Michigan Chickens: March 2016

Well, Monday was hatching day. Unfortunately, it did not go well. We hatched 10 of the 22 eggs we incubated. Two died. One never fully got out of the shell, even with help, and the other died yesterday because it had, as a fried eloquently put it, "pooped it's guts." Not pleasant. I was somewhat depressed yesterday with those two deaths.
Anyway, only one egg hatched on it's own! Cathrine started peeping in the egg on Sunday night and even woke me up at one am with her peeping!! (I sleep above where the incubator was and the brooder is.) She was the "Alpha." We didn't know it but you can't open the lid of the incubator once a chick has pipped (Made a small hole in the shell.). We did this. A lot. So we ended up having to do what in the egg world would have been a C-section. We slowly chipped off the shell and helped them out of the membrane. There are videos on You Tube if you need to see how to do one.
As for my video, it has disappeared. I don't know how or why but it has. I can't find it!! I will keep looking for it though!
Tuesday it snowed again... A new foot of snow to replace what had mostly melted. We missed Band today because of it. We spent the morning hours using our very inadequate snow blower to plow our way through enough to be able to drive out.
After some thought, we decided to go to our local Tractor Supply and bought 12 more chicks. They are Black Sex Link chickens. (Click the name to learn more.) So far they are doing well. Praying that none die.
We are feeding them a special chick food and have various "watering holes." When they come out of the shell and are dry and you take them to the brooder, make sure to dip their beak in the water to show them where it is.
I will try to post more soon...
Day three of chicks!!