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Occasionally my little giants spiked to 107 and would settle to low 90s and back up again. The high temp was for enough duration to kill the embryos.

I understand. I've hatched for years and I didn't understand many things for much of that time. For one, I constantly chased hygrometers before learning how elusive a reliable one can be and then the reality of humidity relating to incubation gradually became clear to me. In nature, humidity...

I think you have a decent situation. But how old are the new birds? Normally, introducing like numbers and like sizes is best. For instance it can be a issue introducing young birds to adults. But when bringing in new birds, it is best if the new flock is more numerous than the home girls, as...

Yes, new birds could easily have brought something from their last home with them. Quarantining new birds is a good practice.

At the Cheryl's Herbs store I mentioned, I attended a class on how to make tinctures and extracts from herbs. I don't remember a lot of it because it was a long time ago. Perhaps I'll go back and take another class. Here is the place. https://cherylsherbs.com/

Unless the incubator is a Little Giant, it may not be junk. Even the most expensive electronics can be inaccurate out of t he box. The temperature readings may just be off. All you have to do is verify them and adjust accordingly or reset it if it has a calibration feature.

Amphibians, especially newts and salamanders are a sign of environmental health. Seeing live ones in the wild is a good thing. They are among the most vulnerable wildlife affected by toxins and climate.

Being outside all day is no compensation for fresh air at night. Some people overestimate the amount of ventilation in a coop. All my buildings have huge windows open constantly. That is all but one. It only has a ridge vent and a smaller window so to compensate I have a box fan on the...

Looks like a young spotted salamander. At first glance I thought baby hellbender but it isn't. I've never seen one of the latter in the wild.

X3

Chickens don't really catch cold. There are a couple prevalent respiratory issues that affect chickens. Among them are mycoplasma gallisepticum, Infectious Bronchitis, Infectious Laryngotracheitis among others. I assume it is cold there now. What is your weather like? Since warm weather, have...

A little giant only has a 40 watt heat element. That means it struggles to maintain temperature in even room temperature. Cooler, it struggles even more. Add to that the older style thermostat is unstable since it comes to temperature slowly. That is a recipe for temperature spikes and cool...

If you are getting rid of the rooster and chances of future attacks are imminent, the sooner the better. Chickens are always a bit out of sorts when a rooster is removed and may be the perfect time to introduce the new birds. Human aggressive roosters can pass on similar genetics to offspring...

I think if you can't keep the bird somewhere indoors away from any possible contact with flies and you are going to be gone, euthanasia may be the best bet if you are good with that. Having a bird in that condition outdoors is a magnet for fly egg laying.

I understand the issue with vets. Those that see chickens are as rare as hen's teeth. Many years ago there were close to 15 vet schools with poultry programs, now I think that is down to 3. Those who graduate with expertise with chickens almost exclusively work for large poultry enterprises...

No offense but do you have an accurate diagnosis of a bacterial infection that doxycycline can cure? Or should I say, what ails your chicken?

To put your mind at ease, even the most skittish breeds can be tamed if handled enough. You'll grow to be fond of her. I liked mine a lot.

Looks like an Ancona to me. None of the others in your post. I've raised Anconas and are good birds, prolific layers of white eggs. As a Mediterranean breed, they tend to be aloof. Avoiding human contact but their wariness makes them resistant to predation. I like that trait.

The short answer is - absolutely. They are smart with a good memory and knowledge which comes from a million years of ingrained instinct.

You might try posting here. You'll find more help there. https://www.backyardchickens.com/forums/what-breed-or-gender-is-this.15/