The Evolution of Atlas: A Breeding (and Chat) Thread

[speckledhen]

So far, 9 chicks have hatched, 5 Jill and 4 Brahmas with more pipped. Slow hatch.

My military ID expires May 5 and I have to find a pass & ID location to go get it done again before that, darn it. Snuck up on me. Have to drive an hour to two hours to do that. I don't like to leave when I have tiny chicks here, but we both have to go because my sponsor has to be with me, of course (hubby).

 

[getaclue]

Yay, babies.

 

[getaclue]

According to a study I read by a vet, the most humane method is quick decapitation. Use a hatchet, garden shears, etc. to remove the head swiftly.

 

[speckledhen]

I candled some of the unpipped eggs. Three or so have live chicks in the air cells. Two, correction, four, are goners. The rest are pipped. Here are the first pictures. I'm beginning to think my pre-set incubator has become off in some way, maybe I need to bump up the temp a few tenths of a degree.

 

[aquila]

Yay baby chicks! Good job Hector!

 

[speckledhen]

Seems the Barred Rocks are tougher than the Brahmas, LOL. They all survived the not-so-perfect temp in the incubator and are fluffing up and walking around the brooder while the Brahmas are still trying to all get here.

 

[speckledhen]

Now, as far as the Brahmas go, 7 pipped and one still alive, but not pipped that I can see. If all the live chicks hatch, that will be an even dozen Brahmas this time out of 16 fertile, not as good as a broody would do, at least an experienced broody.
Hatch rate never includes the infertile eggs. There is fertility rate and hatch rate. So, 12 out of 16 would be a 75% hatch rate, I think. Math is not what I should be doing on so little sleep.

ETC is here to run the line to the house, yipppeeeeeeeee! Now, my husband can chill and quit climbing a ladder to fix the satellite dish or monkeying with a roof antenna.

 

[1muttsfan]

According to a study I read by a vet, the most humane method is quick decapitation. Use a hatchet, garden shears, etc. to remove the head swiftly.

Also rather gruesome.

 

[speckledhen]

I'm trying to concentrate on quilting this twin size quilt, but there are chicks chirping, the ones in the incubator being slow as molasses, men working and running around in the process for putting in our fiber optic for our high speed internet. Well, they left. Another somebody has to come bring the cable box and hook up power to it to complete the process. Good grief, will it ever get here??

As far as euthanizing birds, we rarely do it. A just hatched chick can have the head snipped with sharp scissors or it's windpipe held shut a minute and it's gone. We've used other methods on grown, terminal hens who were truly at death's doorstep, but it's the absolute hardest thing about having them. I heard my husband say to Snow this morning quietly, "I really ought to put you down...but I can't do it". She isn't ill, not at all. She just lives in a cage next to Amanda, also crippled, and can't control her movements very well. She really only wants you to hold her all the time. She'll forgo food to be held. She can get herself around by sheer force of will using her wings and throwing herself forward, loves to talk up a storm. There's a lot of will to live in her, is what I'm saying. It's hard to put down a bird like that. If she was seriously injured or something like happened to Carly, the decision would be a no-brainer.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

When you all have to "take out" an adult bird for an illness, what method do you use? I know how to process a chicken for meat, and the usual way it to hang and cut the throat. But I'm wondering if that's the quickest, least painful/distressing way - either for the meat bird or a sick bird.

I had a vet tell me that they had done some research and felt that dislocating (I assume that means breaking) the neck was least painful. I'm not sure I believe that or any of the talk about pain experienced in either way.

Thoughts?

My husband does the neck breaking. I have also read the broomstick method works well.