Quite Simply, Chook Chat

[Glutton4...]

Mooooooooooooornin' Peeps!

Today is day 21, and I was greeted this morning by this;

[Glutton4...]

It's a Jubilee Orpington.




My face hurts!

[Suechooks]

It's a Jubilee Orpington.




My face hurts!

Luvverly G4! How many more to go?
Only 2 more sleeps for us!

[Munch]

I have 6 Sebright eggs in the incubator. But I have since found out that they have really poor hatchability.

Is there anything I could do to help, or is it just a wait and see game?

Why do they have poor hatchability, does anyone know?

[Glutton4...]

Luvverly G4! How many more to go?
Only 2 more sleeps for us!

I have 12 Jubilee and 11 Buff Orps in there - still only one Chick though, but I guess it's early days. I'm just no good at this waiting business....

[petal]

jubilee orps - how lovely, me want some! i have just reserved a young pair of blue brahmas and a pair of salmon faverolles.

[Glutton4...]

I gotz another chickie!!!!! One of the Buffs has just hatched;

[polo]

Ace photo :-))

[Glutton4...]

Two more Jubilees hatched over-night, and another pipping.

[Glutton4...]

OK, update time; Currently have five hatched, and one pipping. One that had pipped last night, and completely cracked the shell in two by mid-morning, had still not got out when I came home at 12:30, so I interfered (sorry ), and removed the smallest section, and the little poppet was out in 2 minutes. I think it was just exhausted. It's laying there now, panting. I guess I thought they would all hatch more or less together, dunno why, but as it's only day 22 now, I will leave them until Saturday, then see what's left.

The one that hatched yesterday morning is now fully fluffed, as are the two that hatched yesterday evening, so I was thinking of putting them in the brooder, now it's ready and up to temperature. As they have no room for feed or water in the incubator. Is that a good idea? I will leave today's hatchees in the incubator a little longer.

It's so much easier to have a Hen doing all the worrying!

[Suechooks]

I'd move the ones who are moving about into the brooder and give the "helpee" a chance to recover from its exhaustion. I help them out too especially if they're cheeping - it just breaks my heart to hear them. The last 2 I've helped out have gone on to be absolutely fine. Had to get one of the Partridge Orps out last week and so far s/he seems fine - bigger than the others which may be why it struggled.
Phoebe has hatched 3 Copper blue marans eggs so far this morning and the other 3 are pipped so really chuffed as they were ebay eggs!

[petal]

I always help out too, however, I have started to keep a record of what happens to help outs and a large percent don't live long......

[Glutton4...]

Thanks Peeps! The first 3 are in the Brooder, and happily pecking at the Chick Crumb that I scattered about. I've just raised the lamp, as they wouldn't go under it, so I guess it was too hot, despite my thermometer telling me it was 95 degrees.

[Glutton4...]

I have another question; can I clean out the incubator at this stage? It STINKS! I have 2 Chicks in there, and one nearly hatched, and the remainder of the eggs. They, and the other three have pooed in there, and, like I say, it really pongs, so I would like to change the tea towel in the bottom. Will this do any harm?

[Suechooks]

You'll drop the humidity if you keep opening the incubator - probably not a good idea at this stage.
My little broody girl has done the biz as you can see above! All 6 hatched! What a star she is. Even let me move her to take photos!
Very impressed as they are ebay eggs!