June 19
We had the Backyard Chicken Meeting two weeks early on May 11th as eggs in my incubator were due to hatch that day. Two chicken eggs & 4 guinea fowl. The guinea eggs had been in the incubator for 28 days with 4 manual turns daily. The chick eggs had been added a week later as they hatch after 21 days.
The evening before the meeting small cracks were visible on the chick eggs. I checked them at midnight, 3am and at 6am one small chick had hatched but needed a couple more hours in the incubator to dry & fluff out. At 8 am I introduced the fluffy bundle to his new quarters. A large net cage containing a heater, a dish of chick crumbs and another shallow dish of water and marbles. (The marbles prevent the tiny chicks from drowning) Before placing the chick under the heater I tipped its beak gently into the water for its first drink.
Members arrived at 2 pm and I introduced them to the new arrival then we examined the other egg which was moving around, the crack getting larger and lots of pipping sounds could be heard.
The meeting began and we discussed henhouses, different breeds and general care of hens. Whilst sorting out the refreshments I notice the egg in the incubator had an enormous crack and bits of chick could be seen. Everyone gathered around with lots of oohs & aahs and eventually the little chick emerged with the most enormous feet. Click Hatching chick to see the event.
The two chicks now 3 days old are a delight and very friendly. As for the 4 guinea fowl eggs, they remain in the incubator lifeless. Tomorrow I will perform autopsies to see why they never hatched.
Guinea Fowl Autopsy Report.
Sunday 16th June.
3 guinea fowl eggs ! infertile
1 guinea egg contained a grown but unhatched chick.
! causes,
I short power cut.
Egg disturbed when chicks hatched.
Latest news on new chicks. Now at least 3 times bigger than when hatched on Tuesday and very NOISY.
Isabel
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