# Seramas on their Way



## Cockadoodledoo (Jan 28, 2016)

Just started a Serama incubation. 16 eggs. I was a little upset that they arrived in the mail rather dirty. I debated what to do. I can tell it is mud and not poop. I know they sell egg wash solution...but there is debate on wether one should wash eggs or not. Because it is just Seramas in there and only 16, I decided to just pop them in as is and hope for the best.


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

From that pic they don't look bad. 

Did you candle before setting to see if the air cells are still intact?


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## Cockadoodledoo (Jan 28, 2016)

They were packages remarkably well. I've had ones packed better and ones packed much worse. The air sacks all appeared perfect, but I still let then sit upright for 2 days prior to incubating.


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

They can be packed really well but if the postal people decide to play basketball with them it jars them and breaks the air cells.

I can't wait to see what you find on your first candling. Fingers are crossed for a really great hatch.


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## Cockadoodledoo (Jan 28, 2016)

I've actually had such great luck (sofar) with shipped eggs. I've gotten 6 or 7 shipments and no real issues. I've never had a cracked egg. Only once did I have a misshapen air sack. I get pretty good hatch rates also. Last time I had 100% hatch on 8 Serama eggs shipped cross country. Go figure. Now I've probably jinxed this hatch big time. I'll be so disappointed if I have to report a bad hatch :-(


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## Cockadoodledoo (Jan 28, 2016)

This batch COULD have all 3 feather varieties. Frizzle, silkie, or smooth. I am really hoping for some of each!!


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## seminole wind (Aug 22, 2015)

Wow. And now the wait!


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## Cockadoodledoo (Jan 28, 2016)

That's the hardest part!


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## Cockadoodledoo (Jan 28, 2016)

We moved the incubator from the living room to our bedroom several hatches ago. It's really funny. It is on the side of my bed right where a bassinet would be. Come hatch time I wake often and shine my flashlight in to check on the progress  the fan of the incubator is nice white noise too. Added bonus.


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## Cockadoodledoo (Jan 28, 2016)

10 of the 16 going into day 7 growing well, strong heart, intact properly shaped air sacks! Not too bad for shipped eggs. Now to see how they do for the majority of the incubation!!


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

Excellent news. Now the hardest part to wait for, hatch day!


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## Cockadoodledoo (Jan 28, 2016)

I ordered the 16 in hopes to just get 4 more. So hopefully I'll get at least that and I'll consider it a success because that was my goal.


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

Hearing about the difficulties getting those teeny tiny bodies to hatch I would celebrate four hatching too. 

This almost has me holding my breath waiting to see what happens.


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## Cockadoodledoo (Jan 28, 2016)

Down to 6 on day 9. Incubator has been right on thankfully! My grown ones should be laying any time now. I'll be interested to compare the incubation of shipped versus non shipped.


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## Cockadoodledoo (Jan 28, 2016)

No 7....how could I loose count when I only have 7, haha.


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

I have a feeling day 21 is going to feel like it's never getting near for you.


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## Cockadoodledoo (Jan 28, 2016)

We are always super into our hatches. Interest hasn't faded since hatch 1. I have an egg incubation model set that the kids get out every time. We use the hatch for school a lot! Each hatch there is some aspect of science, English, history, math, or art that we explore. SO FUN!!!!


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## Cockadoodledoo (Jan 28, 2016)

Day 17 going into lock down  My seramas always pop out ahead of others...so I'm doing it a half day early. 7 are still moving and strong.....wish us luck! We staggered this hatch and have 12 more seramas on a turning tray below the hatch tray. Those are just on day 5, so they have a ways to go!


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

Don't tell us about the hatch. POST PICS!!!


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## Cockadoodledoo (Jan 28, 2016)

HHa, I will!!!!!


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## Cockadoodledoo (Jan 28, 2016)

Not too exciting now.


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

You're just too cute. You know I meant when those teeny tiny creatures are outside the shell. Jeeze Louise. 

You did know that, right? This is just your way of making us wait along with you.


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## Cockadoodledoo (Jan 28, 2016)

Yep  I'm going to make te wait equally as hard for everyone!!


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## Cockadoodledoo (Jan 28, 2016)

Day 20...no pips. Which I've had with my Seramas in the past. I'll keep you posted. Maybe with more egg pictures to drive you all crazy  hahaha.


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

Good thing I have lots to do outside today. And inside and at the neighbor's. So, post away.


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## Cockadoodledoo (Jan 28, 2016)

Hatching hopped Seramas is such a gamble. Any shipped eggs for that matter! I think we are only going to have 1 :-(


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## Cockadoodledoo (Jan 28, 2016)




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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

I sure hope you're wrong. Maybe this peep will encourage the others to get busy.

I have to say, you've done better than so many others.


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## Cockadoodledoo (Jan 28, 2016)




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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

Any sign the others are going to do anything. I hate having singles, they are such unhappy babies when they're alone.

Congrats on this first one.


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## Cockadoodledoo (Jan 28, 2016)

Nope....she will be a lonely one. I'll have to tuck her into my neck often  The others internally pipped and we're fully formed. Why are Seramas so hard!!!!

Here is a picture. Still wet. Bobby pin in front of her...she's so cute and tiny


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

Might as well construct a little pouch to carry peep in. Poor baby, poor you. 

Few that I know even try anymore using an incubator to get the eggs to hatch. They usually have a broody or two for the task. I have no idea why they are so difficult to get them to the point of hatch. It seems they all say the same thing though, they get right to that point and then quit.


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## Cockadoodledoo (Jan 28, 2016)

I have some pullets that are so close to laying. I put some fake eggs in just to see if they were ready to set. NO interest in the eggs yet. I have a couple broody hens on standard size eggs. Might take one of the smaller ones and see what they will do.


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

If they've been broody long enough you might be able to give them the peep. I've done that several times with mine. Is that what you're thinking about doing?


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## Cockadoodledoo (Jan 28, 2016)

She starting doing really bad. Then I put a video sound loop of chirping and a little wind up crab in with her. Works every time for those lonely chicks. Wind up the crab every so often, they must think it's a chick. She us already snuggling up to it


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## Cockadoodledoo (Jan 28, 2016)




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## seminole wind (Aug 22, 2015)

Aww, how cute! If you're feeding her layer crumbles, grind them down. I've had occurrences in the past where my chicks looked like they were eating but were not because the crumbles were too big. It's happened with some of my larger breeds too, so now I just grind the baby food down for the first 2 weeks.


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## Cockadoodledoo (Jan 28, 2016)

I gave her pureed scrambled egg until her first few poops. Then ground up soaked crumbles. Tomorrow I start ground up crumbles. I do that for 2-3 weeks because the crumbles I use are quite coarse. Then they are on their own


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

How wild is that. I could never get mine to accept anything but something live when they were singles.


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## Cockadoodledoo (Jan 28, 2016)

The crab moves around kinda like an unstable chick. I turn the chirping on when I turn the crab on. In a week and a half there will be some more to join her hopefully. We just have to get through a few lonely days.


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## Cockadoodledoo (Jan 28, 2016)

She is just doing so well. I'm so surprised. I've never been so sure of a chick death in my life and she proved me wrong. She will be a good big sister for the ones coming. I changed up my incubator a bit to what I normally hatch Seramas at. 100-101 degrees, 60% (70% at lockdown). I'm incubating on their side. Seems to work better for the Seramas. We'll see!!


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## seminole wind (Aug 22, 2015)

Cockadoodledoo said:


> I gave her pureed scrambled egg until her first few poops. Then ground up soaked crumbles. Tomorrow I start ground up crumbles. I do that for 2-3 weeks because the crumbles I use are quite coarse. Then they are on their own


They always love soaked crumbles!


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## Cockadoodledoo (Jan 28, 2016)

Snoozing with Crabby


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## Cockadoodledoo (Jan 28, 2016)

The other 12 Seramas are cooking now. They will be done (or not :-( ) next Wednesday. They all look good. Went back to my original temp and humidity for seramas.


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## Cockadoodledoo (Jan 28, 2016)

Then temp is actually right at 100.4, this thermometer rounds up/down. Humidity between 55 and 60. Worked well 2 times ago and last time with slightly lower temps and humidity I had only 1 hatch. But, with mailed eggs there are too many variables to be able to pinpoint the issue.


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## IncubatorWarehouse (Nov 28, 2016)

I cant wait to do a batch of seramas!


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## Cockadoodledoo (Jan 28, 2016)

I have a bunch more in there now with some standard eggs. I couldn't afford the small egg shaped thermometer...but I'm looking forward to the larger one. Next purchase will be the Serama egg sized thermometer


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## IncubatorWarehouse (Nov 28, 2016)

I have found a couple "local" egg suppliers for them, still have to drive for several hours to get them though. Maybe this spring I will try them out with one of our turner trays we have designed. I get mixed reviews about how they handle smaller eggs so this will be my chance to test that out and get some cool chicks while I am at it.


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## Cockadoodledoo (Jan 28, 2016)

Seramas in general are difficult to hatch. So, don't get discouraged by awful hatch rates.


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## Cockadoodledoo (Jan 28, 2016)

A few of the seramas. The larger one is 2 week older. Thinking I see a little roo in the gray/brown one.


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

What did the single think when it got it's first look at the newbies?

How many hatched in that last group? I think I missed that somewhere along the line.


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## Cockadoodledoo (Jan 28, 2016)

The single took right to them. She didn't pick on them or harass them. She taught them the ropes and showed them how to eat/drink 

Last batch 7 hatched. I had promised some to someone and kept these so if have a variety of colors.


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## Cockadoodledoo (Jan 28, 2016)

This was my favorite gray/brown one at a day old. Came of of the egg strutting around


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

She was probably so darned grateful to have company all that chicken posturing was put on hold for a while.


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