Beginner's Hatch-A-Long

[wolfandfinch]

Congratulations!!

 

[ivyrash]

The first chick hatched this morning!! It was one of my eBay eggs, a serama Cochin mix. I was up at 5:30 with the baby and still only a small chip in the egg. At 7 am I heard loud chirping and the chick was out! So far only one other egg has any movement. We have 7 left so hopefully we get a few chicks. I'm so excited!

I'm glad they are starting to hatch! Don't open the incubator, leave them in there and let the temp and humidity stay inside. Crossing my fingers for you!

 

[wolfandfinch]

I'm so disappointed day 22 no pips, no chirping. I set 24 eggs culled 13 that looked infertile when I cracked them open. 8-9 showed great development at day 18 before lockdown. This kindergarten class is going to be so sad!!

 

[ivyrash]

I'm so disappointed

day 22 no pips, no chirping. I set 24 eggs culled 13 that looked infertile when I cracked them open. 8-9 showed great development at day 18 before lockdown. This kindergarten class is going to be so sad!!

Have you candled any today? Take one out, candle the air cell and see if you see the beak in there moving around, if you do put it back and wait. If you don't see anything moving, tap on it and see if you hear anything. You said that the temp was way down after you locked down, it may take another day for them to catch up.

 

[ivyrash]

when I got home last night one of my hatchlings from last week was dead. It was a frizzle bantam cochin but was a lot smaller than the rest of the cochins that hatched out at the same time. Must of had problems all along but took that long to die. I don't like losing any of them.

 

[wolfandfinch]

thanks for the tip, I was wondering if I should do that this morning but couldn't get a response back fast enough before I had to leave for work - I can't get back into the school until tomorrow at 7am. If they haven't pipped then I'll candle and go from there. I was afraid to open the bator without checking online as I know it's partially just impatience

 

[Alibabe]

I'm so disappointed

day 22 no pips, no chirping. I set 24 eggs culled 13 that looked infertile when I cracked them open. 8-9 showed great development at day 18 before lockdown. This kindergarten class is going to be so sad!!

I hope for your and the kiddies, they are just delayed. Somebody on here has said that it can take up to day 25 so hang in there

 

[ivyrash]

No problem. I think you just have to read what you can and go with your gut. I am learning a lot through all of this. I know it will be disappointing for the kids if they don't hatch but you will just have to do it again and make some changes.

My temps dropped really bad when I took mine out of the turner and locked down and then I was gone all day long and didn't see it till I got home that night and then I was frantic trying to get the temps stabilized before I went to bed.

I had a hen a couple of years ago that decided to set on some eggs in the dead of summer, 110 degree days, no humidity at all. I go in one day and hear chicks peeping but nothing hatched out. I waited a while and still nothing and finally I asked someone I know that hatches all the time what I should do. I was always told not to help them out cause they wouldn't live anyway, he told me basically to help them cause they were going to die if I didn't help them so what did we have to lose. We helped anything that had pipped and only lost one of them.

I really don't think they are as fragile as we think they are.

 

[Sonia]

Disclaimer: have not read entire thread, however, if you are hatching specifically for childrens pets and don't care about eggs/meat I very highly recommend yokohamas. They are very pretty and are the friendliest of ANY breed I've ever encountered, including orpingtons, cochins and silkies.

 

[wolfandfinch]

thanks Sonia. We're wanting layers

but we chose kid-friendly breeds