Who is with me?

[countrybum]

Quote:
Well I found smaller amounts to not work for me. It always seemed the eggs took longer to hatch.

You need more eggs. You have the right idea, put them inas soon as possible and you have a better chance at hatching.

I just love staggered hatches

it is like Christmas almost daily until it ends.

Nothing like waking up to a cute little fuzzy butt bouncing around the incubator.

 

[riqui1]

I am sorry. Not only has today been a busy day, but my internet just would NOT work. Being out in the country, we are stuck with satellite and it is not always very reliable.

Anyhow, now that I know how to tell shrink wrapping by candling, I will definitely handle things better next time. I feel horrible that those 4 didn't make it due to my error, in large part essentially.

All but one of my chicks have hatched. The one that had the blood on the outside of the hole is still in there. I am not sure if I should have done so or not, but I had to turn his egg over. The other chicks had flipped him over and I let it go for a bit, but I needed to make sure he was still moving in there. When I picked him up, he poked his little beak out, but he isn't really making too much of an effort right now. I put him back, as I now that he is just waiting for me to go to sleep! lol

I don't think that I could handle staggered hatches. I would never be able to be home!! lol

 

[countrybum]

Turning him upright is the right thing to do. How long has he been pipped? You could probably remove the others and put them under a heat lamp. That will keep them from pushing the egg around. Is he pipped on the right end of the egg?

 

[riqui1]

Well, the last little fuzzy butt has hatched. Perfect timing too, as it seems that while I was sleeping, a raccoon came up onto my deck and somehow managed to pull every single one of the older chicks that I had outside in a covered dog crate out and take them away. I really don't understand how it happened either, unless the stupid thing figured out how to open it.

My last little guy is a cute and mouthy little black one, but he is still dragging his shell around with him by a small string. How long will that take to dry up and detach? The other chicks seem to keep trying to bite at it. Will that hurt him? Should I get them out of there?

I am a wee bit bummed now and have a bit of a mess to clean up outside, but I will check back and see what the word is on this last one.

Again, I appreciate everyone putting up with my questions!! lol Thanks!

 

[riqui1]

Oh, I also thought that I would let you know that not a single one of these eggs pipped in the right spot. One of the last three came close to being there, but every single one of them came out on the side. It was usually right towards the middle, but a few of them were down towards the pointed end too. I believe that taraan said that most of hers were that way too. Is this a silkie thing? I know not to stress it now.

I am really, really disgusted that I lost my chicks. I am blaming myself, as I was too quick to think that a raccoon could not open that dog crate. That was dumb and a really hard lesson to learn. Honestly, it never even crossed my mind. You know what really blows my mind. That crate sat on the other side of an uncovered sliding glass door, so I could see them at all time. This is also the room where the dog sleeps. That raccoon sat out there and destroyed my chicks and that stupid dog never even barked!!

I have been covering them every night, before I went to bed, because the weather here has been miserable and you never knew when it was going to rain. I did it for weather reasons, never even thinking that it kept them safer too. The past two nights have been beautiful, without a chance of rain and so I left them uncovered. I never dreamed that I would wake up to an empty kennel because of it.

In light of this loss, not only have I learned never to underestimate a raccoon - if my 9 year-old can open it, so can they - I am in the process of ordering another dozen eggs and purchasing a better hygrometer. I realize that a hatch rate of 50% is supposed to be okay and I got 6 of 11 eggs, but I think that with better equipment, I can do better. Heck, if I hadn't been too late on those 4 eggs and they had hatched, I would have had 10 of 11! lol

So, if you don't mind, even though I am done with this hatch, I am going to keep posting, continue asking questions and stick around, as I am going to be trying it again.

 

[walkswithdog]

Hugs Riqui - I've lost birds to coons, they're clever stealthy persistent suckers. I also grabbed Ponder out of the mouth of a coon one night when there was a ruckus at the coop. I ran out, found a coon dragging a hen and all but grabbed the sucker to get her. He ran off, in the morning she came back. I hadn't latched the coop properly. I have a big old fashioned, LARGE drop board. If I'd set it down properly the coon never would have got in.

Learning all of this sucks, because you learn the hard way. Riq we're just going to have to get you a Pyr, they miss nothing and won't shut up. Sometimes a bug, sometimes a feature...

The marans that will hatch should be hatching the 8/9th and the silkies etc the week after.

Then it's all work on the new antique bator til fall. Wish I had a better sander.

 

[riqui1]

What is a Pyr? It might be eaiser than what I told my husband we were going to do.

We also have a fish pond on the back deck. There are four great big juicy fish in there...I don't get why the coons haven't bothered those! Anyhow, I told my husband I wanted a "shelf" over the fish pond, so it could act as a moat. Then I wanted to get some sort of mesh wiring that could be securely wrapped around the kennel, so that nothing could see in. Lastly, I wanted electric fencing every 2-3" up and down the kennel that could be turned on every night. He thinks that I went a bit overboard in that, but...he was also in shock by the loss. I just can't believe that it happened. I think what really blows my mind is that it must have sat right out there and ate them all. They weren't little! How could a raccoon sit there and eat all of them?! If I see ANY raccoons, but most definitely a good fat one, it is dead! I thought that tranferring them to this kennel right outside so that I could monitor them at all times would be a good way to transition them to outdoor living. I also didn't want to just cut myself off from them too. lol I need to reconsider my strategy for this next group.

I couldn't even imagine going out and actually fighting one off! lol After the adrenalin rush was over, it must have been a rather crazy experience. From what I understand, they can be quite mean and do some damage.

Do I need to do anything for this last little guy with his shell dragging behind him? Will that take care of itself? I feel bad for him, as it is half a shell he is dragging and in addition to the fact that it keeps tripping him up, the other chicks keep biting at his behind! I am working on getting them out now.

Good luck with the sanding, WWD. And with your Marans tomorrow!

 

[walkswithdog]

Pyr = Great Pyreness dog. Loud, large and fuzzy but effective vs night time and daytime critters. They notice everything out of place. Mine's six months and I don't worry about a thing when she's out there.

Take out the chick, if the cord is thin and stringy just nip the end off near the egg. The rest should dry and fall off on it's own.

 

[Kismet]

Hi Riqui1,

I've been following your progress and I'm glad most of your chicks hatched. It is amazing how a week chick can persevere and survive. I had one that I helped once - I warned my fourth graders that it would probably die. They named it Baldy, and she grew up to be one of my best layers, in spite of a very dubious start.

I am really sorry about the coon.

I've had coon problems, too, although not on the back porch with a dog on the other side of the window! They are brazen creatures, for sure.

I have a question: I just candled my eggs and put 21 into lockdown mode. They are due the ninth. How can you tell by candling if they are "shrinkwrapped?" I could tell there were chicks in there because of the dark mass. Some of the air pockets are oddly shaped, some are on the side and the top. I have hatched eggs before and some couldn't get out, but I am thinking it was because the humidity wasn't high enough (and also I peeked and let out what humidity was in there). I have the bator taped this time to remind me not to be tempted.

Thanks for sharing your trials and tribulations.

 

[riqui1]

The cord is cut and now the poor baby is in there all by himself, waiting to be transferred to the brooder with his hatch mates. As soon as he is, I will get pictures of all of them on here.

You know, I am wondering if this isn't all supposed to be a sign that I am not supposed to be raising these chickens. I mean, I lost my first chick within the first two days of buying them to wry neck. Instant lesson on that one - Poly Vi Sol is now a constant addition to their water source. One had to be culled due to spraddle leg, clubbed feet and a back issue that he couldn't recover from. The poor little guy was unable to walk and constantly beat up by the other chicks. By the time I realized what the problem was, it was too late to fix it. I tried, but... I had the "shrink wrap" issue with my hatch and now I have learned about coons. Is there anything else that I should know about? lol I am sure that there is...this just seems like a lot to learn all at once!

I don't know about another dog. lol I would have thought that mine might have made more of an announcement!! I forgot to add to my description of my new "kennel area" for the chicks, I told my husband that I wanted a rabid Doberman that only responded to German. lol Maybe that was where he thought I went overboard!

Of course, I could probably sell the hubby on it, if it was an "outside chicken" dog. lol