MAY 2016 "Land of the Free Because of the brave!" Hatch-a-Long Hosted by, Mike & Sally

[wabbit1964]

Aaand, here I sit. <sigh>

Same here

hey they need to invent an emoji smiley of the smiley staring at the incubator(or broody hen) instead of the computer

 

[Blooie]

Same here

hey they need to invent an emoji smiley of the smiley staring at the incubator(or broody hen) instead of the computer

I would invent one and share it, but I'm busy - can't take my eyes off the incubator.

 

[Wickedchicken6]

Quote:

Sorry...but this made me laugh just a little bit. I feel your pain...lol.
I'd say the same thing, but...um...the MIL lives 20 min away.

"Nuff said about that...

Quote:
"Every day I'm shufflin'"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Io4fxdBEApc
(I couldn't help myself)

Quote: Well, that's just more awesome than I can convey! Love it!!!

(Makes total sense to me.)

Quote:

.......

Quote: Um, tomato juice doesn't work. Don't ask how I know...

I had very good luck with men's shaving cream.
(I was desperate!)

Update! The leghorn hen I thought was going broody decided after 2 days she had had enough. I could not put them in my incubator as I have some already in there due in 5 days so they were tossed. I was really hoping she would sit. Maybe later I'll get a broody hen that likes to sit.

The incubator however gave me quite a scare earlier. Was in my room cleaning and rearranging furniture when I heard the alarm going off. It's been running excellent the last 18 days so I was quiet shocked to hear it go off. Went in and the temperature was dropping fast. It's been some crazy Arkansas weather here the last few days with 80s all week and now 58 right now. So it's pretty cool in the house. I hurried and put the incubator in a styrofoam bottom and quickly turned it off and back on. It has started to level out the temp again but I'm going to keep the styrofoam on it just in case. I'm on day 17 so this couldn't of happened at a worse time. The inside temp got down to 95 so I'm hoping it will be ok and didn't cause any damage. Fingers crossed!

If my luck is any indication on how resilient chicken eggs are...I'm thinking you should be fine.

My broodies got mixed up when we were away and one of the nest had no broody sitting on it when we got home about 1:30am.
I estimate the nest was like that for about 10 hours because they were usually back on their respective nests by 3pm everyday after the other hens were done laying.
It was 9C in the coop when we got home.

The OEGB eggs hatched fine under her...and the EE egg that had gotten laid in her nest and I moved to the incubator when she hatched her eggs...hatched fine on the 13th. Big strong chick.

I, um, also forgot to start up and close my incubator after turning the eggs the day we did taxes...and the eggs sat out from 9:30am - about 7pm.

They also got left open for 3 hours one evening.

Majority of these eggs made it to lockdown...lol.

 

[mymilliefleur]

Update! The leghorn hen I thought was going broody decided after 2 days she had had enough. I could not put them in my incubator as I have some already in there due in 5 days so they were tossed. I was really hoping she would sit. Maybe later I'll get a broody hen that likes to sit.

The incubator however gave me quite a scare earlier. Was in my room cleaning and rearranging furniture when I heard the alarm going off. It's been running excellent the last 18 days so I was quiet shocked to hear it go off. Went in and the temperature was dropping fast. It's been some crazy Arkansas weather here the last few days with 80s all week and now 58 right now. So it's pretty cool in the house. I hurried and put the incubator in a styrofoam bottom and quickly turned it off and back on. It has started to level out the temp again but I'm going to keep the styrofoam on it just in case. I'm on day 17 so this couldn't of happened at a worse time. The inside temp got down to 95 so I'm hoping it will be ok and didn't cause any damage. Fingers crossed!

If my luck is any indication on how resilient chicken eggs are...I'm thinking you should be fine.

My broodies got mixed up when we were away and one of the nest had no broody sitting on it when we got home about 1:30am.
I estimate the nest was like that for about 10 hours because they were usually back on their respective nests by 3pm everyday after the other hens were done laying.
It was 9C in the coop when we got home.

The OEGB eggs hatched fine under her...and the EE egg that had gotten laid in her nest and I moved to the incubator when she hatched her eggs...hatched fine on the 13th. Big strong chick.

I, um, also forgot to start up and close my incubator after turning the eggs the day we did taxes...and the eggs sat out from 9:30am - about 7pm.

They also got left open for 3 hours one evening.

Majority of these eggs made it to lockdown...lol.

I agree with you, those eggs are tougher than you might think. I had a broody hen get into the wrong nest, and she must have been off the eggs for 6-7 hours. I put her back on the nest, and 6/6 eggs ended up hatching!

 

[Sally Sunshine]

The first of the broody rescue chicks has hatched. And, in typical fashion... it came out backwards. LOL. My first feet-first-hatchling.

great image !

@Sally Sunshine
@BantyChooks

The leg question I posted this morning turns out I was worried about nothing. The chick just hadn't found his sea legs and is walking fine now. Thank you for taking the time to answer.

Since it hatched I have 4 more eggs with visible pips and many more to go after that

great news!!!!

Quote: ohhhh I am glad you seen them!!! the first littles hatched last night from them too!!

I have 8 of the 15 eggs in my lock down incubator hatched, and still hoping for more. I found out that my broody silkie has at least 1 pip. Although I was HORRIFIED when I found out the reason we know that we have a pip is because my helpful tenant (who helps clean the coops and care for the chickens) has been REMOVING her from the nest each day to make sure she eats and poops, rather than letting the hen do it herself. I have threatened them with bodily harm if they did it again.

Congratulations to everyone else that is also hatching babies!! Go chickies go!!!!

your kidding!!!! well now you just need to explain the process better lol

Quote: OMG

I have puppies due any second! LOL stressed out a tad too, her first litter!!!

 

[AmyPaperlady]

Quote:

Sorry...but this made me laugh just a little bit. I feel your pain...lol.
I'd say the same thing, but...um...the MIL lives 20 min away.

"Nuff said about that...

Mine is less than 5 minutes

I will admit that they are good grandparents, though... Which is good, since they are the only grandparents

 

[BusyBearMama]

The first of the broody rescue chicks has hatched. And, in typical fashion... it came out backwards. LOL. My first feet-first-hatchling.

Oh man look at his wee pink little toesies... Fantastic image

 

[Wickedchicken6]

Quote: Nice!

The first of the broody rescue chicks has hatched. And, in typical fashion... it came out backwards. LOL. My first feet-first-hatchling.

Nice pic!!


OMG

I have puppies due any second! LOL stressed out a tad too, her first litter!!!

The best of luck with her birthing!!
Puppies...how exciting!!!

 

[Spinning Carrie]

I have two OE hatched, and four pips! My students were watching number two (number one was out when we got there) and number two popped out 1/2 hour after the kids left for home. Silly chick.
I had a hard time not removing number one all day!
Carrie

 

[SunnysideFowl]

They'll be ok, there, there 

Thank you, so far still good

I put my chicks out at two weeks

I put mine out even earlier - 12 - 14 hours out of the incubator, same for shipped chicks.  I only keep them in long enough to know that they know where to go to get warm, where the food and water is, and (in the case of shipped chicks) that they aren't suffering from shipping stress.

The outside pen doesn't have a heat source, so I've been waiting for a warm, dry day when i knew the elements would be fine for them.