Rabbieboy Posted August 6, 2007 Share Posted August 6, 2007 We have 7 Shetland hen eggs and 3 RIR X Wyandotte eggs due to hatch any time soon and my partner has just called (I'm in Shetland working) to tell me she had a note in the post today to say the electric will be off for maintenance all day Wednesday. It's not much notice and what do we do about powering our incubator and brooder. This is our 1st attempt at incubating eggs and it all seems to be going wrong at the last minute. The woman over the road say's her friend could plug them in for the day but she lives about 15 minutes drive from us, would that be too long without heat? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xChicken04x Posted August 6, 2007 Share Posted August 6, 2007 Iam sure 15 minutes will be fine. People make incubators out of a crad board box with bubble wrap on the inside. If you individually wrap the eggs in bubble wrap and put them in a box with shredde paper in iam sure they will be fine! good luck xx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
starboyhull Posted August 6, 2007 Share Posted August 6, 2007 I dont know about hatching chickens, but we used to keep parrots and the suc like and I know the hens then used to come out and feed for upto 30 mins at a time, I would think 15 minutes away would be okay.....Although im sure someone with experience will be along soon..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rabbieboy Posted August 6, 2007 Author Share Posted August 6, 2007 One of the chicks just hatched My partner just called, she can hardly contain herself. She was watching tv when all of a sudden the dogs ran into the next room and were sniffing the incubator and wagging their tales. It's one of the RIR X that hatched. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
starboyhull Posted August 6, 2007 Share Posted August 6, 2007 Congratulations Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ladylucan Posted August 6, 2007 Share Posted August 6, 2007 Congratulations on the newborn.xx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xChicken04x Posted August 6, 2007 Share Posted August 6, 2007 WOW i bet that was a suprise! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
feemcg Posted August 6, 2007 Share Posted August 6, 2007 Congratulations - exciting isn't it? If they've started hatching hopefully they'll all be out by Wednesday. Stick a hot water bottle in the brooder and they'll be fine till the bulb heats up again Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted August 6, 2007 Share Posted August 6, 2007 Congratulations. How exciting for you both. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mel (& Paul) Posted August 7, 2007 Share Posted August 7, 2007 How egg-citing!!! (well someone had to say it!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ladylucan Posted August 7, 2007 Share Posted August 7, 2007 Have anymore hatched yet?, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rabbieboy Posted August 7, 2007 Author Share Posted August 7, 2007 One more has hatched during the night, it's another one from the brown eggs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ladylucan Posted August 7, 2007 Share Posted August 7, 2007 Bless, two down, how many more have you got ?, x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rabbieboy Posted August 7, 2007 Author Share Posted August 7, 2007 We started with 3 brown eggs from my friends hens which are RIR x Wyandotte females and a RIR cockerel and we have 7 blue eggs from the Shetland hens, I work up here but have never seen a Shetland hen in the flesh. One of the boys that work with me picked up 9 eggs from a friend but 2 eggs were damaged on the flight home, there is no sign of anything happening from the blue's but this is still only day 20. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ladylucan Posted August 7, 2007 Share Posted August 7, 2007 Fingers crossed then x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rabbieboy Posted August 7, 2007 Author Share Posted August 7, 2007 One of the blue eggs has started to hatch an hour ago. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
feemcg Posted August 7, 2007 Share Posted August 7, 2007 Rab, are they large fowl or bantam Shetlands? Just curious as I enquired about Shetland eggs and was told they're mostly bantams up there and that large fowl were hard to get.(OH's son and his girlfriend are just home after teaching in Mid Yell and Unst for the last year). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rabbieboy Posted August 7, 2007 Author Share Posted August 7, 2007 They are the large ones (or so I'm told) the eggs are quite big , one of the locals my work mate is related to has a croft and is in to Shetland breeds. He has shetland lambs and I think he had some cattle at one time. He does have a few other hens but keeps the Shetland ones seperate. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rabbieboy Posted August 7, 2007 Author Share Posted August 7, 2007 My first born. ;D ;D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ladylucan Posted August 7, 2007 Share Posted August 7, 2007 OH bless, they are beautiful. you must be very proud x good luck with the rest Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
feemcg Posted August 7, 2007 Share Posted August 7, 2007 Very cute . I hope you're heading home soon 'cos they grow very quickly!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rabbieboy Posted August 7, 2007 Author Share Posted August 7, 2007 I'ts 2 weeks today before I'm home They will be ready to lay eggs by then Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rabbieboy Posted August 7, 2007 Author Share Posted August 7, 2007 I just spoke to my partner and .... We have another hatched chick It's one of the Shetland eggs and the chick is a dark brown/black colour........and another Shetland egg has started to hatch. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rabbieboy Posted August 8, 2007 Author Share Posted August 8, 2007 The electric company are at the house and the generator is in place and we have these :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ladylucan Posted August 8, 2007 Share Posted August 8, 2007 Oh gosh, they are so sweet...... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
