The 7th Annual BYC Easter Hatch-A-Long!

[Razadia]

It's official. The other chick did not survive. One of the cats had it and it had already started to decompose.

On the bright side I got the chance to clean and refill the nest boxes. I didn't to water them though. I somehow managed to break the faucet outside and I had to unplug the pump.

I can't catch a break today.

 

[GitaBooks]

I have successfully put wax on eggs with cracks that hatched just fine. I have the beeswax for pysanky eggs, but I think straight candle wax would work... probably wouldn't use scented

I've heard that worked, and I would try it, but the hole is like half an inch in diameter and so I'm afraid to put anything on the membrane. You can see inside the egg, see the red of the blood vessels, and the membrane is starting to turn hard and dry.

It's official. The other chick did not survive. One of the cats had it and it had already started to decompose.

On the bright side I got the chance to clean and refill the nest boxes. I didn't to water them though. I somehow managed to break the faucet outside and I had to unplug the pump.

I can't catch a break today.

I'm so sorry to hear that. Tough days are no fun and I hope your evening goes better.

 

[Sally Sunshine]

They're doing good. Looks like they're going to make it through quarantine just fine. Next order of business is to hope Jet the AM doesn't come down with anything so she can be moved in with my FBCM pair. Then I just need to get NPIP tested again... and keep up with it this time.

good news!!

Quote: Thanks! Sweeet!!

Oh my goodness, I love your chicken saloon. "Loose Hens" that is too funny.

thanks!

My mom is coming into town for Easter and wants to take a bunch of chicks home with her she wants some of everything so I don't have to do just my olive eggers for the hatch along!!!

hey!!! good news!!

I just went to your coop page. I want one (or two) of each of them

Going to try to get DH to sit down and look at that pallet coop. With all this hatching I have outgrown then newest 4 stall breeding pen that was ficnished in OCT.

Time for him to start again, right! Love, love, love the signs! Your kids got your creativity it seems. Loose Hens is just too cute. We are dividing the (X) garden right now to have 3 more sections for breeding pens and these pictures are just in time for coops to put in them. Thanks for the inspiration Sally!

Awesome!!! the only thing I would do dif if possible is use a double door system in the front so that the entire front opens, with a rubber mat, pull out onto a tarp and drag to compost pile! clean out would be done in a heartbeat!

Quote: ohhhhh THAT FIRST ROO IS adorable!!! look at that color!!!

than you for sharing them!!

Sally, love your coop photos. And the signs..are darling! Too funny.

I need a bigger coop. Well, I want..another .. bigger coop. Won't happen though. Not enough room. My DH. has made me another small coop, I have a nursery coop, and I have another small run..with a sort of coop at one end, not all the way inclosed..but can be pretty nice for them to get out of the wind.

thank you!

Here is my incubator and the eggs I put into it (12 in all), one of which had a hole in it. I picked away at it to see if it was rotten or anything but though I removed some shell, when I saw there was no hole in the membrane I just couldn't break it open and kill the chick inside. I'm going to see if it has any chance to develop and if there are any suggestions on how to help it I would love them. I'm worried about bacteria, moisture escaping, or the chick breaking through the membrane early and bleeding. It still looks alive in there, so I'm very carefully turning it half way when I turn the other eggs. Temperature swings are really bad, but I'm hoping they can make it through.

Here is the egg with the hole in it in the incubator. It gets its own corner so it is safe and won't explode on the other eggs.

What kind of thermostat is in this? perhaps you could switch it out? its a pretty simple thing to do. let me know if you want some ideas. I think its a cool looking bator, love that old school color!!

It's official. The other chick did not survive. One of the cats had it and it had already started to decompose.

On the bright side I got the chance to clean and refill the nest boxes. I didn't to water them though. I somehow managed to break the faucet outside and I had to unplug the pump.

I can't catch a break today.

oh man Raz!!! I am sorry!!

 

[GitaBooks]

What kind of thermostat is in this? perhaps you could switch it out? its a pretty simple thing to do. let me know if you want some ideas. I think its a cool looking bator, love that old school color!!

Thank you.

It is my reptile incubator actually, so I'm not sure if you can switch out the thermostat (it has this cool electronic alarm for when it drops or raises in temperature, to read the humidity and to read the temperature), however, I do worry sometimes it isn't calibrated properly. I want to be able to work on it but I feel like I'm asking too much from the family with my chickens as it is and so I hesitate to ask them for anything more.

Do you have any suggestions on how to keep the temperature stable? I'm afraid to put the incubator anywhere else because of the cold so it is in my room. At night I have to turn it up to 102 F and put the heater by it and during the day I turn it to 101 F and pull the heater away from it. I have a blanket between it and the wall and I feel the eggs with my hands to make sure they aren't too cool or too warm, but I'm worried that eventually the eggs may die if this continues.

 

[Razadia]

Quote: At least I made the silkies happy. They like their new nest box. That and Blu and I finally get to go out tonight. We don't get many date nights. Tonight'll be the first time since the middle of last year. No wonder I'm going nuts!

The 8 surviving chicks are doing great, too.

 

[Sally Sunshine]

Quote: you only go with the thermo/hygro that came with the unit?


HEAT SINKS/ Stones/Pebbles ADD THEM TO STYRO! post #43903

Hi Sally!

@campingshaws how are these stones working? think one needs more than that?

Here's my bator of rocks:


Quote:

A LOT of stones are in order for heat sinks CLEAN STERILE!
a nice full layer on the bottom and just using cups for water on top until lockdown would probably hold amazingly well
KEEPING MOLD and BACTERIAL from growing in water WELLS during incubation post #1644
USING a aquarium pump to humidify incubator Begin post #2028 & Flow control valve post #2054
Trick to raising humidity in egg trays by adding small containers to egg slot! post #42512

FLAT LARGE ROCKS

Bottles of water

Wrapping a bator for steadier temps post #25454



KEEPING MOLD and BACTERIAL from growing in water WELLS during incubation post #1644
USING a aquarium pump to humidify incubator Begin post #2028 & Flow control valve post #2054
Trick to raising humidity in egg trays by adding small containers to egg slot! post #42512




TIPS TRICKS for Incubators & Adding Fans and Thermostats
ADD a LEGO to your dial of cheap styro bator to make minor adjustments! GENIUS post #38133
Why fit a fan in an egg incubator? Click HERE
Ozexpat switching out thermostats in styros post #1788 & post #1505 Getting the Flock out of Here
ADDING FANS to BATORS fans are important: start at post #33174 post #33200 post #32613 post #1213 and post #1396 post #24219
FAN MOUNTING hardware post #33245 post #33279
HOW TO WIRE FAN: https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/315773/computer-fans-in-the-incubator-how-to-rewire
Incubator Warehouse 3 VIDEOS on FAN install post #33206
LocalYokel sideways fan post #39089 post #39417
Hot water heater Thermostats, Must get drilled see post #24915 understand WHY HERE: CoolerBATOR

Thermostats ChickenCanoe Uses bottom of post #39984
Digital Temperature Controller Thermostat Control Switch Unit 1 Relay Output with Sensor http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B015G25HNQ?pldnSite=1
Heating Elements:
Aluminum PTC Heating Element Thermostat Heater Plate http://smile.amazon.com/dp/B019O0Q26M
Docooler® Digital Temperature Controller Thermocouple with Sensor CLICK HERE
discussion post #45859
Wafer thermostat upgrade styro post #13
Wiring diagram for the STC1000 https://mostlyharmlessales.files.wordpress.com/2013/08/temp-controller-wiring-diagram.jpg
Installing STC1000 post #1
Incu Warehouse heat wont go up post #46629



MORE INFO https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/incubating-w-friends-helpful-notes-links-informational-post-links

 

[Sally Sunshine]

Oh sweet!!! I hope you have a great time! what are you planning? we will have to see the babies soon! you have eggies in the new box?

 

[Razadia]

Quote: Oh sweet!!! I hope you have a great time! what are you planning? we will have to see the babies soon! you have eggies in the new box?
We're just going to see Deadpool. We're both long time fans of the comics and it feels like we've been waiting forever for this movie. I got one egg out of around 30 hens today, but that was before I got hay for all the nest boxes. I need to go back out and check soon. The silkies are really interested, but probably haven't laid. I hope they do... or at least go broody.

 

[nanasacres]

Here is my incubator and the eggs I put into it (12 in all), one of which had a hole in it. I picked away at it to see if it was rotten or anything but though I removed some shell, when I saw there was no hole in the membrane I just couldn't break it open and kill the chick inside. I'm going to see if it has any chance to develop and if there are any suggestions on how to help it I would love them. I'm worried about bacteria, moisture escaping, or the chick breaking through the membrane early and bleeding. It still looks alive in there, so I'm very carefully turning it half way when I turn the other eggs. Temperature swings are really bad, but I'm hoping they can make it through. Here is the egg with the hole in it in the incubator. It gets its own corner so it is safe and won't explode on the other eggs. It is also so cold that my poor, stunted bantams get to spend time inside. Their mother decided they were fully feathered and left them at six weeks of age (they hatched the day after Christmas). However, because they were forced to feather out early and have been having trouble getting enough food or water in this weather, they are far smaller then other bantams their age would be. They have a heat-light out-doors, but when it gets this cold the heat-light really doesn't do that much to help them. I'm pretty sure they have the same father, Azul, my blue silkie rooster (I recently found him a new home). One has silkied feathers and I think he/she is Ruby (their mother's) chick. Rain is the smaller silkie mix (no feathers on the feet, four toes) and the blue bantam, the larger of the two, seems almost to have dorking type short legs. I do have a dorking, but I don't know if she was laying at the time and all the eggs in the nest I thought belonged to Ruby. He is likely a rooster by his behavior, though I don't know yet. His/her name is Noel and he has feathered legs and five toes but the small head and short legs and long body are more like that of a dorking then a silkie or OEGB. We need to buy new chick food so in this picture they were eating (and loving) scrambled eggs and little bits of wheat bread. You see, the adults have been pigging out on all the chick food and so we ran out and then these poor guys were hungry and cold at the same time. They are feeling much better in the warmth up here. Rain is much nicer and calmer about it then Noel, who isn't too keen on being touched or held, though he will eat out of your hand. He also pecks at you in defense of himself, something I've noticed far more often in rooster chicks then pullets. It was pretty dark when this picture was taken, but the chick in the front is Rain and the chick in the back is Noel. Rain is nearly black in color but Noel is a nice dark steel blue.

They are both beautiful. Thanks for sharing .

 

[GitaBooks]

you only go with the thermo/hygro that came with the unit?


HEAT SINKS/ Stones/Pebbles ADD THEM TO STYRO! post #43903

Thank you so much for the helpful links.

Yeah (blush

), I only use those that came with the incubator. I know, I know, I've read that it is unreliable, its just that I feel so costly when I try to buy anything besides food for my chickens. I really should get a good hydrometer and thermometer though, and I'm sure they aren't too expensive. A nice candler would be helpful also.