The new chicks are moved in to the coop. They seem to have strong primal instincts. They chase down bugs and scratch through the weeds like nobody's business. I've never seen such a vigorous bunch of hatchlings before.
Even the damaged chick is doing fairly well. Most of the shell is off his back, although I notice now that he has something- egg liner maybe- stuck to one side of his face. It kind of looks like a dry patch of skin. It's covering part of his eye. Hopefully it will peel off soon. I tried to lift it off gently, but it's wound into his fluff. Still, he's a spunky little thing!
11 eggs were left unhatched. I broke them open and all but two were at least partially developed. Two looked like they should have been ready to hatch with the others, but didn't. All of the partially developed chicks were dark coloured. I wonder if there might be something wrong with the barred rocks. All of the chicks that hatched are light coloured, or red tinged, only one with dark spots. It seems odd to me at least.
UPDATE: I sold the chicks! July 30th, all of them went to the same home.
It is amazing to me that such little creatures instinctually know what to do. That's strange about all the black ones not hatching. Well, all except for the one. I hope that stuff over the eye does not encourage and infection since it has plenty of bacteria around it. Do you think a little warm water would make it easier to get off? Was your percentage of hatched eggs up this time from other times?
ReplyDeleteHatch rate worked out to 60%. I think that's higher, but I'd have to go check my previous posts. Definitely the most hatched so far.
DeleteI'm hoping the stuff will peel as his feathers grow in. He seems fine otherwise.
Just thinking here. Could all the ones that failed have been on one end of the incubator? Did you handle them differently beforehand? I hate to think there is something wrong with your hens.
ReplyDeleteNope, not likely. I mostly can't tell the eggs apart. There are some that are a bit lighter coloured than the rest, which are hatching fine. The darker eggs are a mix of hatched and unhatched. I put them in the rotator each day as I gather them, for a week. Then I start the incubator. It's unlikely that the barred rocks are laying all the eggs that get put on one side. The heat is overhead at any rate, so even if they were it's doubtful that would be a problem. I'm hoping that maybe those two hens just had a rougher winter and may need a bit more time to produce at their best. I only get 4-5 eggs a day from the 10 of them, so you know they're not at their peak.
DeleteI love your blog...I am bookmarking it to read more later! My family has a cabin near Chapleau Ontario..it is beautiful up there!
ReplyDeleteThanks, and welcome, Tanya! Chapleau is almost directly west of us, as the crow flies. Yes, beautiful indeed.
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