First time hatching.

I have 2 thermostats here I did not figure out how to connect, having a few things to do, but I was hatching now since I was home for winter bookkeeping, and this last batch has had the occasional SHORT spike when the house got really warm, and occasionally got down to 97 air temp, but I have 4 quart jars full of water under the chicks platform to slow temp swings and I think it helped.

of 12, 7 have hatched. I didn't candle until a couple of days ago, the one white egg looks like just a yolk floating around in there, the other white egg a very small chick that didn't make it early I think. I have 3 brown eggs I can't see through. About to water candle, but I don't hear any clicking in there, so I think they didn't make it or possibly were not even fertile. 5 black chicks, 2 yellow - americauna mix chicks.

It's hard waiting till day 10 candling! Have to sit on my hands to keep from getting the flashlight out!

ThesThese guys are so sweet!


My hands were really warm so after investigating the bed they cuddled up.

I can't get dark brown eggs to candle. Considering an assist on the last 4 that might have a chick in them. What do you think? I have to go to work be back in about 5 hours

I don't like to hear assist stories, but if you do, stop if you see any blood. that means it is still yolk being absorbed. if you open up it will be bloody yolk-y and just gross.

I haven't float tested yet, much less assisted. will check them when I get home. Anytime I have ever opened an egg they were abandoned by a mama, and just got cool and didn't live, even though yolk was gone. At least these are still warm, I am figuring part were not even fertile and don't want them to blow up either.

7 chicks, very cute. Float test revealed no live eggs. 4 were not fertile, one chick died in egg before I checked. That would be 88% hatch of fertile eggs

well all chicks are doing well. Well socialized by my assistant.

my chickens due on the 20th.. above one hatched...below one pip,

there they are coming out of their shells Wow.

it has been a month since my first hatch and they are good sized pullets now (maybe all pullets, not hearing any cockadoodledoos yet.) And today, despite the cold, they are moving to the greenhouse run. On a freezing night it only drops to 36, and I have a heat lamp I can put on above the hardwarecloth roof of the run, and the shelf above holds the heat down near the birds and I have lots of nice hay for them to burrow into. It is rat safe if I close it properly and they will be the third bunch of chicks to graduate there. if we actually got a bad freeze I would do a lot of laundry, my dryer vents into the greenhouse for heat. Once I get them moved I will post a picture

the latest hatch really need the brooder, I put a screen lid on the cooler with a small cooler windowed lid over the center, and have had one lightbulb on for heat, but they have doubled in size and that space is getting small, and because it is too small, stinky. I have changed the cloth and I rinse the water gravel daily and the food dish is not large enough but a large enough would let all the food fall through the hardware cloth anyway. Time for a change. at 1 week they have at least doubled in size, I think that is good

these chicks were the ones due the 20th. I bought 7 eggs road side stand...and added 2 of my eggs...

I had one clear which I don't count, so 6/8 hatched.

not my first hatch, but since I was advising here you would want a peek.