Companihen hatches again

[Companihen]

So I currently have my 3 copper marans and my old arucana bantam hen from my original birds. Last year. Incubated 18 eggs which I had bought online, they were silkie, frizzle, polish mixes. 14 hatched, 2 chicks died the next day. At 5 weeks old we lost 5 to a fox of the 7 remaining I gave 3 to my mum, a polish cockerel and hen and a jet black hen. I kept we sold one polish cockerel. I kept a beautiful patterned cockerel and miniature hen. The silkie hen died. And I bought a frizzle chick hen.

So.... now I have 16 eggs from my pullets, 8 from my bantams and 8 from the ones I gave to my mum in the incubator.... so excited. This will up both of our bantam flocks and hopefully later this year I will incubate or under a broody preferably put some larger eggs. Busy busy.

 

[sourland]

Good luck for a successful hatch.

 

[Companihen]

Thank you

 

[Companihen]

Moved my eggs into lockdown position today. Day 17 actually, but with my previous hatch which was with a different incubator my chicks started hatching on day 19. So I though I'd go to lockdown a day earlier
The incubator I'm using this time is a cheap one my husband bought me for my birthday online! It uses the bottle feed method for water top up. So far it's sat pretty consistently between 37.5 degrees to 38 degrees. Humidity has been pretty low, around 40-50%. I've added a damp kitchen towel at the side of my incubator now but I'm worried about humidity... it has risen... but it's not staying as high as 80%... would love some help with this? I'll mist as often as I can through the day... but nights... and when I'm out etc what should I do?

Lockdown stresses beginning

 

[Companihen]

Humidity fluctuated a lot throughout lockdown days, from 45 through to 80s. Out of 14 fertile eggs we've had 11 hatch so far and another with a pip this morning and 2 unpipped as yet. The pips/hatches spread from day 18 through to day 22 which is today and they're still hatching. The hatchlings are beautiful and healthy atm.

 

[Companihen]

13 out of 14 chicks hatched. One of the last 3 was a bit weak and had slightly splayed legs. I treated it with a hobble for 2 days and it seems corrected for now. The oldest chicks are 1 week old now and the last 3 to hatch are 4 days old. They all seem healthy and active and i may move them to the eglu this weekend outside. The older chicks nap outside of the heatplate during the day and just near the edge of it at night. I will be putting the heat plate in the eglu still.
Just need to do a bit more work on the run to ensure it is rodent proof and chick safe. Also the chicks haven't met sawdust yet which is what I intend to line the eglu with. So far they have just been on bed mats.