The 6th Annual BYC Easter Hatch-a-long!

[NotAFarm]

Sorry to hear of the losses

Congrats to everyone that saw "swimmers"

Time for bed here

Domani, peeps!

 

[bamadude]

NAF: u just woke up. Dang

 

[wornoutmomto3]

Not sure how cold it is there but, my silly broody hen had moved off her nest and onto another one. It was when the ice storms were moving through and the high temp was in the 30's. My daughter had been home sick and I had not checked on her most of the day. She usually got off the nest in the morning when I opened the coop door to eat and stretch her legs. If another hen was in her box laying when she wanted to get back in, she just picked another box. I had to check her everyday and make sure she was back in the right place (often). Anyway, all day freezing temps, and still got three to hatch. I think only 4 under her were fertile.(I had placed some older hen eggs just to see, I don't think they like the rooster, theirs are never fertile).

I do hope some of them hatch. I only had three good layers at the time of egg collection. I put the older eggs in my incubator and put the fresher ones with her. My biggest concern is how cold the eggs were when we found them. My oldest DS commented that they felt like they had just come out of the fridge. So, I am more than a little concerned. An even bigger concern is what could have happened. She was already separated to her own special area within the coop. The other birds couldn't get in to harass her. Hopefully answers will turn up soon.

 

[SimplyLogan]

I do hope some of them hatch. I only had three good layers at the time of egg collection. I put the older eggs in my incubator and put the fresher ones with her. My biggest concern is how cold the eggs were when we found them. My oldest DS commented that they felt like they had just come out of the fridge. So, I am more than a little concerned. An even bigger concern is what could have happened. She was already separated to her own special area within the coop. The other birds couldn't get in to harass her. Hopefully answers will turn up soon.

I missed that she was separated. Wow, that really makes you wonder. By the way she was acting, I think its safe to say it was not her. Hope you figure it out soon as well.

 

[KYTinpusher]

She was already separated to her own special area within the coop. The other birds couldn't get in to harass her. Hopefully answers will turn up soon.

I would guess snake.

 

[OneMountainAcres]

Does anyone here have any creative ideas to ID chicks after they hatch? Like, to keep the different breeds seperated yet keep them all together. Something I've found that works pretty good for me is as they hatch, I grab them and use a dab of nail polish on their toes. Different colors for different breeds (heck I hover over the bator on hatch day lol). Then, before the nail polish wears off (usually a couple days) I take some of those little colored bands that all the kids are making bracelets out of, double them over once and slip them on a chicks ankle. They're plentiful in our house. My daughter has a ton of them and they work wonderfully! Nowhere near tight but not lose enough to fall off. I have pure Marans hatching and babies that are 1/4 brahma and 3/4 Marans. They really look alike and this works great. Anyone else have quick ID methods?

 

[jbenson]

Oh my that is just awful. So sorry to hear that. Makes my one cracked egg I dropped seem like nothing.

I hope you try again soon. And give all those kiddos a real good talking to.

I am reloading later this week. There will be fewer project eggs, but I have 6 so far plus a bunch of bantam ee's. I went to the local farm and garden and had some poultry retail therapy. 15 day old polish (silver laced and white crested black).

 

[wornoutmomto3]

I missed that she was separated. Wow, that really makes you wonder. By the way she was acting, I think its safe to say it was not her. Hope you figure it out soon as well.

Me too, thanks.

I would guess snake.

That was my first though. My neighbor said she had a snake issue last spring. I haven't found any evidence of snakes yet, but I am keeping on the look out.

 

[wornoutmomto3]

I am reloading later this week. There will be fewer project eggs, but I have 6 so far plus a bunch of bantam ee's. I went to the local farm and garden and had some poultry retail therapy. 15 day old polish (silver laced and white crested black).

First let me say sorry for your loss.

but...
"poultry retail therapy"

I have done that before, but never had a name for it. I will have to remember that next time DH asks me why I am buying more chicks.

 

[down-home Dave]

I think one of my hens went broody. She is in the nest right now, and I only collected 4 eggs today. I've been collecting 6 to 11 eggs a day. I've never seen a hen in the nesting box at night, so I think she's trying to set eggs. I'll know for sure if I find her there tomorrow. Don't know how many are under her, either. If she does hatch some out, I'd have to pull them out and brood them separate for fear that they'd fall out of the raised coop. Is there a safe way to maybe move the mom and unhatched eggs to another area, or will that just mess things up?