FEBRUARY Hatch-A-Long 2015:Please Read First Post To Join H-A-L

[bekkanblue]

Disclaimer: I've done a whole 2 hatches ever, both in the last couple weeks.

I will admit to opening the bator to tweak humidity, even in my Minis, because when I filled both wells the humidity shot up to 80+% and I panicked. It probably depends on your bator too, how fast it gets back up to temp, how humidity stabilizes in it. I keep reading that temps are less important during the hatch than humidity, so I've erred on the side of trying to get the humidity where I wanted it. Without disturbing the eggs. I've been hatching at about 60-65% in the Minis, for chicken eggs.

 

[LadyHawkeAvry]

update: Day 21 is here!

The 4 early birds have been moved to the brooder to make room in the incubator yesterday. We had to give 3 eggs a smidgen of help with their egg escape efforts. (our Wyandottes lay some nuclear strength eggs with super tuff shells) So last night we closed the 'bator with 3 cracked eggs and one that had just pipped. Two of them hatched out by 6:00am this morning and the 3rd popped out a few hours later. They are busy flopping around the incubator right now. We noticed another 5 eggs have pipped as well. If they make it then that would put the hatch rate at a tad over 50% so far. Here's a shot of the early-bird 4some. (they are now 2.5 days old, they hatched out on lockdown, day 18)

What little cuties!!!!

 

[emvickrey]

The one that pipped yesterday hatched last night as well as 2 more. One was pipped when I went to bed and this morning it hadn't gotten far with zipping when I got up. So I assited it and I should have left it alone. It hadn't absorbed the yolk all the way so I stuck it back in the bottom portion of the shell and wrapped it with a wet paper towel so it can finish. I checked about an hour later and it was just about done. I'll give it a while longer before i remove the bottom part and let it out of the paper towel.

I'm happy with what I did get since these are all bought and shipped eggs. So far none of the lavender orps hatched but I got 2 buff silkie, 1 white silkie and 1 bbs english orp. Now hopefully they are all girls.

I got a pair of bbs orps so I have a boy if I don't get another one but I seem to be real lucky hatching out boys. lol.If I get too many regular orp boys they can just be processed but any extra english orps I'll sell.

I ordered a spray that is suppose to improve hatch rates a great deal. With the luck I've been having it sure can't hurt to try it. It's called Hatchright and below is a little information on it. I got it on ebay if anybody is interested. They ship it worldwide also.

This product is for pre spraying of eggs prior to incubation. Improves fertility, growth rate, strength of chicks and hatchability. Simply put your hatching eggs out on paper towel and spray lightly with hatchright then let dry and place in incubator and your done. I have set many eggs of my own and shipped only to have veins start then few days later disolve into black spots. I have had chicks develope up to pipping then die in egg. I started using hatchright and when candling eggs develope stronger veins and fertility rate went up also. Chicks at hatch time come bursting out of thier egg will more strength and vitality. This is all natural herb suppliment my family has used for years. I used it on my shipped eggs and double my hatch rate . From 2% to 50%. Just fill any spray bottle with 8oz distilled water then add hatch right and shake,let set 30 min and your ready to spray. Will last up to a month if you keep in refrigerator. I cannot garantee hatch rates as i cannot control your use of products or eggs you use it on. I have used it on my own eggs and on shipped eggs went from 0 to 12 chicks out of 20. Paypal only 10.00 plus shipping Picture a is without hatchright dead egg,
Stimulates cell growth and vein development through shell wall.

 

[cedarcovefarm]

Oh boy. Still got 6/7 to go, but I have a major bully chick it seems. Afraid I may have to pull some out before my pips get hatched. The first chick born is pecking at all the others as they're trying to settle down. I've got one egg with an open hole and another with a small pip. I really hate to open but that bully chick is really causing grief in there. Anybody have any thoughts?

 

[ChickenLady2014]

Nothing when I left for work this morning :/ I had mentioned earlier that my gut feeling was that these would take longer cuz they seemed a little small when candling on day 18 (or *gasp* maybe not make it

). So now it's just the heart wrenching wait :/

Hopefully you will get home to some action, but don't start worrying too much if you noticed they were a little behind on day 18. Keeping my fingers crossed for you

 

[ChickenLady2014]

Oh boy. Still got 6/7 to go, but I have a major bully chick it seems. Afraid I may have to pull some out before my pips get hatched. The first chick born is pecking at all the others as they're trying to settle down. I've got one egg with an open hole and another with a small pip. I really hate to open but that bully chick is really causing grief in there. Anybody have any thoughts?

Sorry to hear you have a bully, I had one in my last hatch as well. If was me I probably wouldn't open it because it can cause shrink wrapping. What I did with mine was as long as it was dark in the bator the bully would rest. I cut out 2 pieces of cardboard to cover the viewing windows and tried not to check on them too often because that just riled the bully up. I hope your bully will get tired and start leaving the others alone.

 

[gogetter]

I have a question. One of my 24 hour old chicks is pooping a very green substance. It has had virtually nothing to eat (they're still figuring that out) and in fact, pooped green for the first time while still in the incubator. It is acting normal. Should I be concerned? Should I keep it separated from the others in case it's contagious?

 

[bekkanblue]

I have a question. One of my 24 hour old chicks is pooping a very green substance. It has had virtually nothing to eat (they're still figuring that out) and in fact, pooped green for the first time while still in the incubator. It is acting normal. Should I be concerned? Should I keep it separated from the others in case it's contagious?

Mine have done that. Once they start eating and drinking it goes to normal. Haven't had any problems so far!

 

[ChickenLady2014]

I have a question. One of my 24 hour old chicks is pooping a very green substance. It has had virtually nothing to eat (they're still figuring that out) and in fact, pooped green for the first time while still in the incubator. It is acting normal. Should I be concerned? Should I keep it separated from the others in case it's contagious?

Congrats on the chicks and its normal for them to poop that bright green poop. Are they out of the incubator yet?

 

[vonrow]

The tally so far is up to 10, hatched and in the brooder now. We even moved the webcam over to the brooder because that's where all the action is at now. Still not sure if the cam works for mobile devices since it's a livestream thing. If you are on a PC however, the link/s should work. Oh, and there are at least 3 more in the incubator that have pipped; 2 more SLWyandottes and a SLW-'cauna cross. We are pretty excited about the last meri cross hatching out -it's an olive egg.

http://livestre.am/1kdHC
http://www.livestream.com/decafisforwimps?t=104169