The 4th Annual BYC Easter Hatch-a-long

[noahsmom]

This hatch doesn't look good. I lost most in 1 bator & several more quit when I moved them to that bator for lockdown. Guess it's time for that bator to go bye-bye. I think I have 2-3 duck eggs left out of both batches (mine & JJ's), 1 chicken & maybe a couple quail. Temps were running low in at least 1 bator, because 1 duck that I thought was a quitter long ago was still alive when I eggtopsied & I didn't realize until it was too late. I hurried up & put the other back just in case. I don't have a single pip yet. Mine were a day behind everyone else's though, but still should have been hatching today. I REALLY need to get a cabinet bator. My bators SUCK!!!

I'm sorry What kind of incubators do you have?

 

[ronott1]

Quote:
As long as they have not pipped. The egg tray keeps them from being disturbed by the hatched chicks.

 

[SilkieSensation]

Regarding giving treats to chicks, what is the best age to start? I have read around 2 weeks online. I'm only asking because I have a bag of meal worms and thought about offering a few to the chicks. Just wondering when others start? I know there starter is the most important at this point, but I think they would have a ball trying out some new things.
Also, what are some other 'first' treats you start out giving your chicks? ...Okay, one more question then I will shh lol when can I offer them plain yogurt?

You can give them treats as soon as they figure out what food is for, but depending on what you offer them you may also need to give them grit. I would break the mealworms up in little pieces if they are bigger worms, other than that, just make sure they have grit available & give treats in moderation. If they were free-ranging with momma they would be eating whatever they found, so you are fine.

 

[thedollysmama]

Okay, so out of 111 set all hatched but the two that were crushed by the cat and 6 others. That is an incredible hatch rate, 103 babies total! This was after a variety of heart stopping mishaps including fluctuation in temps, the cat incident, and a power outage. Wow! Durable little boogers!

 

[SilkieSensation]

I'm sorry What kind of incubators do you have?

I have an LG, a Hovabator & a Farm Innovator, all still air & turn by hand. I need a good cabinet.

 

[katsdar]

Regarding giving treats to chicks, what is the best age to start? I have read around 2 weeks online. I'm only asking because I have a bag of meal worms and thought about offering a few to the chicks. Just wondering when others start? I know there starter is the most important at this point, but I think they would have a ball trying out some new things.
Also, what are some other 'first' treats you start out giving your chicks? ...Okay, one more question then I will shh lol when can I offer them plain yogurt?

I waited until they were old enough to give them chick grit, at 3 weeks, and I gave them some stale bread crumbs, and it was so funny to watch, it was like watching a football huddle and everyone running after the ball.

 

[fduncan]

Congrat's Everyone !!
Well my hatch is over I just finished getting the second duckling unstuck poor guy's missing quite a few feathers on his back now

. And my last bantam egg pipped but didn't make it . So my totals are 4/5 on my chicken eggs and 2/18 on the ducks feel really bad about these guys I had 11 growing at day 14 and I let them sit out to long when I misted them so their poor hatch rate is my doing for sure

 

[Ridgeline Hens]

set 5 Black Cochin eggs, No pipn yet . I candled, to check, and did the tap- listen, test and 3 of the 5 peeped. I put them back in and are hoping for the best.

3 nice looking chicks today, one more pipped, still nothing on the last one..

 

[katsdar]

Look at the Brinsea I have the eco 20 and turn by hand and love it.

 

[TMNfarm]

Well, I candled all the eggs, specifically looking for an internal pip, since I KNEW there had to be at least one since we heard cheeping yesterday. Didn't see movement in any of the eggs, some look questionable on size, filling up of the shell. Found one near the back of the right side that had a large dark hump up into the air sac area. So carefully pipped it, and found out it was NOT internally pipped, but the foot of the chick was pushing a large bump into the air sac, but still in the membrane. The chick was pretty fully developed, but had a large yellow yolk sac, and it was not moving at all. We completed the eggtopsy and confirmed that it was already dead.

The LAST egg I candled on the back of the other side ended up being our internal pipper - but we found it too late.

Fully formed chick, no yolk, beak through the membrane, but never made it through the shell. Might have been in a weird position. Hard to tell. I am so bummed that I didn't check for it yesterday when we still heard it peeping!!!

I left the other eggs in for now, but I didn't see ANY movement and I am very doubtful that there is anything alive in there. Strange thing was that a couple of the air cells looked HUGE, like almost 1/3 or more of the shell, but others looked almost too small!

I don't know what happened. I will report again in another day with my final count, but I think it will be 0.

At least we have some chicks coming from McMurray next Monday...

Ohhhh.... So sorry... I've been pouting about my one chick, but at least I got one...

Okay, so out of 111 set all hatched but the two that were crushed by the cat and 6 others. That is an incredible hatch rate, 103 babies total! This was after a variety of heart stopping mishaps including fluctuation in temps, the cat incident, and a power outage. Wow! Durable little boogers!

Wow!!! That's an awesome hatch!!