2015 August hatch-a-long!!

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Buff orpington mixes due Wednesday!
 
ok, but since my son grabbed them from under his hens they were starting to develop. I could also tell this because I candled them when he gave them to me. I think he felt sorry for me because I only have 2 hens here and one lays eggs... the other doesn't. She is kind of broody but won't sit on a batch for long periods and lets the eggs get cold. Tried a batch with her and all eggs went bad. So I got a bator and this is the first try. I only had 3 eggs to start with, that is why my son showed up with a dozen of his.

not the idea situation but once he handed them over I had to do something with them.

I have often had eggs that I lost track of the day because they started under a hen and ended up in the incubator for some reason. I wouldn't worry too much and don't worry about lockdown for the older eggs. As long as they aren't in an egg turner they will probably just hatch when they are ready. Even if they have been turned up until hatch. Sometimes I open up my incubator to turn eggs and find a chick that hatched... at 20 % humidity. If they are in a good position they will hatch even at low humidity. I know how nervous we can get about our eggs and trying to candle them constantly probably doesn't help them. I have been so worried about an egg not hatching that I probably bothered it to death ; )
 
Oh boy. I found another +-dozen in the tractor tire. Naturally when I don't check it for 3 days, there are eggs. Even if there weren't for 2 months in a row! Okay, maybe more than 3 days, so they will go in the incubator after my current hatch finishes. I have 3 out and one zipping and a couple more pipped. So excited to see what hatches from my green eggs!

Question:
wee.gif
Also, my hens keep jostling the setters for room to lay in with them, and have cracked 3 of my 14th-day eggs. No membrane penetration, so I taped them up and put in the incubator with my hatching pippers. I don't know if they will make it but wanted to give them a chance. ***Any ideas on helping them?*** I have the humidity up for the hatch around 65-70, will lower it after all hatch.

Last time I needed 2 bators, I put a gallon Ziploc bag in one end and put the pippers in there with a warm damp sponge and put that right in the bator with it just open a half inch, not zipped, just slightly pooched over the eggs and the opening limp but nearly closed. I opened that and blew in several times a day for air exchange and they hatched fine, might have been fine with no help, but I wanted to do something, had to bring them in because ants got in the nest and had to move mom and first chicks. I was afraid ants would get my pippers! I DE'd the snot out of all nests!
 
Well, all 9 of my babies hatched that went into lock down. Only one assist. The one that pipped at the wrong end. Looking like she will make it, just needs to wake up. Not very dark red for RIR's. Sure are hardy though. :) Will post photos tomorrow..hopefully the sleepy one will be awake enough for a photo shoot. :)
 
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After my broody sadly failed to hatch a surrogate egg from her flockmates, 4/4 serama chicks hatched from my incubator which is absolutely amazing! All babies are almost 2 days old & craaaave attention!
 
Oh boy. I found another +-dozen in the tractor tire. Naturally when I don't check it for 3 days, there are eggs. Even if there weren't for 2 months in a row! Okay, maybe more than 3 days, so they will go in the incubator after my current hatch finishes. I have 3 out and one zipping and a couple more pipped. So excited to see what hatches from my green eggs!

Question:
wee.gif
Also, my hens keep jostling the setters for room to lay in with them, and have cracked 3 of my 14th-day eggs. No membrane penetration, so I taped them up and put in the incubator with my hatching pippers. I don't know if they will make it but wanted to give them a chance. ***Any ideas on helping them?*** I have the humidity up for the hatch around 65-70, will lower it after all hatch.

Last time I needed 2 bators, I put a gallon Ziploc bag in one end and put the pippers in there with a warm damp sponge and put that right in the bator with it just open a half inch, not zipped, just slightly pooched over the eggs and the opening limp but nearly closed. I opened that and blew in several times a day for air exchange and they hatched fine, might have been fine with no help, but I wanted to do something, had to bring them in because ants got in the nest and had to move mom and first chicks. I was afraid ants would get my pippers! I DE'd the snot out of all nests!

I've never hatched a cracked egg before. Let me know how it goes.
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