Egg Hatching

[Mini Horses]

I'm not cut out for the worry. I like more control. 5 am, I'm checking eggs. Candling isn't fun! Of the dz eggs I bought, at least 2 weren't fertile -- too clear for any development at this stage. Didn't check every egg. Most are either where they should be, dark with air sack, or hard boiled . Yeah, micro manage.

So, yesterday I ordered another wafer Then this morn find instructions online on "how" to set the wafer temp but not trying that until after this hatch is over. Temp pretty stable again so....off to work with this bothering me all day!

Hug your broody hens!!!!!

Breeding goats is so much easier.

 

[Mini Horses]

Tonight is lockdown. I'll disconnect the turner, increase humidity a little and hope for best. If all went well then Fri/Sat should see chicks.

I'm ready to be done with this part of chicks!

The auction is Saturday. I can buy a few more half grown pullets if this didn't go well or more chicks cause I'm not putting in the effort to raise if only a couple make it. I'd add more

 

[Mini Horses]

Wrong....checked calendar and auction is next sat, 6/14. Much better! Need another week to chill myself and check over goats!! Select those ready to leave here.

 

[The Porch]

well, 4weeks and two days old, chicks are a lot of work. I am glad broody Nanny jumped in at 3 weeks, she has been a help, BUT!! chicks are a lot of work.

They have spent the last two days running free in the run and coop. Their feed is blocked from the big hens (pigs) but they are doing fine. Nanny hen is still hovering. Tuesday night Nanny slept in a nesting box and the chicks stayed in their nest under the nesting boxes. The chicks slept in one of the nesting boxes last night. One chick slept with Nanny in a box.
Its 48 out so they are hanging out in the coop.
I am going to go read my papers and finish my coffee

 

[Mini Horses]

Thinking on this process, it's such a miracle. 21 days and a fully developed chick. AND with the good sense & ability to break thru a shell that we know takes a solid whack when we try to cook one.

There they are, wet & weak. Within an hr they are up and walking. A broody hen will defend them with her life -- after 3 weeks of dedicated nurturing "just an egg"... Awesome.

 

[Mini Horses]

See five pipping!! Yes, hatch is starting.

 

[Mini Horses]

9 visibly working shells this morn!! Hear peeping, too

Yahoo....chicks -- not hard boiled eggs.

 

[frustratedearthmother]

9 visibly working shells this morn!! Hear peeping, too

Yahoo....chicks -- not hard boiled eggs.

Woo Hoo!! I should have a hatch mid-week.

 

[Mini Horses]

It's a little nerve wracking -- haven't done this in 2.5 yrs but left for couple hrs and now have I totally out, another close with shell 3/4 chipped around and 10 more visibly broken spots in shells. That's halfway for showing life in there. This will hopefully be a good hatch. 26 eggs, 2 candled as prob not fertile or give ups last wk. So far, promising.

@frustratedearthmother You've been hatching quail all along. Is this coming batch quail or chicken?

I'm getting brave now! Thinking I might get turkey eggs from close by. They're red bourbon that I'd like to have and DO NOT need. But live sell for $60+ at butcher size & $15-20 as poults! So I see 2wk old poults as profitable.

 

[frustratedearthmother]

This will hopefully be a good hatch. 26 eggs, 2 candled as prob not fertile or give ups last wk. So far, promising.

Sounds like it's going well! I'm dealing with shipped eggs from two different shippers...always a gamble. Looks like one hatch will be productive and the other one not so much. Few more days and I'll know for sure.