The Accidental Smallholder Forum

Livestock => Poultry & Waterfowl => Topic started by: cooped-up on May 06, 2012, 02:04:36 pm

Title: Hatching chicks
Post by: cooped-up on May 06, 2012, 02:04:36 pm
Has anyone else noticed chicks hatching a bit early this year or is it just us?
We have welsummers hatching today at day 20. the last lot were the same. ;)
Title: Re: Hatching chicks
Post by: Big Light on May 07, 2012, 07:53:52 am
Yeh lots going a day early, we normally get it with the bantams but the LF are popping early quite regularly
Title: Re: Hatching chicks
Post by: hughesy on May 07, 2012, 04:04:22 pm
Most of our last lot hatched on day 20 too. Wierd.
Title: Re: Hatching chicks
Post by: little blue on May 07, 2012, 08:36:42 pm
went to switch off the turner on the incy ... bloomin' ducks are pipping - they'll be dizzy!! three of them anyway.

Finger crossed please - they are our own duck eggs, first time & the bought-in duck eggs we had last year all died, so I'm abit nervous....
Title: Re: Hatching chicks
Post by: jaykay on May 07, 2012, 08:41:19 pm
Fingers crossed for you.

And will you cross them for me, I've had a 6 hour power cut and one duckling is out, another was pipping and is still alive but the other two nothing, they all got cold and I'm worried they won't hatch though they were alive this morning before the powercut.

I wrapped up the incubator and eventually put it on the Aga (with a thermometer inside!) but it wasn't warm enough. Couldn't get the generator started.......  :-[
Title: Re: Hatching chicks
Post by: cooped-up on May 07, 2012, 08:50:54 pm
Fingers crossed they are a bit more tolerant to temp changes near the end i think so good luck :thumbsup:
Title: Re: Hatching chicks
Post by: little blue on May 07, 2012, 08:56:49 pm
everything crossed for you Jaykay...

... we had a looong power cut with the eggs at about 16 days - and 12 out of 17 hatched! So have faith :)
Title: Re: Hatching chicks
Post by: Mammyshaz on May 07, 2012, 10:23:36 pm
Fingers crossed all turn out cracking chicks.
Title: Re: Hatching chicks
Post by: cooped-up on May 09, 2012, 08:16:57 pm
little blue- how did the ducks do? :chook:
Title: Re: Hatching chicks
Post by: little blue on May 09, 2012, 11:18:46 pm
three so far ... plus one dead in shell overnight, and one unabsorbed membrane/hernia.

The three little ones are very wobbly - o/h has spent the day helping them to food & water, teaching them to walk etc!!
we didn't think "Daffy" the first one would make it at all ... so it was great to see her shuffling across the cage on her own for the first time!
Each one has different colouring, all very cute :)

They are "due to hatch" tomorrow! So fingers still crossed for more...
:thumbsup:
Title: Re: Hatching chicks
Post by: cooped-up on May 10, 2012, 07:20:03 pm
Good luck little blue hope it all goes well ;D  :thumbsup:
Title: Re: Hatching chicks
Post by: little blue on May 10, 2012, 07:26:26 pm
thankyou :)

4! :duck:
Title: Re: Hatching chicks
Post by: jaykay on May 10, 2012, 08:42:52 pm
I only got two off  :-\ But those two are doing fine and are as cute as can be  ;D

Will set some more at the weekend and hope the power company can manage a better supply this time. Will overhaul the generator too  ::)
Title: Re: Hatching chicks
Post by: little blue on May 10, 2012, 08:59:09 pm
two more than nothing, look on the bright side :)
did you check how many were fertile?

I wonder if the power company would give you compensation for loss of chicks/cost...

we're up to four VERY lively quackies, three died, no sign of any more yet...