No Brooders, No Problem

Chickie Momma said:

I just found out that bantams and smaller breeds normally hatch earlier than 21 days. Sometimes as early as 18 days. Keep an eye on them they may pip around day 18 or there abouts. It came from an experienced incubating/hatchet of bantam an small breed birds.

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X2. Bantams generally hatch earlier. However incubation temps. will effect the hatch time frame. An incubator monitored properly should keep them at around 99.5 - 100F. If your chest has them a bit lower they make take a few days longer to develop - which is better then a bit high which will cause quicker development but a higher risk of problems. If you haven't made sure the larger air cell end is kept higher up, please do so now and be aware that if they smaller end has been up they could have positioning problems rendering them unable to hatch unassisted. Hatching takes a long time. First a chick pips into the air cell on the long end (if positioned properly) and breathes that air normally for 12-24 hours before pipping the shell. The chick then finishes absorbing the blood and yolk sack into its abdomen. This step can take anywhere from a few hours to 30+ hours.

I've hatched hundreds and hundreds of chicks. Bantams have never hatched earlier as a rule. At least not Silkies. I've never had them hatch before day 20.

aoxa said:

I've hatched hundreds and hundreds of chicks. Bantams have never hatched earlier as a rule. At least not Silkies. I've never had them hatch before day 20.

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The times I've hatched seramas I've seen some day 19 hatches. Normally it is about day 20 on most of the other bantams I've hatched.

Just Wingin It said:

What are you doing to take these pictures and videos of inside the egg. All I have tried so far is a small led flashlight. I have a broody that should be hatching eggs any day now, but she might have let them freeze and the suspense is drivin me crazy. Im watching your videos and theyre very eggciting.

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I am using an LED Might D Light (Walmart, or home-depot) with foam to fit around the shape of the egg. This is the best flashlight that we could find...we tried others but they weren't bright enough. This one gives us a really good look inside.

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Cooper-L...u=203112802&ci_kw=&ci_gpa=pla&ci_src=17588969

I am using my iPhone to take the pictures and videos and then we are uploading them to you-tube. You can enhance the video through you-tube to get a better image.

I know, today's video was amazing .
I wish you luck with your eggs, I hope they didn't freeze...with any luck you can get your hands on one of these lights, they're really worth it

Chickie Momma said:

I just found out that bantams and smaller breeds normally hatch earlier than 21 days. Sometimes as early as 18 days. Keep an eye on them they may pip around day 18 or there abouts. It came from an experienced incubating/hatchet of bantam an small breed birds.

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Thanks so much for the info.

I am going over everybody's posts now and it looks like there is an 18 days or better hatch date, so debating on some ideas I have (always many, everybody knows that) lol,

bugglesmommy said:

The times I've hatched seramas I've seen some day 19 hatches. Normally it is about day 20 on most of the other bantams I've hatched.

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I've had day 17 on some Barred Rocks before where the Silkies set the same day hatched 4 days later.

I don't know what was up with them hatching so early. Weird. I watch air cells very closely from day 17 on and increase humidity (lockdown) when they start to internally pip.

So I need to make sure the fat end is up to allow a bigger air sac to develop. Will do, that makes total sense. I appreciate the information on the hatching
process. My egg is my first incubation.

My white silkie baby is growing well! Finally got a good pic of my candling from Day #5



Tonight I can definitely see a difference. I have an eye forming and more vessels. The air sac is def in the fat end of the egg. Am being careful with positioning. It seemed like w whole lot of development happened overnight! So promising
Happy hen here :cd

Watching chicks develop never gets old! I've hatched hundreds and it never gets less magical.

Some great news, wanted to give it all day to make sure it stayed great ,

She did it ...she took to her eggs,and didn't try to push them out.

I was getting so nervous with all the development that I was seeing and thought it was time to give her a chance. So please watch the video..a little long, but it's awesome...