2015 August hatch-a-long!!

[Hatching Addict]

I'm in Florida & it's rainy season. I ran a dry hatch also but my humidity stayed around 50%. I'm in lockdown now & they are pipping. We are sitting at 75% note. I'm super nervous about sticky chicks or really any hatching problems. It's my second hatch. My first went smoothly with a 65% hatch but every chick that pipped, hatched out healthy. Losing one would be tough :-( hope my higher humidity works out okay for these babies!

I've noticed from reading different posts here on BYC, that what works for one person in one area of the county...may not work as well for someone else in a different part of the country. Different styles and types of incubators, different heating and cooling systems in houses, even just differences in the different breeds of chickens are just a few factors that can affect your hatch.
If your first hatch went well, then in my humble opinion, you have a good chance for a great second hatch. Each hatch is a learning experience, so enjoy!
And some pictures of your new babies would be great!

 

[GitaBooks]

I had a question.
I tried the dry incubation method and both times it seemed to dry out the poor chicks until they looked like mummies. It also dried out eggs that weren't going to hatch. Right now I have my humidity around 40%, is that a good idea? Also, the eggs seemed too cool at 101 F so I put it up to 102 F (its still air). Will that harm the eggs at all?

 

[Frankie Ruiz]

I had a question.
I tried the dry incubation method and both times it seemed to dry out the poor chicks until they looked like mummies. It also dried out eggs that weren't going to hatch. Right now I have my humidity around 40%, is that a good idea? Also, the eggs seemed too cool at 101 F so I put it up to 102 F (its still air). Will that harm the eggs at all?

This is why I don't run complete dry incubation. I put a shot glass in my bator and that brings the humidity to 30-35% which is perfect for large fowl. anything under 30 is too low in my opinion unless your hatching bantams. then 25% should be okay. what is the normal humidity percentage when you run dry?? also, I wouldn't go past 101 on a still air.

 

[Ciryluk3g]

For those not on the August Silkie hatch a long these are my guys....









I'll post better pics when they're dry and fluffy and in their brooder

 

[littlemissbatam]

So

For those not on the August Silkie hatch a long these are my guys....









I'll post better pics when they're dry and fluffy and in their brooder

so adorable

 

[smithychick]

It's 4:30 in the morning here but we have a chick! Yay! You're are so cute, Ciry, congrats! I'll post some of mine in the real morning, lol. Hopefully I'll have more

 

[Gloryjasmine]

It's 4:30 in the morning here but we have a chick! Yay! You're are so cute, Ciry, congrats! I'll post some of mine in the real morning, lol. Hopefully I'll have more

Congrats to you both!!!

Being born knows no time! Lol I love it! I'm looking forward to seeing pics too.

Until then.....

 

[Dramaqueen21888]

Oh were literally minutes away. we should meet up one day. I used to live in Medford. and My hatch rate with it is really good when I'm able to keep the temps stable in the room. whenever I havn't been able to keep the room temps stable I've had horrible hatches. Also, I usually buy my eggs and get them shipped or buy them from a breeder. I used to hatch out a bunch of mutt eggs but I don't have any girls laying at the moment. i have about a month and a half wait. luckily with me i have an acre of land so me having a rooster isnt a problem with my neighbors. next spring I'll be setting up breeder pens for black copper marans, blue and black ameraucanas, rhodebars and welsummers and sell the chicks and hatching eggs locally. i might do a blue copper marans pen too.

I'm gonna try to keep a rooster this time And see what happens. I might try the crow collar. Not sure yet. I so far have had 2 batches in a homemade incubator. I keep the air on so the house stays pretty level. My fist batch non hatched. My second batch out of the 9 fertile I have 4 in lock down and today it hatch day but I have no pip or anything. 2 were def alive when they started lock down 2 I think weren't but I wasn't sure so they went in too. I got my new incubator yesterday because I think it's been my temp messing everything up. I was away the first few days I incubated at school so I had someone watching my kids and she messes with the incubator this time and it went to 90 then she tried to fix it and it went to 104. I'm glad I now have an incubator that stay pretty much the same. I feel like a total failure. Total chick killer. I'm getting 2 dozen Easter eggers this weekend locally and if that doesn't work I'm done for a very long time!!

 

[Gloryjasmine]

I'm gonna try to keep a rooster this time And see what happens. I might try the crow collar. Not sure yet. I so far have had 2 batches in a homemade incubator. I keep the air on so the house stays pretty level. My fist batch non hatched. My second batch out of the 9 fertile I have 4 in lock down and today it hatch day but I have no pip or anything. 2 were def alive when they started lock down 2 I think weren't but I wasn't sure so they went in too. I got my new incubator yesterday because I think it's been my temp messing everything up. I was away the first few days I incubated at school so I had someone watching my kids and she messes with the incubator this time and it went to 90 then she tried to fix it and it went to 104. I'm glad I now have an incubator that stay pretty much the same. I feel like a total failure. Total chick killer. I'm getting 2 dozen Easter eggers this weekend locally and if that doesn't work I'm done for a very long time!!

I'm sorry for your feeling of failure. I do know how discouraging that is. I was recently raising a beautiful chick,named Hope,who was rejected by the mother. I was out ranging with her one day and I accidentally sat slap on her!

Needless to say,I killed her. You want to talk about chick murderer!? I too felt like I failed her and extremely guilty. I know it's not exactly the same,but the outcome was. Dead chick. Please,try not to be so hard on yourself. You'll only succeed in being a failure if you do give up!!!! Take this as an experience,a lesson learned. And move forward! Which you're doing,good job. I know everyone here has had a similar experience,and similar feelings of self doubt,discouragement and failure. But it's what you take from each experience and how you progress with those lessons learned! We're all rooting for you!!! God bless.

 

[Frankie Ruiz]

I'm gonna try to keep a rooster this time And see what happens. I might try the crow collar. Not sure yet. I so far have had 2 batches in a homemade incubator. I keep the air on so the house stays pretty level. My fist batch non hatched. My second batch out of the 9 fertile I have 4 in lock down and today it hatch day but I have no pip or anything. 2 were def alive when they started lock down 2 I think weren't but I wasn't sure so they went in too. I got my new incubator yesterday because I think it's been my temp messing everything up. I was away the first few days I incubated at school so I had someone watching my kids and she messes with the incubator this time and it went to 90 then she tried to fix it and it went to 104. I'm glad I now have an incubator that stay pretty much the same. I feel like a total failure. Total chick killer. I'm getting 2 dozen Easter eggers this weekend locally and if that doesn't work I'm done for a very long time!!

every hatch is a learning experience. i used to have terrible hatches too. you pick up as you go. did your homemade bator have a thermostat? if not, i can almost guarantee thats why youve hae bad hatches. also, i wouldn't even buy the crow collar if I were you, that thing is stupid expensive. there is a video on youtube if you type in crow collar and this guy made his own with velcro and it muffled the crow even better than the crow collar