hatching
hatching on Alektorophobia: a running collection of 10 stories we have gathered and hand-picked because they are worth your time. Every post here touches on hatching in some way — the news, the analysis, the deep dives, and the occasional surprise find. Chickens. Everything there is to know about chickens and the fear of them. New stories are added to this page as we find them, so check back if you want to keep up with what is happening around hatching, or subscribe to the RSS feed to get them as soon as they are published. Browse the collection below, or head back to the homepage to see everything Alektorophobia is covering right now.
I can't believe it! 🥹
Hold the cluck! 🎉 A truly egg-cellent story from our community! User /u/anet_12468 recently shared an unbelievable tale of resilience amidst a recent heatwave. After fearing the worst – that a scorching spell had impacted her hens’ eggs – they discovered a miraculous surprise: two chicks hatched from a clutch of six! One hen, Pippa, even managed a second brood this year, defying expectations. It’s a testament to the tenacity of these feathered friends, and a heartwarming reminder that even in challenging conditions, life finds a way. Witnessing such determination is simply cluck-tastic! Want to observe chicken behavior firsthand? Check out our "Peckington Square Chicken City Livestream 24/7 Cam" for a constant feed of feathered antics.
One chicken
## The Last Cluck Standing: Will Your Solo Hen Be Okay? After 15 years of feathered friends, it's tough to see your flock dwindle! Losing a chicken is always heartbreaking, and you're right to wonder about your survivor. Having just one hen, especially after a loss, can be unsettling. While chickens are social creatures, it's not a guaranteed path to loneliness or "chicken madness." Many single hens thrive, adapting to their solitary life. Observe her closely for changes in behavior—anything beyond her usual quirks. She might miss the company, but with consistent care and attention from you, she can absolutely continue to live a happy, cluck-tastic life.
Update- we have life!
Life update! Following a chilly night, we sadly lost one of Franky’s chicks, a stark reminder of the challenges of raising feathered friends. However, the remaining chick is thriving and adorable, and the three eggs under Franky are progressing nicely – a week or so until they’re ready to hatch! We’ve had a bit of a relocation saga, but after a rather unconventional “airlift” maneuver (yes, we literally moved Franky and her nest!), she’s happily settled into a new, cozy pen. This experience highlights the unpredictable joys of chicken keeping! If you've ever encountered similar challenges, check out our article, "Hens with poop on their butt," for insights into common chicken care issues.
Tips for new broody chicken mama?
Congratulations on your hen's hatching success! Witnessing a broody hen raise chicks is a truly *cluck-tastic* experience, and your dedication to ensuring their well-being is admirable. While incubating chicks yourself is one thing, letting a mama hen take the reins introduces a delightful, albeit slightly nerve-wracking, new dimension. Your concerns are spot-on – new chicks require extra attention! To maximize your little ones’ chances of thriving, prioritize easy access to food and water. The baby waterer is a smart move, and monitoring for drowning is always prudent. For ramp navigation, gentle encouragement may be all that's needed. And yes, "shrink wrapping" is a valid worry; keeping the coop well-ventilated is key.
URGENT!! Chickens hatching under broody hen- do I do anything??
## Urgent Hatching Help! A Broody Hen's Surprise Delivery! Panic setting in as your broody hen surprises you with a clutch of hatching chicks? We get it – it’s a *cluck-tastic* situation! While hatching chicks is usually egg-cellent, that early loss has you understandably worried. Don't chickening out! Generally, leaving them to it is the best approach; intervention can often do more harm than good. A light misting with water *can* help if you notice any chicks struggling to break free, but avoid overdoing it. This is a common conundrum, and you're not alone! For a look at some other adorable chicken updates, check out "Young adults!": I promised like a month ago to post these beauties as grown ups.
The flock investigates the tiny, barely audible from outside cheeps from the chick that Canary just hatched in her crate inside the workshop.
The workshop has become quite the cluck-tastic maternity ward! Our feathered friends possess surprisingly acute hearing, and the entire flock has gathered on the deck, patiently awaiting news of Canary’s newly hatched chick. The tiny cheeps, barely audible from outside, have captivated everyone – it’s a genuine moment of fowl play! We’re keeping a close watch, because let's be honest, even seasoned chicken enthusiasts experience a flutter of anticipation (and maybe a touch of "chickening out" nervousness) when new life arrives. For a deeper dive into egg-laying adventures, check out our recent article, "TJ laid an egg, straight into the incubator it goes." Stay tuned for updates as this little one makes its debut!
TJ laid an egg, straight into the incubator it goes
## TJ's Big Moment: A Straight-From-the-Hen Egg! Cluck-tastic news, folks! TJ, one of our feathered friends, has delivered a beautiful, straight egg – and it’s headed directly into the incubator! A perfect egg is always egg-citing, and we’re eagerly anticipating the potential for some new additions to the flock. A huge thanks to /u/SatanikRaccoon for sharing this delightful moment with us. Want to learn more about what makes our chickens so special? Check out our "Compilation of my favorite Peewee clips and explanation why his tail is pink :) (sound!)" for a deeper dive into our flock's personalities. Stay tuned for updates as this little egg’s journey unfolds!
I put shelf liner down in my incubator and now my eggs have weird marks on them
Oh dear, those lumpy egg impressions are a bit unsettling, aren't they? It sounds like you stumbled into a bit of *fowl play* with that shelf liner! While seemingly a clever way to prevent egg-rolling, certain shelf liner materials can react with the eggs, leaving those marks—and potentially impacting humidity levels critical for proper development. It’s best to ditch the liner; manually turning the eggs, though a bit trickier, is the safer route. Don't chickening out on the manual turning! It's a small price to pay for healthy chicks. Speaking of chicken behavior, if you're also dealing with a feathered friend who enjoys blocking doorways, you might find some relatable insights in our article, “Ginger, the Great Door Blocker.”
Incubation: I'm hand turning. Would it be best to turn 3x a day instead of 5x since I'll have to be opening the incubator each time?
## Hand-Turning Incubation: Finding the Sweet Spot So, you're hand-turning your eggs – cluck-tastic effort! It’s a common conundrum when your egg turner can’t handle the whole clutch. Our community member /u/Kitchen_Possible_159 is wrestling with exactly that, questioning whether 3 turns a day is better than 5, given the temperature and humidity fluctuations from repeated incubator openings. With 18 eggs and a turner for only 12, they're considering culling non-fertile eggs to match capacity – a tough decision! The key takeaway here is balancing consistent turning with minimizing environmental disruption. For more insights into flock dynamics, check out our recent discussion on "Weird behavior" and introducing a rooster. Let's hear your hand-turning tips and experiences – share your egg-citing successes (and challenges) in the comments!
incubated eating eggs day 5
Hold the cluck! /u/Choice-Stock-1770 just delivered a *seriously* egg-citing update! After snagging some mystery eggs from a flea market – against Dad’s better judgment, apparently – this chicken enthusiast threw them into a quail incubator, fully expecting… well, nothing. But Day 5 brought a cluck-tastic surprise: all but one egg revealed a thriving, moving embryo with visible veins! Seems Dad’s hour-long lecture about dashed hopes might need a rethink, especially since a $10 bet was involved. Talk about fowl play! This just goes to show, even mini-fridge-stored eggs can hold some incredible secrets. For more tales of unexpected poultry surprises, check out "The Problem Child" – you won’t want to miss it!