It hasn't been the best of starts to this month with sickness plaguing us, particularly my husband, who is rarely ill. I suspect he's under more stress than he's letting on with his factory starting to wrap things up ready for closure.
Then we had a terrible run with hatching. I often buy second hand, both to get a better price on something and to put good things to further use. However, with electronics there is a risk that it might not work properly or that it stops working shortly after you get it. A couple of years ago I took that risk with a small incubator. I paid $60 for a barely used $120 one, which came with the box and instruction manual. It paid off and we've had brilliant hatch rates from it. However, I wanted too start hatching more regularly, so recently I decided to take a risk again and got another slightly larger incubator for $60. It didn't come with a manual, but I eventually figured out how to alter the temperature and humidity. I got it set at the temperature we usually use and checked it with a thermometer. It seemed to be keeping temperature, but after two terrible hatches, where most died various stages before hatch and some hatched with development problems, I realised that the temperature was varying too much across the incubator. I went to change the temperature, but it's no longer functioning, so I'm stuck on the last temperature used.
Losing so many viable eggs left me feeling rather despondent. Then to top it off I've had sick chickens and quail to deal with too.
Luckily, most of the time, good will follow the bad too help get you back on your feet. One week ago our minilop rabbits had two healthy babies. This is her second birth, but first successful one. Mum, Fern, is doing a grand job and they are both growing well.
Yesterday and today we've been having Easter Eggers hatching, in our original trusty incubator. 17 healthy chicks are out and we're waiting on the last two that have pipped. Just two didn't fully develop this time.
Sometimes I think you need to focus on the good and sideline the bad to keep yourself on track. So onwards and upwards!
I'll leave you with some more photos of the bunny babies!
(This is the bigger one at five days old)
(Here they both are today at 8 days old. The little one has gotten much darker!)
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