Ozzysmallholder

Hatching So Far

ozzysmallholder — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 00:13:53 +0000

So far… We currently have 7 in the brooder who hatched yesterday and 8 still in the incubator who need a bit of extra time to dry off! 2 are pitch black, so I think they are Australorps – but not sure about the others yet. Also not that sure which ones are ours and which ones are Julia’s. When these ones are ready to go in the Brooder, I’ll have a look at what is left. I am very excited and so pleased that we got a good hatch rate. It just shows that the tweaking has definitely improved things. Just shows there are definite advantages to having an engineer as a husband.

Pipping and Hatching

ozzysmallholder — Mon, 09 Mar 2009 21:46:22 +0000

Just before we went to bed last night 2 eggs were pipped. This morning, 1 has hatched and lots more have pipped. I am sitting here with everything crossed – and hopping for a good hatch rate. It’s not the pip pip hatch hatch that I was led to believe – it is 12 hours of painful pipping, and hopefully something gorgeous and fluffy at the end. Both kids are sick – so I feel I’m torn between 46 different souls that need me. Also need to move my carrot plants out of the brooder – the plan was to plant those out today – but don’t think it’s going to happen.

Candling – Again

ozzysmallholder — Thu, 05 Mar 2009 10:25:22 +0000

I bit the bullet and candled the eggs. I took all the eggs out, removed the automatic turner and then candled 6 eggs. 1 had nothing happening, but the other 5 all looked good. I am definatly NOT counting my chickens before they have hatched – but fingers crossed – I hope I do better than last time. We now need to wait until Monday at the earliest, but more likely to be Tuesday!!!

incubator – day 18

ozzysmallholder — Thu, 05 Mar 2009 03:17:08 +0000

Day 18 is finally here – and i need to take the automatic turner out of the incubator – and let Mother Nature take control! It will be a good opportunity to candle again, and then wait with bated breath. I’m plannin on selling the chicks as soon as they hatch – but not confident enough to advertise them until they hatch! I think I’ll wait unti the kids go to bed and then bite the bullet and see what we’ve got. Fingers crossed and all that.

Incubation Situation

ozzysmallholder — Tue, 03 Mar 2009 22:38:35 +0000

Ok – so this morning my incubator is running high. Trying to lower and stabilise the temperature, but struggling to get it back to 99.5. I hope I haven’t damaged the eggs at all. They are due to hatch on Monday or Tuesday, (put them in late Monday night) so fingers crossed they are all OK. Got a mixture of eggs – so hoping to get heaps hatch.

Candling

ozzysmallholder — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 03:37:55 +0000

Reasonably successful candling session today. I took out 6 egs, and took them in an egg box and took them into the bathroom, which is the darkest room in the house. In the time it took to candle 6 eggs, Jimmy needed to do a wee, and then a poo. and Genevieve got “stuck” twice. It’s amazing really that I ever get anything done. Anyhow, the eggs all looked OK. I could see the dark shadow – and I think I saw veins in most of them. I looked on a couple of websites that said, take your time – they obviously don’t have a family like mine! I feel happy though, that something is happening, and wil try and check again next week. Can’t believe that they are 10 days through incubation, which is almost half way there!

Desperately seeking a thin pink line

ozzysmallholder — Mon, 23 Feb 2009 03:41:41 +0000

I’m about to candle again, and hoping that the eggs are forming. Will be desperately searching for thin blood vessels coming out of the yolk. It’s more nerve racking than doing a pregnancy test – as there is no next month. The incubator was running ever so slightly hot the first night – so hope that hasn’t effected anything. Otherwise the adjustments seem to be working very well. The tube has meant there is no reason to keep opening the incubator – so the temperature has stayed more constant. Tomorrow will be the first time I have opened the incubator since we put the eggs in – so fingers crossed. We have about 40 eggs in – so it would be great if we got an 80% or more hatch – which should be what we are aiming for.

Incubator

ozzysmallholder — Tue, 17 Feb 2009 00:28:06 +0000

I went and bought some eggs from Julia – and have set them last night with some of my own. That way, if only her’s hatch then it is an egg problem from me – and if none or all of them hatch – then it was a user problem. I have also set up a tube to pour warm water through to keep it nice and humid – so hoping that apart from candling the eggs – there will be no reason to open the lid. Everytime you open the lid it lets out the warm air and the moisture – so doesn’t help,. Hopefully with these small changes we will get a much better hatch rate.

The rain has finally stopped, so the chicken runs are starting to dry out a bit.

I’ve been reseaching Geese, and not got very far. Can’t find anyone who has or sells them close by. Will leave it for the time being and just do chickens – but maybe for the future

Unsuccessful hatch

ozzysmallholder — Sun, 15 Feb 2009 07:41:14 +0000

Really sad news. Out of 27 eggs only 2 hatched,. They didn’t even hatch properly. I had to help them out big time, and they both seem to be very wobbly – and unsteady on their feet. I’ve read through all the Hovabator instructions and it could be down to the incubator being too hot or too cold – but I thought the temperature was pretty steady throughout. It also suggests that the humidity could be wrong – not sure if too humid or not enough.

My other theory is this. There are a lot of people selling Isa Browns – that are not in fact Isa’s at all – but a X breed. When I bought my Ingham chicks, I was told NOT to breed them – as they are such a genetic mix up. I am wondering if I was sold similar things, and that is why they haven’t hatched. With the ones that hatched under the hen – only 2 hatched. The rest were bantams. So 99% of the bantams hatched and only 10% of the Isa’s.

I will try and buy some eggs next week – and do a dozen of mine and a dozen bought – and see what the results are.

Hatchings

ozzysmallholder — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 05:15:28 +0000

A watched incubator never hatches!! Due any minute now, and not even a pip.

Nearly died is back in the Nappy Box as he didn’t get on with the other chickens – he got bullied – and we had to re rescue him. He is so tame now – but bot sure what we will do with him.

Thinking of getting some geese for Christmas, but not sure about that yet. Doing some research to find out if it is viable. Also looking into quail to see if that would work, but they are so small and neurotic – but their eggs are gorgeous!