass fills in.

 

[Happy Chooks]

Flares And diesel work fine for us........just sayin'.


Pssst Deb - he tried gasoline yesterday.

 

[The Sheriff]

BTW I have my big converted reptile cage brooder listed on Craigslist but no takers yet. If any of you local yokels wants it, the first one to come get it can have it. Here's the link to my listing: http://goldcountry.craigslist.org/grd/3465713543.html




Michael says I need to get it outta' here asap!

 

[kathyinmo]

Well, you all have been chatty today, whilst I slept. I was so so tired. However, now that it is after 10PM, I am wide awake.

Love the pictures! The steps look great. I never see enough emu pictures. Kelly, I have 3 Wellies near point of lay. They are in my "secret project" pen, and I am very anxious to begin hatching from there.

Mary, Michael just cracks me up. I laugh out loud every time I hear of his latest, "adventure." (I almost said, "shenanigan").

 

[Miss Molly]

OMG he just told me that he threw the box of firewood I paid for on there to get the thing going! Between the gas, diesel, flares, diesel can, and my firewood he thinks this is about a $60 fire!   

I think I am going to go right now and order another dark egg layer assortment and try again. That's about a $60 purchase. 

You are funny Mary...do you want me to bring you some dark eggs or maybe some cute blue chicks

 

[kathyinmo]

Ya know..... I have hatched quite a few Marans. They hatch right along side of my other breeds. I have never had a problem. I don't believe those eggs are any different than any other chicken egg.

 

[kathyinmo]

Mary,
Where did you buy your sweeter heater? Did you get a side mount or overhead mount? You like it, right? I was reading somewhere that they can be used like the Brinsea Eco-Glow. Is that true?

 

[Miss Molly]

Yes, that is normal for Marans! The dark thickly coated shell does not let the moisture evaporate very well and then it is hard to tell how big the air cell is.

Blue Marans are awesome though.

I find that my marans take a little lower humidity...

 

[kathyinmo]

Look at this old time brooder plan HERE.
What about using a sweeter heater in something like this?