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Chickens

PostPosted: Mon Apr 15, 2013 3:46 pm
by assateague
I have a question. Never hatched out a bunch of birds before, always bought chicks. Got 24 eggs in the incubator, they've been in for 16 days, not "due" until this Saturday. I've kept the water full, but when checking it this morning, I noticed one egg had a crack on top, and another egg looked like it had tried to hatch, had a small crack and a hole pecked out on top, but nothing else. Anybody had this before? It's way too early for a hatch, but I'd hate to find that it got too hot and cooked them or something.

Re: Chickens

PostPosted: Mon Apr 15, 2013 3:49 pm
by Tomkat
maybe they are "early" ?

Dont know much about chickens other than how to bbq them

Re: Chickens

PostPosted: Mon Apr 15, 2013 3:51 pm
by flight control
It's been a while, but I remember they were fine in the incubator after they hatched, won't kill them or anything. Maybe give them a little help, but they come out when they're ready

Re: Chickens

PostPosted: Mon Apr 15, 2013 3:54 pm
by rebelp74
This seams right, I've had some hatch before they were supposed to. Sometimes it dpends on temps. Did you turn the eggs or do you have an automatic turner?

Re: Chickens

PostPosted: Mon Apr 15, 2013 4:06 pm
by Mornin Beef
Abort! Oh wait I forgot who I was talking to.

Re: Chickens

PostPosted: Mon Apr 15, 2013 4:12 pm
by assateague
rebelp74 wrote:This seams right, I've had some hatch before they were supposed to. Sometimes it dpends on temps. Did you turn the eggs or do you have an automatic turner?


Automatic turner. I've been told that you can hear them, though, and there's definitely not anything coming from these two. Don't know if I should let them stay, or toss them.

Re: Chickens

PostPosted: Mon Apr 15, 2013 4:27 pm
by rebelp74
assateague wrote:
rebelp74 wrote:This seams right, I've had some hatch before they were supposed to. Sometimes it dpends on temps. Did you turn the eggs or do you have an automatic turner?


Automatic turner. I've been told that you can hear them, though, and there's definitely not anything coming from these two. Don't know if I should let them stay, or toss them.

I usually hear them peeping. You can help them break out if they're not, I've noticed with early hatches sometimes they are weaker. This being said, check and see they could all be dead. I've had that happen several times.

Re: Chickens

PostPosted: Mon Apr 15, 2013 4:29 pm
by assateague
How will I know?

Re: Chickens

PostPosted: Mon Apr 15, 2013 4:33 pm
by rebelp74
Open it up and break open an already cracked shell. A little bit, just enough to see if the bird is alive or not. If it is alive, give another day or 2 and check progression. If it ain't breaking itself out, do it for it. If it is dead, throw it out and give the rest a couple days or until the allotted time if nothing, throw em out and try again. If none make it, it usually means that temp was inconsistent or not right.

Re: Chickens

PostPosted: Mon Apr 15, 2013 4:40 pm
by assateague
Ok. Hopefully it's right, since the incubator is all automatic, no independent temp controls. The only thing I can control is the humidity, by making sure the water's full.

Re: Chickens

PostPosted: Mon Apr 15, 2013 4:43 pm
by rebelp74
No kidding, there isn't any temp control? Mine is automatic but it has a bolt with a wing nut on it that controls the temp. Tightening or loosening the wnig nut adjusts the temp on mine. Does it have a thermometer on it so you can see the temp? If so, what's it at and what kinda eggs(species) are in it? There are some different temps for different birds.

Re: Chickens

PostPosted: Mon Apr 15, 2013 4:45 pm
by assateague
I don't know, it's not my incubator, I know my neighbor has hatched out probably 1,000 chickens with it, no problems. They're Plymouth Rocks, Rhode ISland Reds, and Americanas.

Re: Chickens

PostPosted: Mon Apr 15, 2013 4:46 pm
by rebelp74

Re: Chickens

PostPosted: Mon Apr 15, 2013 4:48 pm
by aunt betty
We raised quail when I was a kid. I remember watching them hatch and they didn't all come out at once and some didn't make it. We also had mass die-offs when they got stress about ANYTHING. The dog barking...anything.
Once we got established it was easy.
Never did chickens. Wish we would have.

Re: Chickens

PostPosted: Mon Apr 15, 2013 4:50 pm
by rebelp74
assateague wrote:I don't know, it's not my incubator, I know my neighbor has hatched out probably 1,000 chickens with it, no problems. They're Plymouth Rocks, Rhode ISland Reds, and Americanas.

Well shit, ask your neighbor what he thinks. He'd know better than any of us if it's his incubator and has hatched that many with it.

Re: Chickens

PostPosted: Mon Apr 15, 2013 4:54 pm
by aunt betty
Something about raising your own food is so cool.
A 200-acre farm is in my future so please continue this thread.
Thanks.

Re: Chickens

PostPosted: Mon Apr 15, 2013 4:57 pm
by rebelp74
aunt betty wrote:We raised quail when I was a kid. I remember watching them hatch and they didn't all come out at once and some didn't make it. We also had mass die-offs when they got stress about ANYTHING. The dog barking...anything.
Once we got established it was easy.
Never did chickens. Wish we would have.

Same thing with pheasants, guinea and most game birds. Also, pheasants can carry a disease, don't know the name of it, that can kill turkeys. Always had bad luck with having both in the same pen until I was told about it. Put a turkey up on the other side of my land and know more problems.

Re: Chickens

PostPosted: Mon Apr 15, 2013 5:34 pm
by assateague
rebelp74 wrote:
assateague wrote:I don't know, it's not my incubator, I know my neighbor has hatched out probably 1,000 chickens with it, no problems. They're Plymouth Rocks, Rhode ISland Reds, and Americanas.

Well shit, ask your neighbor what he thinks. He'd know better than any of us if it's his incubator and has hatched that many with it.


He just came up. Said he'd never seen something like that before. There were two other eggs which had holes in the small side (which was down), and another which was cracked. I've kept the water full, so it wasn't a humidity issue, but he said even if it was empty, it wouldn't crack the eggs, would just make the chicks die before they could get out, because the eggs would be too hard. We cracked the ones which had holes open, and they had about a half-developed chick in them. Who knows. They're out of the turner now, and in cartons with a wet rag back in there. Hopefully we'll have at least 15 by the weekend. We candled the rest, and they are either all too solid or full of chick to see anything in them, just solid black.

Re: Chickens

PostPosted: Mon Apr 15, 2013 5:36 pm
by rebelp74
assateague wrote:
rebelp74 wrote:
assateague wrote:I don't know, it's not my incubator, I know my neighbor has hatched out probably 1,000 chickens with it, no problems. They're Plymouth Rocks, Rhode ISland Reds, and Americanas.

Well shit, ask your neighbor what he thinks. He'd know better than any of us if it's his incubator and has hatched that many with it.


He just came up. Said he'd never seen something like that before. There were two other eggs which had holes in the small side (which was down), and another which was cracked. I've kept the water full, so it wasn't a humidity issue, but he said even if it was empty, it wouldn't crack the eggs, would just make the chicks die before they could get out, because the eggs would be too hard. We cracked the ones which had holes open, and they had about a half-developed chick in them. Who knows. They're out of the turner now, and in cartons with a wet rag back in there. Hopefully we'll have at least 15 by the weekend. We candled the rest, and they are either all too solid or full of chick to see anything in them, just solid black.

Sounds like a bad turn out. How long did the eggs sit before they went in the incubator? Do you collect daily?

Re: Chickens

PostPosted: Mon Apr 15, 2013 5:38 pm
by assateague
They were pulled from under the hens about 5 hours before going in the incubator.

Re: Chickens

PostPosted: Mon Apr 15, 2013 5:40 pm
by rebelp74
I'm lost. Don't know what would've caused it. Better luck next go round.

Re: Chickens

PostPosted: Mon Apr 15, 2013 5:44 pm
by Mornin Beef
AT, it's about time you ask yourself if this was all worth it. At less then 2 clams a piece I hope the thought has osmosissed across your jello.

Re: Chickens

PostPosted: Mon Apr 15, 2013 5:48 pm
by assateague
Didn't cost me anything. Eggs were free, and incubator is borrowed. Although it's definitely easier just to go get some damn chicks from the neighbor, but the wife brought these home.

Re: Chickens

PostPosted: Mon Apr 15, 2013 5:49 pm
by Mornin Beef
assateague wrote:Didn't cost me anything. Eggs were free, and incubator is borrowed. Although it's definitely easier just to go get some damn chicks from the neighbor, but the wife brought these home.

Ahh the wife. Say no more.

Re: Chickens

PostPosted: Mon Apr 15, 2013 5:49 pm
by jehler
assateague wrote:How will I know?
shaken the piss out of it and see if it peeps

Re: Chickens

PostPosted: Mon Apr 15, 2013 5:54 pm
by Mornin Beef
jehler wrote:
assateague wrote:How will I know?
shaken the piss out of it and see if it peeps

HAHA it only ends up as your favorite snack from Korea to boot.

Re: Chickens

PostPosted: Mon Apr 15, 2013 6:47 pm
by Goldfish
jehler wrote:
assateague wrote:How will I know?
shaken the piss out of it and see if it peeps

Shake it and piss on it. Wakes it up, warms the egg and the ammonia in the urine softens the egg shell.

sent from a phancy fone

Re: Chickens

PostPosted: Mon Apr 15, 2013 6:49 pm
by assateague
:lol: :lol: I see what you did there.

Re: Chickens

PostPosted: Mon Apr 15, 2013 6:52 pm
by DeadEye_Dan
Did you make sure the gas line was hooked up on the incubator?!

Re: Chickens

PostPosted: Mon Apr 15, 2013 7:02 pm
by assateague
Forgot to choke the chicken, first.