Homeschool Hatch-Along (2/23 hatch)

[Cheekychook12]

Oh my goodness!! So cute!! Thank you so much for sharing. This really helps me feel better. The next eggs are not shipped - my friend was so sweet and gave them to me yesterday. They are random breeds so I won’t be too invested in these (I hope - lol).

And yes I agree now - I think I should have helped at the 24 hour mark at the very latest. I think she was still trying to peck at least an hour or two before I assisted. I honestly didn’t know she could die in there if she was pipped. Some resources said 40 hours! I’ve learned so much.

Shipped eggs can have terrible hatch rates no matter what you do, put if your picking them up you’ll get a better hatch rate
I like to follow my instinct when it comes to hatching, which may not work for some but works for me
Ps. Doris the grey chick from picture I sent earlier is sitting on my lap pecking my keyboard as a write this

 

[Slothinc]

Thank you so much!! And thank you again so so much for your help! I printed your instructions and had them right next to me as I did it. I know your instructions would have saved her life if I would have done it earlier (as you also said!) So thank you for taking the time. It was so helpful and truly means a lot.

You are so welcome, and even though it is so hard in the moment, every time I have something like this happen during a hatch (or really in any aspect of life) I try to understand that it is a learning experience and that it will help me and give me knowledge for the future. When I consider this perspective, I am a lot more grateful for the trials. I realize that I can get through the hard things and come out on the other side better equipped to handle them the next time.

And even having experience doesn’t mean that you won’t make mistakes - during my last hatch my whole family got the flu and there were a couple of chicks that I could have helped but didn’t because I was so worn down from taking care of so many sick people (and being sick myself!) that I wasn’t paying close enough attention to the eggs. It was like all my hatching knowledge flew out the window and I lost a couple that I wish I had tried to save. Hatching is not for the faint of heart. But it is also so so rewarding. Im so glad you’re going to be setting another batch, and these ones will likely be a piece of cake after doing shipped eggs!! I don’t know if you’ll do another hatching thread but if you do, post the link here so I can be sure to join!

 

[Mjismom]

For future reference:

Assisted Hatching

I left a comment on this article:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/step-by-step-guide-to-assisted-hatching.64660/

There is a wealth of information in this article. And I thank the author so much for writing it.

Unfortunately, after reading this part:

Too many people feel the need to rush in and pull a chick out of a place that has served it well for 3-4 weeks. There should be no rush to get a chick out of the shell if it can breathe. As long as it has access to air through the pip, it can sit there all day, even after the blood vessels recede. It's not going to starve. It has plenty of yolk. It's not going to dehydrate, unless you get impatient and begin removing shell before it's time to do so causing bleeding or too much exposure to outside air.

And this part:

Anything past 40 hours there is a very real possibility that the chick will never get out of the egg without assistance.

I left a pipped chick for too long. I waited until about 34 hours to start helping, and it was too late. I know she was trying to zip at least an hour or two before I tried to assist, so if I hadn’t waited so long, she most likely would have survived. After this experience, I would start assisting at 24 hours after pip at the very latest.

Cleaning Eggs

I saw this thread and there was so much conflicting information.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...-dirty-eggs-before-i-start-incubating.471445/

Most of the responses seemed to say to clean them the way I did. But many of the embryos stopped developing early on, which I think can be a sign of bacteria. So I will not be cleaning the eggs the next time around.

 

[Mjismom]

It’s official! Meet Sunny and Cloudy!

 

[tviss711]

It’s official! Meet Sunny and Cloudy!

View attachment 4058898

They are perfect!!!

 

[Slothinc]

It’s official! Meet Sunny and Cloudy!

View attachment 4058898

Oh my goodness - DARLING! And their names are amazing. Please keep us updated on what color Cloudy feathers out as. What beautiful chicks!

 

[Mjismom]

I forgot to share that here are the chickies we added to the brood!



We still have those 10 new eggs in the incubator on Day 8 and won’t be candling until Day 14 so it will be a surprise how many are actually growing!

We are also currently working on plans to build a new bigger coop to house all these chicks!
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/converting-a-dog-run.1653964/

I still don’t know how I’m going to keep 2 separate broods when this next batch hatches! They will be too far apart to keep together right?

So. Many. Chickens. lol

 

[tviss711]

I forgot to share that here are the chickies we added to the brood!

View attachment 4064909

We still have those 10 new eggs in the incubator on Day 8 and won’t be candling until Day 14 so it will be a surprise how many are actually growing!

We are also currently working on plans to build a new bigger coop to house all these chicks!
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/converting-a-dog-run.1653964/

I still don’t know how I’m going to keep 2 separate broods when this next batch hatches! They will be too far apart to keep together right?

So. Many. Chickens. lol

Chicken math is mathing!!!! Haha, your new babies are absolutely adorable and I love their names!!!

 

[Slothinc]

I forgot to share that here are the chickies we added to the brood!

View attachment 4064909

We still have those 10 new eggs in the incubator on Day 8 and won’t be candling until Day 14 so it will be a surprise how many are actually growing!

We are also currently working on plans to build a new bigger coop to house all these chicks!
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/converting-a-dog-run.1653964/

I still don’t know how I’m going to keep 2 separate broods when this next batch hatches! They will be too far apart to keep together right?

So. Many. Chickens. lol

They will be around 3 weeks difference - they can be integrated into your current chick flock! I personally always just intergrate right away at that age (because most of the new babies will be hanging out under the heat 99% of the time on the first few days.) But if you are worried, put the babies in a brooder where the other chicks can see them for a couple of days (like if you have a small wire cage it can go directly into the current brooder) then after the new babies are walking around well then let them all hang out together. Since you have several silkies, they are usually really good at taking to new chicks, so I personally would just pop the new babies in with the others after leaving the incubator and keep a close eye for the first day. It is so much easier integrating them now than when they are older!

 

[Cheekychook12]

I forgot to share that here are the chickies we added to the brood!

View attachment 4064909

We still have those 10 new eggs in the incubator on Day 8 and won’t be candling until Day 14 so it will be a surprise how many are actually growing!

We are also currently working on plans to build a new bigger coop to house all these chicks!
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/converting-a-dog-run.1653964/

I still don’t know how I’m going to keep 2 separate broods when this next batch hatches! They will be too far apart to keep together right?

So. Many. Chickens. lol

Aww the new chicklets are so cute! Do you know what breeds they are?