Day 24 of hatching and a review of incubating

It's day 24 of the silver Wyandotte incubation period.  Despite checking three or four times a day, there is no change.  Not that it will make any difference how often I check.

I am starting to think that the remaining two eggs are not going to hatch. It could be a variety of reasons, so i thought it may be useful to write about some of the factors that can affect a hatch in an incubator.

• Time of year - hens will not naturally sit or go broody at the moment, spring is on its way, so hopefully a later attempt in middle of February will be more successful.  There is of course the possibility that the cockerel is not quite firing on all four cylinders, he may of course still be in hibernation mode.
• Quality of eggs - there is no doubt in my mind that quality at this time of year will not be as good.  The shells can be quite porous due to the feed being eaten being used by the hens for heat and new feather growth rather than producing eggs.
• Temperature of incubator and position - I have been told and read that even half a degree can result in late hatching and it could even result in a failed hatching.  It is also important to consider the location of the incubator.  If kept in a drafty position or somewhere that temperatures and humidity can fluctuate it can put strain on the incubator and even though they are designed to keep a constant temperature, it could result in subtle drops in temperate for short periods inside.
• Calibration of the thermometer - this is something I have not checked.  One way of checking you thermometer is working is removing from the incubator, and putting it in a bucket of ice.  This way you can check if it is reading 0 degrees.  If not, you can adjust your setting to reflect this.  The only problem with this method is that my incubator does not have a full thermometer in it so it would not work in my case.  I will just work on the basis it is set correctly.
• Humidity - in the UK it is certainty more critical in the last 3-4 days to get this correct.  I have recently heard of dry incubating, where the eggs are set without the use of water as we have high humidity in the UK.  Water is only used in the last 3-4 days when he increase in humidity is required.  I used water all the way through my incubation.
• Frequency of turning - I have an auto turning incubator, but if you don't and need to manually turn the eggs, its critical to turn at least 3 times a day, most suggest turning 5 times a day.  If you turn manually you need to ensure you mark the eggs so you know they have been turned.

Of course you can avoid all of this by using a broody hen, but who knows when a hen will go broody, and you are limited to 6-8 eggs depending on breed type.
Plus where is the fun and learning experience!

Thanks for reading

Wyandotte chicks get more space

I have been quiet for too long so here is a new entry! ;-)



Picture from Wikipedia

I have been trying to make Mother hen, Treacle and her chicks Pinky and Perky comfortable.

We had another huge amount of rain recently.  My back garden looks a little like a rugby pitch.  Hens feet and like mini potato mashers on boggy ground and you end up with mashed grass very quickly.

With Pinky still thinking that Treacle is a donkey on the beach, she is looking muddier than a very happy Tamworth pig!

So I have spent the last couple of days devising a way of giving them access to my main run.  Blocking off the far end and creating a safe tunnel for them to walk from the broody coop to the run.

Well, proud as punch, I have managed it, here are the photo's.

The chicks are doing well, and seem to enjoy jumping on and off the ramp in and out of the main run.  Treacle is happy scratching around in the sand and wood chip.  So all in all, a success.  Now that does not happen often.

I used the wire shelving from a mini greenhouse that I had stored in the garage.  No damage done to the shelving, managed to squeeze it in the run opening and then taped together with some duck tape.  The tape is really strong and clear, useful for all sorts of thinks like repairing rips in polysheet covering for pollytunnels, or saving a broken pane of glass in a window or greenhouse!  I bought it from B&Q.  Best thing I ever bought like that.

 

I have been trying to find some breeders of Gold lace Bantam Wyandotte's without much success recently.  A few I have spoken to seem to suggest they are popular but take a long time to mature.  I'm not sure why, I will have to research.

Thanks for reading

Me with my old timer Custard - 4 years old

Wyandotte Chicks update day 4

The chicks are doing well.

I need to start thinking of names.  I have no idea if they are hens or cockerels, so 2 names of each should work. 

Last time I ask Jake my eldest for name suggestions, he decided on Spiderman for the Rhode Island Red Chick.  Rhys suggested Ben 10!!  Not really what I'm looking for.  For now Pinky and Perky will do.

Anyway, as mentioned in my last blog, I moved the broody coop and run on Sunday.

It is a compact coop and run.  It does not have a door to shut on the nest area but is well protected.  This however presented me with my first challenge.  Every time I moved towards the coop Treacle, Pinky and Perky walked into the run.  So I could not move it without risking an injury to them.

I checked most of the morning on Sunday and they seem to have camped permanently in the run.
Around 3 pm I had a little luck.  They were in the nest, but yet again they ran out to see what was happening.
I decided to pick the whole coop up.  BAD idea!

Treacle Pinky and Perky ran out and sat under the nearest bush!
Interesting!

I moved the run to the fresh grass and then tried to encourage Treacle into the run hoping that Pinky and Perky would follow.



Photo from Photobucket.com

 I forget how agile hens can be, especially when there are chicks involved.  Treacle raised the feathers on the back of her neck, opened here wings and had a look in her eye that said "do you feel lucky? Well do ya punk?".

Dirty Harry would have been proud.

As it happened I did not feel lucky, so I backed off.
She lowered her guard and turned her back to me.  So I took my opportunity and grabbed hold of her.  She was not impressed so I made a dash to the coop and put her safely in.

Then it was time for Pinky and Perky.  Easy?  Hmmm.  More slippery than a jellied eel.  But I did catch them.
They were so light and soft.  I did not hold them long as I did not want to upset Treacle.

So, what was intended to be a simple job turned into a mini adventure really.
Here they are nice a safe in their coop.
Please excuse the noise, Rhys and Ewan, my youngest, decided it was noisy time.

Thanks for reading.

Broody Speckledy Final 24 Hours

It is the eve of hatching in the Homer household.  For me its almost as exciting as Christmas! ;-) 24 hours and counting!



Photo from incubatorwarehouse.com

There are no signs of piping yet.  (This is where the chick has broken through the sack inside the egg to reach the air sack and started breaking the outer shell of the egg). Treacle has however become very defensive over her eggs.



Two days ago she happily allowed me to pick her off the nest and place her next to the food and water.  Now it's like playing chicken on the Silverstone race track with a Ferrari F1 racing car.  She pecks at anything that moves especially my hands and fingers.  She is so quick it is impossible to dodge.
I may have to start wearing gloves.  :-(

I have read that hens can hear the chicks chirping inside the eggs the day before hatching.  To encourage the chicks to hatch they call back to them.  I think I heard Treacle doing this today as I filled the food and water containers.  Fingers crossed these little Wyandotte chicks will hatch soon.

I will post another update tomorrow, hopefully with good news!
Thanks for reading.

Broody Speckledy Hen Update Day 19

Rhode Island Red chick

Its 2 days and counting until we hope to hear the sound of chirping from the broody coop. 
It could of course be sooner.  The Rhode Island Red (left) that Treacle hatched 3 to 4 months ago arrived a day early.  Fortunately I had already bought a small pack of chick crumbs just in case.

The chicks apparently survive on the last of the undigested yolk in the stomach for 24 to 48 hours so in theory you could buy the food after the chicks have hatched, but I am concerned that the chick will try and eat the layers pellets in the run that Treacle has been eating.  The high calcium content in the layers can apparently kill the chick.  So I will be off to the local shop in the next day or two and will start feeding Treacle on the chick crumbs.  It will help her get back into condition quicker as it is higher in protein.

Treacle with quite a pale comb

I have also noticed that she is getting a little smelly.  I know chickens honk at the best of times, but she seems to have really let herself go this time in order to look after the eggs.

Broody hens can look quite ill and anaemic, so anything I can do to help her get back in to shape I will start as soon as I can.  I expect I will be buying poultry spice and poultry tonic as well as the chick crumbs.

No, before you say anything poultry spice is not the chicken version of old spice!  Its a mixture of spices like ginger that is in powder form that you add to the food.  Gives them a bit of a helping hand if feeling low and is worth giving in the winter time.

day 19 - photo from backgardenchickens.com

I tried candling the eggs the other day, but as the eggs are quite pale I could not see a lot.  That said I think at least one of the eggs seems to be progressing well.

Fingers crossed in the next 3 days I will be reporting hatchings with photos if possible.

Good luck Treacle!

Thanks for reading.

Broody Speckledy Hen

As I type my Speckledy Hen has been sat on her eggs in her new Broody Coop for the last 7 days.  Only 14 days to go - fingers crossed!!!

My first broody coop

I bought my first broody coop recently on the basis that I would put my broody hen in there to stop her from upsetting the other 2 hens.  The egg laying was all over the place including in the run.
I should really introduce my hens.

Treacle - Speckledy Hybrid
Pudding - Bluebelle Hybrid
Custard - Light White Sussex Hybrid (one of my originals) AKA "Big Bird"

Treacle is broody and has been for 2/3 weeks now.

Here she is with Rhode Island Red chick that she hatched earlier in the year.

The farm I bought the eggs from agreed that if they were cockerels they would have them back.  Guess what?........Yes it was a cockerel.  Beautiful looking bird and when it started cock-a-doodle-doing I knew it was time for him to go.  My neighbours would not thank me, mind you neither would my wife and 3 boys.

After moving Treacle into here new home, I found myself searching eBay for fertile hen eggs for sale.  This was not the intention, but I could not help myself.

I saw a lovely looking bantam hen in the October 2012 issue of the Country Smallholding Poultry Magazine.    It was a Bantam Gold Laced Wynedotte.
As luck would have it there were 6 eggs on eBay.  I bid for them and WON!!!


So, lucky Treacle has now been sat on the 6 eggs for the last 7 days doing a great job.  She does need reminding to get of the nest and have a drink and food every now and then, but a small hand full of corn tends to encourage her out.  Saves me being pecked as I try and pick her up.

I'm hoping they will hatch, not the best time of year I know, but I would love to be able to breed from them as they are very pretty birds.


I will keep the site updated with progress, and if by some miracle the all hatch, I will need to be finding homes for some!!

Thanks again for reading.