~*Third Annual Cinco de Mayo Turkey Hatch-Athon*~ all poultry welcome!

[JennaLynn122]

PS- I got corrected, Skinks not salamanders. My DH called them salamanders....

 

[HEChicken]

As for pools/ponds, my scovies were the least likely of the 15+ different breeds of ducks I have had to bother to go swimming. Some of them I literally had to throw into the pools to get the mud off of them at times because they just aren't into bathing like other ducks are. They are happy as long as they can dunk their heads.

See that's what everyone told me before I got my muscovies but it hasn't been my experience at all. Ours spend hours at a time on our pond - out in the middle, swimming and dunking and splashing and having a grand time.

 

[lsmith]

I candled tonight. I had a few that I had left in to see what they would do, no development in the past 4 days, so I pulled them out. It makes me sad but I don't want to put my little movers and shakers in jeopardy. My count is down to 15 chicken (started at 30) and 2 duck (started with 3). Lockdown for the chicken eggs is at 18 days right? So do I turn them one last time on the 18th day and fill my cup full of water or do I turn them one last time tomorrow (17th day) night and then not touch them again? I just want to make sure I do it right.

 

[foxvalleyfarm]

I just candled and my new count is
25 ducks out of 30 set. I did one that I think just died but I didn't count that in that count.
6 chickens out of 9 set. I left one that I can't really see in but think is dead.
And I have 0 geese left. Both were super early quitters.

 

[lsmith]

I just candled and my new count is
25 ducks out of 30 set. I did one that I think just died but I didn't count that in that count.
6 chickens out of 9 set. I left one that I can't really see in but think is dead.
And I have 0 geese left. Both were super early quitters.

I'm sorry if this is a silly question, but how can you tell that they are dead at this point? I'm asking because my two duck eggs look very different. One I can see moving and his little feet actually look orange. But the other one I can barely see into. It's very full, dark, and has grown over the past few days but I can't see through the shell like the other one.

 

[foxvalleyfarm]

I'm sorry if this is a silly question, but how can you tell that they are dead at this point? I'm asking because my two duck eggs look very different. One I can see moving and his little feet actually look orange. But the other one I can barely see into. It's very full, dark, and has grown over the past few days but I can't see through the shell like the other one.

The veins start to disappear and fade. Also I don't see any movement and it just doesn't look right. I posted a video of one of my eggs from last night. I will try to get a picture of the dead one tomorrow before I crack it

 

[JennaLynn122]

I candled tonight. I had a few that I had left in to see what they would do, no development in the past 4 days, so I pulled them out. It makes me sad but I don't want to put my little movers and shakers in jeopardy. My count is down to 15 chicken (started at 30) and 2 duck (started with 3). Lockdown for the chicken eggs is at 18 days right? So do I turn them one last time on the 18th day and fill my cup full of water or do I turn them one last time tomorrow (17th day) night and then not touch them again? I just want to make sure I do it right.

I turn mine 5 times on day 17 and 3 times on day 18 and lock down that night. Everyone has thier different ways but thats mine.

 

[SilkieSensation]

Yeah true. I will have about 50-100 but ill probably do one pen a week then. I dont think i can do that many in a day lol. I literally only have 8 right now. Not including the chicks in the brooder but with them running around my room it is pretty easy to check them as i put them back in

I have 5 turkeys, 6 call ducks, 6 roosters & 20 hens in just 1 pen. Very few are easy to catch & the turkeys beat you to death with their wings. I don't try to grab the turkeys unless I have to. We get along much better that way. They let me walk right up to them as long as I don't reach for them. A couple of the chickens & calls allow you to pick them up, but not many. The anconas & geese are in another pen. Goose wings are worse than turkey wings...lol

As for pools/ponds, my scovies were the least likely of the 15+ different breeds of ducks I have had to bother to go swimming. Some of them I literally had to throw into the pools to get the mud off of them at times because they just aren't into bathing like other ducks are. They are happy as long as they can dunk their heads.

See that's what everyone told me before I got my muscovies but it hasn't been my experience at all.  Ours spend hours at a time on our pond - out in the middle, swimming and dunking and splashing and having a grand time.  

A few of mine would willingly hop in the pools but most wouldn't, especially the drakes.

I candled tonight. I had a few that I had left in to see what they would do, no development in the past 4 days, so I pulled them out. It makes me sad but I don't want to put my little movers and shakers in jeopardy. My count is down to 15 chicken (started at 30) and 2 duck (started with 3). Lockdown for the chicken eggs is at 18 days right? So do I turn them one last time on the 18th day and fill my cup full of water or do I turn them one last time tomorrow (17th day) night and then not touch them again? I just want to make sure I do it right.

Whatever is convenient for you will work just fine for them.

 

[Arielle]

Quote:

Quote: Eggs are more flexible than you think. OR . . . have been led to think. I thinkof the momma hen and she is always in there fussing about.Yet I also hear they will still hatch if not turned the last 7 days. I would be interested in seeing experiments comparing the hatch rates . . .

I upped the humidity for my two EE hatching and they still got shrink wrapped.

Never had it so bad. Egg shell was far bigger than the dried out membrane-- fortunately they each had an external pip and the breathing hole served them well. Now to see if they fluffed up and survived the night!!

 

[SilkieSensation]

 

 

I candled tonight. I had a few that I had left in to see what they would do, no development in the past 4 days, so I pulled them out. It makes me sad but I don't want to put my little movers and shakers in jeopardy. My count is down to 15 chicken (started at 30) and 2 duck (started with 3). Lockdown for the chicken eggs is at 18 days right? So do I turn them one last time on the 18th day and fill my cup full of water or do I turn them one last time tomorrow (17th day) night and then not touch them again? I just want to make sure I do it right.

Whatever is convenient for you will work just fine for them.

Eggs are more flexible than you think. OR . . . have been led to think.   I thinkof the momma hen and she is always in there fussing about.Yet I also hear they will still hatch if not turned the last 7 days. I would be interested in seeing experiments comparing the hatch rates . . . 

I upped the humidity for my two EE hatching and they still got shrink wrapped.   Never had it so bad. Egg shell was far bigger than the dried out membrane-- fortunately they each had an external pip and the breathing hole served them well. Now to see if they fluffed up and survived the night!!

If you wait to start turning until day 3 & then only turn 1-2 times per day, you will get a saddle or double saddle, but still very hatchable. I've never had a problem hatching saddle air cells. They actually hatch better than air cells that are centered but too big. On a saddle cell, the membrane is pulled a little away from the shell, but the chick protrudes into the space more. With a large round cell, the membrane is pulled tight against the chick & it can't reach the shell to pip. I get a lot of those that die in the shell. With the saddle cell, the shell is usually very close to the membrane even though it looks huge. The chick can reach the shell to pip & zip quite easily.