Homeschool Hatch-Along (2/23 hatch)

[Chicken_Obsesser]

Agreed!! They're adorable!

 

[Debbie292d]

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:



And this part:



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.

I do not "clean" my eggs either other than picking any chunks off, but I will sanitize them, especially shipped eggs or eggs that aren't my own. I do not want anyone else's germs or possible diseases in my incubator.

I documented it last year. Many others now do this as well. https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/sterilizing-hatching-eggs.79104/

 

[Debbie292d]

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

Gorgeous! Congrats and congrats on your hatch too! I read through all the posts I had missed. You did great!!

 

[Mjismom]

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

They are 4 silkies and 3 Easter eggers!

 

[Mjismom]

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!

Oh this is so good to know! I think I will do just that! Thank you!!

 

[Mjismom]

I do not "clean" my eggs either other than picking any chunks off, but I will sanitize them, especially shipped eggs or eggs that aren't my own. I do not want anyone else's germs or possible diseases in my incubator.

I documented it last year. Many others now do this as well. https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/sterilizing-hatching-eggs.79104/

Thank you so much! Yes, I was thinking that might have been where I had gone wrong. Cleaning but not sanitizing. I have a batch of dirty eggs in the incubator right now, so we will see how that goes this time.

 

[Debbie292d]

Thank you so much! Yes, I was thinking that might have been where I had gone wrong. Cleaning but not sanitizing. I have a batch of dirty eggs in the incubator right now, so we will see how that goes this time.

I'm sure in most cases it'll be fine. I was ordering hatching eggs from all over the U.S. though about 6-7 times last summer and figured I was being too risky, so did a lot of research into it. NPIP means nothing to me. It's AI and Marek's I worry mostly about, not what NPIP tests for. But that said, I'm NPIP certified anyway.

 

[Mjismom]

I'm sure in most cases it'll be fine. I was ordering hatching eggs from all over the U.S. though about 6-7 times last summer and figured I was being too risky, so did a lot of research into it. NPIP means nothing to me. It's AI and Marek's I worry mostly about, not what NPIP tests for. But that said, I'm NPIP certified anyway.

That makes so much sense. I pray my friend of a friend’s farm doesn’t have a Marek’s problem.

 

[Chicken_Obsesser]

I'm sure in most cases it'll be fine. I was ordering hatching eggs from all over the U.S. though about 6-7 times last summer and figured I was being too risky, so did a lot of research into it. NPIP means nothing to me. It's AI and Marek's I worry mostly about, not what NPIP tests for. But that said, I'm NPIP certified anyway.

What's NPIP?

 

[Mjismom]

Check out Rocky’s (Rockstar’s) wings! She’s so fancy!!