Second batch on their way out!

[mandi plus five]

After my very anxious wait for the first lot of eggs to hatch last week, the week has flown by and they are all doing well, including the little one that I thought wouldn't make it, so I am one very happy lady.
Already of the second batch of eight I have two hatched and three with pips, such a different feeling with this lot, so much more relaxed and now starting to enjoy the experience, although I must admit I never realised how noisy they would be!!
I shall post pics in a couple of days.

 

[chrismahon]

Then there is the dust Mandi. Our study became a grey area, literally! The feather dust was so thick the paperwork on my desk could not be read. Nice to wake up and come down to the sound of happy chicks for a week. After that they go onto day and night hours and I wake them up by drawing back the curtains and suddenly lots of fluffy little bottoms are sticking out of the sides of the feeder.

 

[mandi plus five]

We had a 100% hatch, all eight chicks are bouncing around in the incubator!!
Had a man come and fix the tumble dryer which is out in the utility where the incubator is, by the time he had fixed it the final two chicks had hatched, amazing!
You are so right about the dust, its everywhere!!
Now to attempt to integrate them....or I shall be running out tomorrow to get another brooder!!

 

[gazeds]

Do they make that much dust, i've got 19 egg's about to hatch next tuesday, and the incubator is in the living room' look's like it will have to go in the garage? 19

 

[chrismahon]

Problem is the relative size of the two batches of chicks and the first batch will already be a flock and won't like intruders. The little ones need more heat than the older ones anyway. We tried mixing them and failed. I'd get another brooder Mandi.

19 eggs is going to be a fair bit of dust Gazeds. Then you will realise what our study looked like after 16 weeks and 46 of them! Never again will we rear chicks inside the house. Custom insulated shed is the best bet I think. Can double as a 'sick bay' as well.

 

[mandi plus five]

All fifteen chicks now in the brooder happily together.
Not sure if it is the laid back Orpington Breed, but the new chicks have settled in brilliantly with the slightly older chicks.
Each time I moved pairs of chicks over I took all of the other chicks out into a large cardboard box, placed the new ones in the brooder, then placed the older ones back into the brooder, therefore not introducing new ones into their environment, but mingling them all together, and much to my delight it has worked brilliantly.
The younger ones have tended to huddle at the back of the heater, and the older ones have settled at the front, they also taught the new ones how to eat and drink, I am truly amazed.

 

[chrismahon]

Really pleased about that Mandi. Good technique for integration which we call the 'disorientation' approach as the established ones have been removed from their territory. Works when they are adults as well. We have Orpingtons and they are very laid back. Unfortunately we tried to mix Wyandottes and they are exactly the opposite!