More chicks!

Today they arrived by priority mail at my Post Office. I purchased 15 B;ue Laced Red Wyandotte chicks. The seller sent 17!  I had their area all set up and the heat lamp on the day before, so it was toasty this morning. I took out each one and dripped its beak in warm sugar water in the fount. They are on paper towels (so they don't eat any beeding) and for the few days i pour the chick feed on the paper towels so they find and eat the feed. A chick developes from the egg white, when it is about to hatch, the chick draws the yolk into its body. The yolk feeds the chick for the first three dys. That's how its possible to ship new born chicks and they are in the mail for 2-3 days. The chicks>>>

 Today I fired up my new incubator and set 20 sky blue eggs from my Ameraucana flock.
The capacity is 24 eggs. But my hens lay large eggs and the bator was full at 20 eggs.

The incubator has octagonal ends, so the eggs are turned by rolling the bator an 1/8 of a turn. Its best to turn the eggs 3 times a day, so every 8 hours I will move the bator. Forward a turn, then back to level and in turn it back an 1/8 this gently rocks the eggs. The reason for turning the eggs is so the developing chick doesn't lay in one position for the entire incubation period- 21 days. If the eggs is not turned the chick would stick to the inside of the shell and perish. On day 18 to hatching the eggs are not turned as the chick is positioning itself to be able to peck its way out of the shell
As my Ameraucanas and Blue Laced Red Wyandottes become breeder flocks to provide me with hatching eggs, I need some hens to be my table egg producers. So I have 12 Production black pullet chicks coming next Tuesday. I have two Production black hens right now, only dark brown egg layers I have and they each pay an egg every day without fail.

If you know how many chickens you have its a sign you have too much free time. Remember if you don't have an exact count, when asked how many chickens you have you can shrug and say Oh a couple dozen!!  To chicken whispers everywhere.....good night and good hatching
Jerry