Not parrots, but incubator troubleshooting

[bug_n_flock]

Thanks. Coturnix I have also raised button quail in the past, but not since before I moved to the forest.

Might be getting a few peachicks soon emailing with someone who is hatching eggs for their neighbor. Gave them a list of stuff I could trade with, would be reeeeal cool if I could get some peachicks without parting with any cash. Hoping to trade my last goat and maybe some turkey poults or rabbits or something for 3 or 4 chicks.

 

[TiredOldMan]

I used to have a lot of peafowl. Probably the most curious birds I have ever know and generally laid back. Most people would complain about their screams but I liked it. Just as good of watchdogs as guineas.
Of course they insist on roasting over or on the house.....a real mess.

 

[bug_n_flock]

Peachicks didn't work out. The lady's neighbor wanted cash only for the chicks and I'm just not looking to drop 200$ on four chicks right now. I'm right about to buy an AC this week, have hay coming, need to fix my phone, etc etc etc the list goes on. Money is just so dang *expensive* these days

Anyway, so far no signs of life from the quail eggs I moved to the hatcher/small incubator. Pretty sure they got fully fully pasteurized/cooked when that 120° spike happened. A few chickens "due" in a few days, and turkeys next week. Not really "expecting" them to hatch tho. The ones after that should hopefully be good tho. I put in those 22 or so quail eggs back around when I started this thread, then I put another 36 in yesterday, and I think 6 or 7 more turkey eggs. I don't remember exactly how many but it's written down on the calendar

Meanwhile the first batches of various chicks that hatched, I sold the ducklings and the chick that I'd had in the same brooder with them. The first 6 chickens who hatched, and the first 8 turkeys are now in the poultry yard with my adults after a week or so in a dog crate in their pen to introduce them without bullying. And the Singleton quail and Singleton turkey are sharing a brooder together.

Kinda hoping *all* the cooked eggs actually did get *kooked* cooked, because I don't wanna have to set up another brooder for just one or two chicks. Think I'd just sell them immediately if only one hatches again. I've got enough work right now plus the issue of space. If only one or two hatches now, and then the next eggs *all* hatch, I'm gonna need the brooder space for the younger birds

 

[bug_n_flock]

The quail eggs were all bad from that last batch, as expected. Tomorrow I find out if any of the turkeys survived the spike(doubt it, only one looked even semi questionable, the rest were definitely bad so I tossed them at the last candling)

I moved 22 quail eggs and the one turkey egg to the smaller incubator/hatcher. Fingers crossed.

Also sadly when I was adding more quail eggs after pulling those to the hatcher, I dropped one hard on the others, and two of the partway ones cracked. Membrane still intact, but enough damage and early enough into incubating that I made the call that they were doomed sadly. So I carefully peeled the shell back and saw that yes they were developing correctly (so the other 30 something in that batch are probably also doing well) and then i ended them as quickly as i could. Sad, but better than infection setting in and then them putting the other eggs at risk too.

Put 19 more duck eggs and 30 something more quail eggs, so now the incubator is *completely* full for the next two weeks till the next batch of eggs are due to hatch. So I'm trying to figure out what to do with the half dozen turkey eggs I have sitting ready to be incubated. I've got one friend nearby who keeps chickens but idk if he has an incubator. I sent him a message asked him if he wants the eggs tho anyway just in case.

The ducks I won't keep, I don't need any new ducks this year, so I'll list them for sale as soon as they hatch.

 

[bug_n_flock]

I forget what I posted where. But I have an ac now, and also decided not to just pack up the incubator yet(clearly, lol). People still seem to have a lot of interest in buying various kinds of chicks, and the birds are still laying, so figure why not. Especially now that I have the air conditioner it's alot easier to get work done despite the heat, to deal with having a brooder heat lamp on inside the cabin, to get enough sleep, etc etc etc.

 

[DonnaBudgie]

I forget what I posted where. But I have an ac now, and also decided not to just pack up the incubator yet(clearly, lol). People still seem to have a lot of interest in buying various kinds of chicks, and the birds are still laying, so figure why not. Especially now that I have the air conditioner it's alot easier to get work done despite the heat, to deal with having a brooder heat lamp on inside the cabin, to get enough sleep, etc etc etc.

Climate control is one of my top priorities. I couldn't live without AC because I don't tolerate heat well. Good luck with your eggs!

 

[bug_n_flock]

The way I live it really was "tolerable" not to have AC. Work in the morning on hot days, rest in my cabin in front of a fan in the afternoons when it's hottest. Popsicles, cold meals, smoothies, cold drinks. Got thru 2 or 3 summers like that, and I wouldn't have got AC if not for the puppy. .

Tho, now that I do have it, I'm astonished at how much of a difference it has made for me. One more point of "evidence" supporting that I wouldn't in a million years have chosen Spike's breed mix if I'd been looking for a puppy, but that he is absolutely perfect and exactly what I needed.


One quail survived the hatch.

At least half the eggs were clear, so had got cooked completely in the initial temp spike. Many were dead in shell. A few I thought maybe might survive hatch, one even got out of the shell, but it's not alive this morning. Looks like it never stood up. Feet messed up I assume from the temps. But the one that hatched out completely on its own is alive and feisty. So I guess I'll be raising another Singleton chick in the brooder. This time there isn't even a similarly aged turkey to put it with like last time. Sigh. Another quail hatch next week, those ones didn't have any temp spikes. The incubator got unplugged yesterday accidentally tho, but not for too long, maybe an hr or so, when I plugged it back in the thermometer read 91.something, and was back up to proper temp in a few minutes so I don't think any damage was done. I was fooling around with starting getting my fridge set up and I'm 99% sure that's when I accidentally unplugged it so I *know* it wasn't for very long.

The first Singleton quail is normal. But the Singleton turkey I raised in the brooder with it at the same time is absolutely *obnoxious*. Bird is way too bonded to me and screams, loudly, any time I am out of view or if it can see me sleeping(maybe it thinks I'm dead?). I was really fed up and even was gonna sell it because sleep is important. But lately I've just been putting it outside at night so it doesn't seem me sleeping at sunrise and start demanding I wake up and I think it's a male too, it's been strutting. So an overly bonded male turkey related to all my girls. Great. What am I gonna do with this bird

 

[DonnaBudgie]

I know the feeling about having a bird that won't leave you alone! My youngest budgie Joey insists on climbing all over me when she's out of her cage, which is for about six hours a day! She lands on my head and climbs down my face, picks at every single skin flaw (I have lots), sits on my hand while I chop veggies, or brush my teeth and even tries to climb into my mouth!
But she's just a little budgie- I can't imagine a big turkey following me around all day- or maybe I can . . . (cue for husband joke)!