Set Eggs April 30th... Whose w/ me?

[MyNameIs86]

Ok now this is 1st time I ever candled as well. So now u have me wondering if i am doing it right pointy side down???

Didn't meant o confuse you kmartinez.
While holding the egg pointy side down you put the candle on top on the fatter part.

 

[kmartinez]

Ohhh well I been doing it wrong them lol

 

[81ali]

I have been reading your thread with great interest as I started 23 eggs in the incubator at about 7.30 pm. There would have been 24 but I accidentally cracked one - doh. 11 copper marans and 12 bantams of various sorts. This is my first time and feels a bit like 24 green bottles as now we are down to 19 eggs as I removed the non starters and early quitters of the bantam eggs. I can't see whats going on in the dark eggs so will just have to wait till hatching day. So nerve wracking though! Wishing you guys both well with your eggs x

 

[Egghead_Jr]

Most of you have a week left, I'd set on the 24th but maybe these pics will help pass the time.





The lid is a bit scratchy which makes photos in incubator hazy...





It's a full size watering trough but only need one end with new born. All same breed, thinking the more silver are sexable but will check the leg size later to confirm. Chipmunk pattern, some still drying. Of 18 going into hatch so far have 12 hatched and two more pips ending day 22 (put in incubator noon-ish on a Friday and here we are noon-ish on Sat.).

 

[dreamer5577]

UPDATE! My hatch was going so smoothly! Quite frankly I was shocked! The temp was steady, the humidity was just right and I got woken up around 5am to the electric being out! It had been out for hours. I slept right through the storm we had. The incubator got down to about 81 degrees and the humidity shot up like crazy! It ended up being 71% humidity! Once the power came back, it became too light to candle. I must wait til tonight to see my little survivors. I'm worried though.

 

[kathie grey]

I am nervous....tomorrow is day 18 and my air cells are still small. Only Approx 9% loss in weight when it needs to be about 13%. I have been keeping humidity in lower range 35-40% so I didn't expect this. I will put them in lockdown tomorrow and keep humidity low for an extra day and hope that helps. I have a still air incubator...been trying to keep it between 100-102 because if fear of over heating. Maybe they are just delayed a bit.

 

[MyNameIs86]

I am nervous....tomorrow is day 18 and my air cells are still small. Only Approx 9% loss in weight when it needs to be about 13%. I have been keeping humidity in lower range 35-40% so I didn't expect this. I will put them in lockdown tomorrow and keep humidity low for an extra day and hope that helps. I have a still air incubator...been trying to keep it between 100-102 because if fear of over heating. Maybe they are just delayed a bit.

One thing you should do (along with filling the tray) is to keep a wet (damp) sponge in the incubator to get the humidity up. it might take an extra day or so for your chicks to hatch. last time i had hatches i also put 2 paper towels (dry) to catch the egg shells when they hatched for easy clean up.
Good luck. I remember when I was nervous about incubating and lock down ... But then I reminded myself your worrying over something you can't really control... But i wish you the best of luck with lock down. i lock down tomorrow around 5pm.

 

[MyNameIs86]

Today I went into lock down at 6pm. an hour late.
Today I ended up buying a Black Fin Shark at Walmart so that was a surprise for me today. lol. When i went to open the incubator i found a nut that fell into the incubator and have no idea where it came from. I guess when this batch hatches I'll turn it off for about a week and see where the stupid nut came off of. lol.

 

[kathie grey]

I hear peeping in my silkie eggs!!! e I set them around 9 pm on 4/29...so I may be a few hours ahead of the 4/30 setters!! 35 of 40 made it to lockdown. 27 of 30 shipped eggs made it to lockdown!!!! I was worried about very small air cells...but I looked at pictures and videos from last year's hatch and I see those looked even smaller and I had 100% hatch and survival from lockdown. Fingers and toes are crossed!! Waiting for 4 under my broody hens as well. We had a very early one hatch on Sunday. She is looking for some siblings to play with :yiipchick

 

[dreamer5577]

I hear peeping in my silkie eggs!!! e I set them around 9 pm on 4/29...so I may be a few hours ahead of the 4/30 setters!! 35 of 40 made it to lockdown. 27 of 30 shipped eggs made it to lockdown!!!! I was worried about very small air cells...but I looked at pictures and videos from last year's hatch and I see those looked even smaller and I had 100% hatch and survival from lockdown. Fingers and toes are crossed!! Waiting for 4 under my broody hens as well. We had a very early one hatch on Sunday. She is looking for some siblings to play with :yiipchick

I set mine around 9pm on the 29th as well! I SWORE I heard peeping, but I think it may have just been the chicks in the other room. That's so awesome thought! Good luck with your hatch! I can't wait to hear peeping or see moving. Or pipping. Haha