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

[dolfi]

I just thought of something: I was thinking I'd have to buy an incubator which was part of the reason I was thinking of waiting till next year, besides no room, and if I did I was thinking the genesis hoverbator 1588 but I've heard a lot of people having success with making their own and from what I've seen the hoverbator is just Styrofoam anyway so perhaps I could make one myself?? But I'm not really mechanical and wouldn't really know where to begin. I know there's probably a lot to it and I should get a book or something but could anyone maybe at least try to tell my how to build one or what I'd need? And maybe basics of incubating? Thinking it could be way cheaper than alnost $200 and work just as well though obviously I'd eventually want to buy one maybe. Thanks.

I also would love to make my own cabinet incubator. I'm kind of afraid it won't work. But you have motivated me and I'll to will look at the post that you have been advised.

No these are just regular whites. The Jumbo Texas A&M's are rounder and weigh about 14 to 16 oz.

What does a&m stand for?
And how big do they grow?

Got the brooder done for the three week olds today. Will show pics with them in it tomorrow. After all the hanging lights and finishing touches. I came in around 530 after putting the flock up in there coop for the night. Plus the Guineas wanted to stay out of ther coop till the last bit of light tonight. I fell asleep and just woke up. When you get up at 530 and work outside all day. When you lay back to rest your eyes sometimes your asleep before you know it lol. But just checked on the chicks and they seem happy in the new home. So happy for the little guys!

Waiting anxiously for those pics. I need ideas.

 

[ShrekDawg]

I also would love to make my own cabinet incubator. I'm kind of afraid it won't work. But you have motivated me and I'll to will look at the post that you have been advised.
What does a&m stand for?
And how big do they grow?
Waiting anxiously for those pics. I need ideas.

Awww glad I could help motivate you!! We can both be motivated by it! And as I'm sure you saw, one of the links sally shared was to a cabinet incubator! i don't personally need one thst big but perfect for you! And the other, smaller, ones work for me

 

[Junibutt]

Help Needed:

I had 2 chicks hatch late, towards the end of Day 22 of my test hatch. One is doing great but the other one not so good. Mostly sleeping, big belly and not lifting its head much. Here is kind of how it mostly stays. I have force fed some Save-A-Chick electrolytes. Is there anything else I can do for it? It starts screaming when I pick it up so something hurts.

Here is its pic:



It does open its eyes and lift its head and walk a little sometimes but doesn't go very far.

Here is another pic:




2nd Issue:

I have 2 eggs that are still not pipped and its almost end of Day 23. I candled them yesterday and they were still alive. What does everyone suggest I do? If they are still alive, shall I open the egg and peel off the shell if they are moving? Just don't want to toss them if they are alive.

 

[dolfi]

Awww glad I could help motivate you!! We can both be motivated by it! And as I'm sure you saw, one of the links sally shared was to a cabinet incubator! i don't personally need one thst big but perfect for you! And the other, smaller, ones work for me

That's what you say now. Wait till the chicken math catches up to you and you will want a cabinet too.

 

[GitaBooks]

I always move my broodies and usually have no problem at all. I choose the eggs I want the broody to hatch, and when she seems serious (staying on the nest box all day & at night despite attempted removal) I set up a nice large cardboard box nesting box (cheap and disposable!) in one of my broody coops or a safe corner of the coop. I arrange the eggs I want her to hatch, and then carefully move her AT NIGHT to the new box. It works for me without fail! The broody is so happy to get a whole clutch of eggs that she settles in without much fuss.

The only time I had trouble moving a broody was when I let her set for most of the three weeks in a nesting box, and then tried to move her a few days before the chicks were to hatch because I was worried about them falling out. I put her eggs in a box in a rabbit cage and moved her on them, but in the morning I found her off the nest pacing trying to get back to her old nest, and her eggs were cool!

I ended up moving her back to her old nest, and amazingly, almost all of her eggs hatched despite the disruption!!!

I would suggest taking away most of your Australorp's golf balls except maybe one, and then setting up a nice safe nest for her and moving her to it at night with a clutch of eggs to sit on(or golf balls if you want to make sure she will stay). It might help if the new nest is out of sight of the old one. Good luck!

Awesome information. Thanks for the help.

Anyone know someone I could order bantam hatching eggs from?

What kind do you want? I have some bantam eggs I could send you if you wanted. They're mix breed but I still love them.

Todd, I have moved broody hens with good success. You must move her at night, not dusk, complete darkness. Get everything ready before you move her, during the day when it is easier. Do you have a place to move her where she could get off the nest and drink and relieve herself but would not be "free" to leave the nest area? An enclosed area, coop, that is separate from the main coop? As someone else mentioned, if she can't see the old nest that is best. What kind/size of nest is she in? Make the new nest the same size enclosure. What is the nest itself made of? Straw, shavings? Use the same kind of nesting material. Using the lowest light possible, move half of the warm golfballs she has been sitting on first, then the hen, then the rest of the warm golfballs. Don't use the light directly on her, keep everything as dim as possible. Leave when you have put the last golfballs under her. NO lights. You say she has been sitting for a week so she should settle on the nest. You'll know in the morning if she accepts the new location. Since she is on golfballs, give her all the next day or even a second to settle if she is off the nest in the morning. Once she settles back on the nest, you can move eggs from the incubator...you have plenty of time since they are on day 8 (but that was a day or so ago). Move the eggs at night....complete darkness...again using the smallest amount of light possible. Candle the eggs from the incubator and only give her the ones that look like they are developing. Moving them at day 14 to 16 would work great. Don't jostle the eggs when moving. I heat a towel in the dryer and gently place them on the warm towel inside a box or bucket to move mine. Be careful moving eggs too close to hatch, they need to position themselves. Don't move eggs that are pipped....you risk shrink wrapping them.

Thank you for the information! I'll have to try that next time because it is chaos around here with hens going broody in nest boxes.

Help Needed:

I had 2 chicks hatch late, towards the end of Day 22 of my test hatch. One is doing great but the other one not so good. Mostly sleeping, big belly and not lifting its head much. Here is kind of how it mostly stays. I have force fed some Save-A-Chick electrolytes. Is there anything else I can do for it? It starts screaming when I pick it up so something hurts.

Here is its pic:



It does open its eyes and lift its head and walk a little sometimes but doesn't go very far.

Here is another pic:




2nd Issue:

I have 2 eggs that are still not pipped and its almost end of Day 23. I candled them yesterday and they were still alive. What does everyone suggest I do? If they are still alive, shall I open the egg and peel off the shell if they are moving? Just don't want to toss them if they are alive.

I'm sorry to hear about your first chick. It sounds like it might have an infection in its yolk, in which case I think the only thing you can do is try to keep it warm and comfortable, as well as hydrated.

As for the eggs that are taking a while, if you see they are trying to pip or you hear them cheeping then try opening up a breathing hole at the top, where the airsac is. Then, slowly over a few hours, you can pick away the shell until they are free. Opening the top gives them air but they often need assistance after that. Some chicks are slower then others, so it can be a difficult choice whether to assist or not, since some chicks will end up hatching and others end up dying a day or two after hatch date.

Best of luck with all your babies!

 

[ronott1]

Help Needed:

I had 2 chicks hatch late, towards the end of Day 22 of my test hatch. One is doing great but the other one not so good. Mostly sleeping, big belly and not lifting its head much. Here is kind of how it mostly stays. I have force fed some Save-A-Chick electrolytes. Is there anything else I can do for it? It starts screaming when I pick it up so something hurts.

Here is its pic:



It does open its eyes and lift its head and walk a little sometimes but doesn't go very far.

Here is another pic:




2nd Issue:

I have 2 eggs that are still not pipped and its almost end of Day 23. I candled them yesterday and they were still alive. What does everyone suggest I do? If they are still alive, shall I open the egg and peel off the shell if they are moving? Just don't want to toss them if they are alive.

First, adjust that incubator! It was to low in temps during the incubation.

You are doing what you can for the chick. I would get some poli vi sol without iron and give the chip a drop on the bead twice a day. Make it drink water and check to make sure the vent is open. They die withing a couple of days if the poo can't get out!

Do you think it has mushy chick disease? Sally has a great article on it.

 

[generaldsherman]

I also would love to make my own cabinet incubator. I'm kind of afraid it won't work. But you have motivated me and I'll to will look at the post that you have been advised.

What does a&m stand for?
And how big do they grow?
Waiting anxiously for those pics. I need ideas.

It's named for the school Texas A & M (agriculture and ?????)

 

[CGilbert]

Help Needed: I had 2 chicks hatch late, towards the end of Day 22 of my test hatch. One is doing great but the other one not so good. Mostly sleeping, big belly and not lifting its head much. Here is kind of how it mostly stays. I have force fed some Save-A-Chick electrolytes. Is there anything else I can do for it? It starts screaming when I pick it up so something hurts. Here is its pic: It does open its eyes and lift its head and walk a little sometimes but doesn't go very far. Here is another pic: 2nd Issue: [COLOR=0000FF]I have 2 eggs that are still not pipped and its almost end of Day 23. I candled them yesterday and they were still alive. What does everyone suggest I do? If they are still alive, shall I open the egg and peel off the shell if they are moving? Just don't want to toss them if they are alive. [/COLOR]

Don't touch it! If you know it's alive, give it another two full days

 

[Junibutt]

Don't touch it! If you know it's alive, give it another two full days

Its been 2 full days already. Day 23 end in less than an hour.

 

[UGLYFOOT]

It's named for the school Texas A & M (agriculture and ?????)

Agriculture &Mechanical