Tis Time for a March 2020 Hatch-a-long!

[gimmie birdies]

I was watching a chick hatch once, he pipped and zipped, his cap came off, then he made his head dive back into the shell that was left.

 

[gimmie birdies]

That is funny what you said about the chick that didn't make it, I told my self today when I candled 3 eggs that had the death ring, was those were male.

 

[FortCluck]

I was watching a chick hatch once, he pipped and zipped, his cap came off, then he made his head dive back into the shell that was left.

oh my goodness I guess I should have taken a picture of the chick that I just pulled out... It was sleeping inside the shell head first. It went back in the bottom half head first

 

[hysop]

That is funny what you said about the chick that didn't make it, I told my self today when I candled 3 eggs that had the death ring, was those were male.

I did let em know back in Day 7 that if they were male they would be dinner and my husband said, if I was a male chick I wouldn’t want to hatch if I heard that! Gotta find a little humor in unfortunate things.

 

[FortCluck]

I did let em know back in Day 7 that if they were male they would be dinner and my husband said, if I was a male chick I wouldn’t want to hatch if I heard that! Gotta find a little humor in unfortunate things.

I've been telling my barred cockerel how many days he has left until dooms day

 

[gimmie birdies]

I have gotten so excited about hatching chicks I told them I didn't care if they were a rooster or not, I just wanted chicks.

 

[hysop]

Oh here’s a pic of the brooder. Decided to bring it inside. It will be in the 30s for two days. The large chicks are store bought. The rest are newly hatched (only one lamp is on, I just have it there for safe keeping, it’s not plugged in)

 

[Jules929]

I have gotten so excited about hatching chicks I told them I didn't care if they were a rooster or not I just wanted chicks.

Ditto. For the first few days, at least, lol. Once everyone has hatched and I count females/males, then I care more about a high pullet number.

 

[BluebirdHomestead]

I think I’m trying to make myself feel better by saying it was a male. I really think it was and I will continue thinking it was. So his fate would have been the same in 3 months, just sucks that it happened before it got to live a little.

I have one more egg that has pipped. I did check that one and it’s alive and chirping. Will not be helping it hatch unless I don’t see a break or progress. But it looks full of energy with that high pitch chirp earlier.

After that last pipped egg there are 4 left, 2 olive eggs and 2 white eggs. I candled them and one I didn’t see movement and one I did. I couldn’t tell on the olive eggs. When should I throw the towel? It will be day 23 tomorrow.

I am no pro and I’ve only hatched once before this one but I’d be inclined to maybe carefully open the shell above the air cell tomorrow and take a peek at what’s going on. See if they have passed or are maybe still alive in there and malpositioned. I had to do that with 3 eggs at the end of my last hatch. If you’re comfortable with that, of course. If not I’d probably be inclined to give up by day 24? What do others think?

 

[hysop]

Ditto. For the first few days, at least, lol. Once everyone has hatched and I count females/males, then I care more about a high pullet number.

I feel like first it’s wanting all eggs to be fertilized. Then all eggs to develop properly. Then to make it to lockdown. Then for all to hatch safely and without issues. after all that stress then it’s “okay who’s a girl?”

(For those of you who have eaten a rooster before do they taste or smell weird/different compared to a hen?)