The good news is that Gabby's black cock finally has offspring this year! She tried to hatch eggs from his girls late winter through late spring, nothing. He was just one of the girls, he had no interest in doing his roosterly job. Finally, in the heat off summer, he started acting like a rooster again, and Gabby started collecting eggs.
The first hatch was last weekend, with 2 more staggered hatches in the incubator.
All the eggs in the hatcher hatched, one was much later than the others. 5 of the 12 had varying degree of splayed leg? The eggs hatched a full day earlier than expected. When I washed the hatching tray there was a slight dried blood residue over the bottom? All the chicks are fine now but the one late hatcher, still have it in a bandaid splint, we'll see if it makes it. The chicks when fully dried were moved to a brooder box with puppy pads over wood pellet bedding for traction.
Incubator info: Brinsea 190, fully electronic with humidity pump. Similar to sportman cabinet only a bit smaller.
New this winter, we hatched out 85 Dutch bantams and 12 Ameraucanas this past winter & spring. Great upgrade from the Little Giant we used for years.
The Dutch always hatched out at 20 days, not uncommon for small bantams. The Ameraucanas about 14 to 18 hours later. All the eggs spent 18 days in incubator racks and then transfered to plastic mesh hatching tray on the bottom of the incubator.
Humidity was set at 55 and then raised to 59 for hatching. Popped chicks out like popcorn. Had one Dutch with splayed leg but that one had other problems, it was the only chick we lost.
I dont recall the dried "blood" residue on the bottom of the hatching tray?
Any ideas of what may have occured?
