The only problem I ran into was the temperature difference within the unit--heat rises, so the top of the incubator would be warmer than the bottom (where you place eggs the final three days of incubation). Trying to keep the temps even throughout the unit so that the eggs on top didn't get too hot and the ones on the bottom too cold, turned out to be difficult and fussy. Both hatches suffered and we had a higher number of eggs that were either early quitters (dying within 7-10 days of incubation) and late quitters (chicks dying or having profound birth defects at day 18 of incubation). I also had a higher number of chicks that I had to assist (4) at hatch time. So I won't be running two hatches at the same time in the same incubator again, but it was worth it to find out if it worked...technically it did, but just was not the optimum way to go.
But the chicks that we did get seem healthy and happy! Some of the chicks have food color spots of blue, green or red on them in different places to help us keep track of who's who. Although in retrospect, giving the chicks strawberries to eat just before I took pictures wasn't the best idea--so pardon the strawberry on their faces.
Starting with the 3/19-3/20 Hatch A, 9 chicks. Here they are in order of hatch, strawberries and all:
The first 5 chicks are from eggs laid by our flock.
Ninja, a buff bantam with a faint grey back stripe.
Jimmy, a little black and white bantam, again sporting vulture hocks so at least part Belgian d'Uccle.
Snakefast, probably had Alice, a Barred Rock for mama. No leg feathers.
Eureka, who is also growing vulture hocks so is part Belgian d'Uccle.
Ham, a very large chick hatched from a standard-sized egg, but surprise--! Has vulture hocks so has Bloop the MilleFleur Belgian d'Uccle rooster for a dad! I suspect that one of the light Brahma girls is mom. I admire Bloop's dedication--it reminds me of a tall friend I have that says, 'I'm tall but I'm worth the climb!'
The last 4 chicks in Hatch A were all hatched from eggs that I ordered online, the breeds of their mamas vary but all had a partridge Silkie roo named Bill for a daddy.
Blossom, a very pretty chick!
Blossom has very interesting head markings.
Here Kitty Kitty.
Kitty was vocal in her displeasure of picture time.
Tuxedo, clearly a sister of Blossom.
Tuxedo really enjoyed the strawberries.
Theodore Roostervelt, who has such a pernicious case of poopybutt that the kid has taken to calling her Theodore Poosterbutt.
But at least this end of Theo is cute.
Hatch B, 13 chicks that hatched 3/26-3/27, all from our flock. Again in order of hatch.
Toaster, a little bantam. Mama was a bantam, but with that tell-tale Americaunas back stripe, daddy was one of the big roos.
Diane, who has no leg feathers.
Pluffy, another bantam with an Americaunas mix daddy.
Chicken Pox, an Americaunas mix who was named by our favorite Kindergarten class in Georgia!
Bubbles
Sushi, hatched from an Americaunas egg but a very tiny chick. She was being an uncooperative butt during picture time and applying some Grade A stinkeye to me.
Tingle, a very pretty chick who hatched from such a large egg that I originally thought it might be a double-yolker.
Tikka
Cluckadorkle
Seagoat, hatched from an egg laid by Jellybean, our half-Kraienkoppe hen.
Kevin, mama was one of the gray Giant Cochin ladies.
Sprinkles, mama was an Americaunas.
Buttercup (and yes, this makes the PowerPuff Girls complete)
As they grow, feather out and get their combs/wattles, they will be easier to tell apart and we'll be able to forgo the food color spots.
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