Chick Pics and Setting More

The chicks are doing great.  I moved them to the brooder after about 38 hours in the bator (for the oldest ones).  They are super vigorous and healthy, I am thrilled!

I don’t know if you can see it in the pics at all but they are already getting some little feather on the tips of their wings.  One had a little poop stuck to it’s butt so I soaked it with a warm, wet wash cloth and pulled most of that off.  All six are healthy, eating and drinking, and sleeping a lot.  I raised their heat lamp a little bit because they were crowded at the far end and obviously too hot.  Now they are moving around comfortably although a thermometer right under the lamp is only reading just over 90 degrees F.  I usually start them at 99 and go down gradually but if they’re happy, I’m happy.

I set 24 more eggs in the bator tonight!  This could definitely be addicting.  I’m hoping for a better hatch rate this time since I stored all the eggs at room temperature, in egg cartons, and tipped them a couple times each day by putting a canning jar ring under one side of the cartons.

Oh, I almost forgot… I let the bator run with the last 4 eggs in it until late last night.  When I took the chicks out I let the eggs go for another 8 hours or so then I figured they were duds so I candled them.  One of the eggs peeped at me.  I put them all back in the bator right away and hoped he would hatch.  He never even pipped the shell so I finally opened up all 4 eggs last night.  2 eggs just had yolks and maybe some very early development.  The other 2 had fully developed chicks inside but they were both dead.  I think they must have gotten stuck from the loss of humidity when I opened the bator and took the chicks out and then opened it and candled them.  I guess next time I’ll wait longer if the chicks are doing okay in there, and I’ll grab them out quick and then not open the bator again for a few days.  I really thought the eggs all had plenty of time to hatch but I guess not.  It was so sad to see those two chicks that never got to come out but I’m glad to have the 6 that did.  I guess incubating is a learning experience just like anything else! 🙂

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