coxm3
Hatchling
Posts: 33
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Post by coxm3 on Mar 18, 2013 20:26:41 GMT -6
I set an incubator full of 41 two weeks ago. Candled today and only 8 were not fertile! So excited to have babies coming. Quick question, next Monday is day 21. When would you take the turner out and lock down, Friday or Saturday?
Also tickled because I am down to 3 hens and one has decided to go broody. I have no idea how many eggs she is sitting on, but it can't be many. Since she started sitting, we haven't gotten any more eggs. Do you think she is letting the others lay and adding to her clutch?
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Post by crystal10asee on Mar 19, 2013 8:25:56 GMT -6
From what I've learned ,it should be Fri.on day 18 for lock down. And yes other hens will continue to lay in the nest,if thats the nest they always use.not sure if its the case all the time,but it did happen to me. And I had a chick hatching almost every day. In that case you would probably want to take the babies so she don't get off the nest in two or three days to take care of them.leaving the rest to die.
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Post by chowdownsilkiefarm on Mar 19, 2013 19:54:10 GMT -6
Agree, eggs go on lock down on day 18. I just turn off my turner and add water to raise humidity. They hatch just fine.
And again I agree about the hens and broody and eggs. My hens all lay in the same nest in each of my pens. The broody will continue to sit on as many as she can cover. What I do when I have hens on eggs is I mark the ones I want them to keep and I remove the ones laid after that. It don't hurt one bit to lift the hen up to check for extra eggs. They get off the nest longer than that to eat, drink and poop. That way you won't have her either neglecting hatched babies to sit on eggs or abandoning eggs to tend to babies. If your lucky enough to have another hen go broody so she can sit on any remaining eggs that would be great. When I have more than 1 broody they take turns getting off the nest.
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Post by crystal10asee on Mar 20, 2013 7:53:39 GMT -6
Great ideal about marking the eggs
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Post by Timbo on Mar 21, 2013 16:27:16 GMT -6
I hope you have a great hatch!!!!!
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coxm3
Hatchling
Posts: 33
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Post by coxm3 on Mar 23, 2013 15:22:30 GMT -6
Well, we are on pins and needles waiting. I added the additional water to the incubator and removed the egg turner yesterday. I can see the eggs rolling a little ever now and then. Haven't opened the incubator of course, but ready for some babies!
I am nervous about my broody girl and hate to disturb her at all. Not real sure when she went broody, but it has to be close to when I put these eggs in the incubator. Just a waiting game!
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Post by chowdownsilkiefarm on Mar 23, 2013 15:51:52 GMT -6
The waiting room of the maternity ward is always tense.
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coxm3
Hatchling
Posts: 33
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Post by coxm3 on Mar 23, 2013 15:54:50 GMT -6
I just checked for the 9000th time today and I have a pip!
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Post by Timbo on Mar 24, 2013 12:07:48 GMT -6
Sweet hope there are many more to follow
Sent from my DROIDX using proboards
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coxm3
Hatchling
Posts: 33
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Post by coxm3 on Mar 24, 2013 13:01:01 GMT -6
Our first baby woke us up at 7:00 this morning. We now have 6 babies and more coming! Just about all the others have pips. I had 33 fertile eggs at day 15. Question? Will it get too crowded if I continue to leave everyone in there until at least late tonight? I don't want to compromise any of my hatch.
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Post by crystal10asee on Mar 24, 2013 13:29:31 GMT -6
Tim or one of the others can better answer your Q on weather to leave the chicks,but I would say leave them unless you start to visibly notice a problem.I just wanted to congradulate you on your new arrivals.calls for a cigar no!
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Post by ellisfarms on Mar 24, 2013 15:01:55 GMT -6
They all should be ok the incubator should seem big and roomy compared to the egg they came from
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coxm3
Hatchling
Posts: 33
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Post by coxm3 on Mar 24, 2013 15:03:41 GMT -6
11 babies and still going strong! We just had a rash of hatching! 3 in the last 10 minutes! This is the best entertainment!
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Post by chowdownsilkiefarm on Mar 24, 2013 18:19:11 GMT -6
I agree. You can leave them in there for 3 days if necessary. When you open the bator the humidity will get sucked right now and will shrink wrap chicks still in the eggs and that have pipped. This will cause deaths or you will have to open it to get the shrinked wrapped chicks out of the eggs.
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coxm3
Hatchling
Posts: 33
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Post by coxm3 on Mar 24, 2013 20:31:11 GMT -6
I am leaving them! Super hard to do, but all the other remaining eggs have pipped and I'm not risking them. We have 14 babies and just waiting for more. In the morning at 7:00 will be 24 hours for the first chick and I'm just gonna wait. My concern was all the beating and banging that goes on when they get riled up. Saw several being born today, what a miraculous site! My 10 and 6 year old have a list of names, but can no longer tell you who is who. Lol!
Brooder box is ready and with this lovely spring break weather we have decided to put it in our finished basement until we can move to the garage. Ready to love on some fluff balls!
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