How long now Auntie Mo????

[Snadger]

Just wondered how the eggs were doing and how long was left?

It might sound strange but soon I will have to switch my incubator off. Not to seem derogatory but it is like switching off a life support machine! There are still five eggs in their but a time comes when enough is enough. Nothing has pipped or hatched for a couple of days now so I have to realise they are duds.
I'm really pleased with the 7 from 12 though as the norm with eggs sent through the post is usually 50% hatch apparently.

Hope yours do well for you!

PS I'm a bit embarrassed about the lack of piccies of mine but there is a lot going on in my life just now, and to be honest I can't find camera and can't be botheredd to look too hard!

[MaureenHall]

Well, they're at Day 18 today so tonight will be the last time I turn them. I'm trying to keep the humidity up a bit now and I'll start misting every 4 hours or so from tomorrow. Then it's wait and see isn't it . I've candled the eggs a few times, but to be quite honest I can't really see anything! 3 of the eggs have paler shells than the others and I can see the air sac and a blob (of sorts, though doesn't look chick shaped) in them, I have a feeling they might be duds. The other 9 have all got the air sacs developing at about the same as on pictures I've seen, but as the shells are a really dark brown I can't see anything at all in the dark bit. Wednesday is Day 21 so I suppose in theory I could expect something to start happening on Tuesday if yours and Jonny's are good indicators. I'm feeling almost the same as when I was waiting for my first grandchild to arrive All jittery!!

[Snadger]

Good luck with them Maureen!

I just used a damp sponge in with them for the last few days and it worked a treat.

Pulled the plug on the others now and after checking, they were all dud, thank heavens.
It's rather strange NOT having the inccy buzzing away all the time.......but at least now I can hear the chicks chirping!

I had wondered how the food finished up all over the place and just spotted one of the Light Sussex 'moon walking' in the dish just like the 'Big' chooks do when scratching around in the run for food!

[MaureenHall]

What temperature are you keeping the little ones at Snadger? I've got the rearing quarters set up ready to switch on to warm up with a light bulb and a heater/thermostat if necessary on Tuesday, but it's cold in the conservatory where they'll be living for a while and I think there'll be a drop in temperature at night. I don't want them to catch a chill!!!

[lynda66]

i just used a 60 watt bulb with mine, in the plastic box, clipped to the top of the box, about 4 days old they went in the playpen with bulb about a foot high, in the middle of december in my living room where it goes cold at night when i turned the fire off, never checked the temp, the were fine, you can tell by how they act if they are warm enough

[SarzWix]

Oh, good luck with them Aunty Mo, hope you do as well with them as Snadger has
I'm finding it fascinating seeing all these little chickies coming into the world, everybody learning from everybody else. It's great

[MaureenHall]

I'm getting nervous now, I just want to do it right for the little ones since there's no chicken-mummy to do it for them

[lynda66]

auntie mo, they will be fine, you will be fine, and you'll make a great mummy

[chicken slave]

I'm getting nervous now, I just want to do it right for the little ones since there's no chicken-mummy to do it for them

You're there foster mum and you'll be great at it

[HayleyB]

Good luck Auntie Mo - you'll be a brill mummy

[Snadger]

What temperature are you keeping the little ones at Snadger? I've got the rearing quarters set up ready to switch on to warm up with a light bulb and a heater/thermostat if necessary on Tuesday, but it's cold in the conservatory where they'll be living for a while and I think there'll be a drop in temperature at night. I don't want them to catch a chill!!!

I have a 60 watt heat lamp (blue light) hung in the corner of the fish tank about 9 inches from the bottom!
A few are starting to get wing feathers at 3 days old! Temp is over 50deg C (Temp guage only goes up to 50) at floor level directly below lamp and humidity is at 70% with all the water they spill! It seems quite hot but they don't usually lie down directly under it I love to watch em doing there Michael jackson impression i.e moonwalking (usually the LS's) and they are even trying to fly now and again!
In essence, they eat a lot,drink a lot,play a lot,sleep a lot and crap a lot!

[MaureenHall]

I've put a 60w light bulb on tonight to see how warm it is in there in the morning. I don't really want to use the heater unless it's absolutely necessary otherwise with the cost of the electricity on top of everything else, these are going to be flippin' expensive chicks I don't really begrudge them it though, after all it's my first go and it's a hobby (if that's the right word!)
Anyway, we're just at the end of day 19 now and starting the countdown big time

[Snadger]

I've put a 60w light bulb on tonight to see how warm it is in there in the morning. I don't really want to use the heater unless it's absolutely necessary otherwise with the cost of the electricity on top of everything else, these are going to be flippin' expensive chicks I don't really begrudge them it though, after all it's my first go and it's a hobby (if that's the right word!)
Anyway, we're just at the end of day 19 now and starting the countdown big time

My first one hatched at 10.00am on day 20 closely followed by another 4 and only 2 made hatched on day 21, the day they were supposed to hatch!
Like a good boyscout.....be prepared!..........and good luck!

[chicken slave]

Auntie Mo, Auntie Mo!

Are they here yet?

Are they here yet?

[MaureenHall]

No news yet but the cat has been looking closely at the incubator today and that's something she's never done before. Maybe she knows something I don't!!! Anyway, just in case anything starts when I'm out, or in bed, I've moved the incubator into the "chookarium" so she can't get at it. I'm sure I'm not the first one to do this, but I keep looking every hour or so (not touching, honest) so see if there's any signs yet but the only thing I'd recognise is if there's any cracks or holes in the shells

Anyway, I'm out this evening to my granddaughter's 10th birthday so it'll be just my luck to miss the whole event, even though hatch-due-day isn't until tomorrow