Re: incubator hatched chickens

In article <Xns96D9A2EDAD68Edanny@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>,
diddy <diddy@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

> in thread news:Omelet-FC208F.15010522092005@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx:
> OmManiPadmeOmelet <Omelet@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> whittled the following words:
>
> > In article <Xns96D99F5881BEFdanny@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>,
> > diddy <diddy@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> >
> >> in thread news:Omelet-5B1F8F.14275422092005@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx:
> >> OmManiPadmeOmelet <Omelet@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> whittled the following
> >> words:
> >>
> >> > In article <Xns96D988A12B11Fdanny@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>,
> >> > diddy <diddy@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> >> >
> >> >> in thread news:Omelet-0EE7BF.12192922092005@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx:
> >> >> OmManiPadmeOmelet <Omelet@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> whittled the following
> >> >> words:
> >> >>
> >> >> > In article <Xns96D95F45BFD57danny@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>,
> >> >> > diddy <diddy@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> >> >> >
> >> >> >> Ok I have 4 eggs peeping and wobbling. One hatched this
> >> >> >> morning. It's been hatched for about an hour and a half, and
> >> >> >> it's not holding it's head up yet. It's motoring and flopping
> >> >> >> around the hatcher, peeing like mad, but not able to get
> >> >> >> it'self upright. Is this normal? The other eggs are wobbling
> >> >> >> and peeping, but no sign of the shell breaking yet. They were
> >> >> >> due to hatch yesterday. Is this a bad sign?
> >> >> >
> >> >> > Patience... You can do more harm than good sometimes trying to
> >> >> > "help" too much.
> >> >> >
> >> >> > The chick that is flopping around is normal.
> >> >> > I leave them in the incubator for up to 24 hours, but I have a
> >> >> > cabinet type and put a small cardboard box in there with paper
> >> >> > toweling.
> >> >> >
> >> >> > Is yours the one with the screen bottom so the chick will have
> >> >> > good footing? If so, just leave it be. :-) It takes them a day
> >> >> > or two to recover their strength.
> >> >> >
> >> >> > Hatching is hard work!
> >> >> >
> >> >> > Cheers!
> >> >>
> >> >> How about feed and water in the incubator? (yes, it has wire
> >> >> footing) It's now standing up peeping all over the place)
> >> >
> >> > A baby chick can live off of it's yolk sac for up to 3 days.
> >> > That is why they can be live shipped as newborns. ;-)
> >> >
> >> > If it seems to be up and moving about and not falling over anymore,
> >> > it's safe to move it to a brooder. You are using a shallow chick
> >> > waterer right? Baby chicks are OH so succeptible to drowning!
> >>
> >> It seems really strong and stout now, and hopping all over the place,
> >> but mostly cheeping. My husband says to take it out and show it REAL
> >> chickens. I said they'd KILL it, and besides, its not warm enough out
> >> there for it. He says, think a minute. Birds have been hatching for
> >> millions of years prior to our intervention.
> >
> > Yeah.
> >
> > And humans had a high infant mortality rate prior to medical
> > intervention. ;-) Unless they are hatched/protected by a mommy bird,
> > YOU are mommy bird and they need help and protection...
> >
> >>
> >> He thinks he knows everything about everything. I know I know nothing
> >> about anything. But my gut reaction is that he's wrong on this one.
> >> Chick is still in the hatcher for now. Another just hatched and is
> >> laying quietly on the mesh floor.
> >
> > Do you have a brooder ready?
> I have the same brooder the parents were raised in. It's a horse feed tub
> under a brooder light in the basement. When they outgrow that, they move to
> a childs swimming pool in the basement. Then when they outgrow that, they
> move to a horse stall (with brooder light) in the barn until they are big
> enough to integrate with the other chickens. The dogs won't bother them, so
> I didn't think I needed a dog crate (But i have them)

Sounds like you are good to go. :-)
With that setup, you won't need a crate.
I just use a crate intially as the chicks can get thru the wire
of the rabbit cage I use for further brooding on suspended wire.

Bedding gets messy, I prefer drop thru wire but it's not 100% necessary
if you are willing to clean water containers frequently.

>
> > Chicks need a seriously protected environment for maximal
> > survivability. Did you see the picture I posted?
> yup, and enjoyed it.

:-)

>
> >
> > Please, do go to Barry's site and peruse his section on chick rearing.
> > It's the best site on the entire web:
> >
> > http://www.feathersite.com/Poultry/BRKPoultryPage.html
> will do
> >
> >> >
> >> > If it still seems a bit unstable or the least bit wet, leave it for
> >> > a few more hours. It won't hurt the other eggs.
> >> It's all dry!
> >> >
> >> > The thing is, this is a critical time. You really don't want to be
> >> > opening the incubator a lot and causing fluctuations in
> >> > temperature. If you've ever watched a hen hatch, as soon as eggs
> >> > start pipping, she sits TIGHT to the nest and won't even move off
> >> > for food or water for a couple of days.
> >>
> >> I cleaned the egg and mess out of the incubator. There is no yolk sac
> >> left.
> >
> > Good. But, you do want stability.
> > Glad you have a second chick so far!
> > Chickens are social creatures so babies are generally happier in
> > groups.
> >
> > Cheers!
>
--
Om.

"My mother never saw the irony in calling me a son-of-a-bitch." -Jack Nicholson
.