Set eggs February 12th! Hatch a long with me!

[NYRIR]

Did you candle to see? What kind of rooster and how old? I know my boys can handle quite a few. I have 2 RIR (PR) roos and one EE roo and one Delaware roo...each roo has about 15 hens...my fertility is great...out of 24 eggs set, I had 2 infertiles.

 

[Baggagolers]

So far four out of five eggs hatched. Still waiting on a BR X RIR cross to do something. The other chicks have it rolled into the corner so I can't see it to well. I had three hatch yesterday and one at about 1:30 this morning. Seems they would pip and then wait about 3 to 4 hours and bust out very quickly once they got to it. I'm keeping my fingers crossed on the last one. It's one of the last two eggs Darla laid before a hawk killed her. Both of her eggs were in the refrigerator before going into the incubator, but as soon as she died my dad took them out so I could try to hatch them. I'll post some pictures when I can move them to the brooder.

UPDATE! # 5 HAS PIPED AND IS ALREADY STARTING TO ZIP!!!!!!!!!!

 

[B J Hopkins]

Some time last evening began day 21 for me. The egg that was piped on day 19 has a slightly larger pip hole and I can hear it cheeping easily (Silkie). Nothing out of the other 10 eggs. The egg that had a pip hole w/blood was dead. Trying to not get anxious and have throuhly enjoyed all the talking and advice. I've incubated in the past and had as low as a 25% hatch rate to as high as 95% hatch rate. Baby chicks are all adorable.

 

[NYRIR]

So far four out of five eggs hatched. Still waiting on a BR X RIR cross to do something. The other chicks have it rolled into the corner so I can't see it to well. I had three hatch yesterday and one at about 1:30 this morning. Seems they would pip and then wait about 3 to 4 hours and bust out very quickly once they got to it. I'm keeping my fingers crossed on the last one. It's one of the last two eggs Darla laid before a hawk killed her. Both of her eggs were in the refrigerator before going into the incubator, but as soon as she died my dad took them out so I could try to hatch them. I'll post some pictures when I can move them to the brooder.

UPDATE! # 5 HAS PIPED AND IS ALREADY STARTING TO ZIP!!!!!!!!!!

Pics!

 

[NYRIR]

Some time last evening began day 21 for me. The egg that was piped on day 19 has a slightly larger pip hole and I can hear it cheeping easily (Silkie). Nothing out of the other 10 eggs. The egg that had a pip hole w/blood was dead. Trying to not get anxious and have throuhly enjoyed all the talking and advice. I've incubated in the past and had as low as a 25% hatch rate to as high as 95% hatch rate. Baby chicks are all adorable.

Can't wait to see them...

 

[newduckie]

I am also wondering what is happening with Squackboxand her babies. I know if I were here and got the responses that she got, I probably would not come back. I know it was all said with the best of intentions but when we make a mistake we don't want to be scolded like we are idiots. We come to these forums to learn and for encouragement especially when we are in a stress filled crisis and emotions are high. So anyways, I just feel bad for her and hope she comes back, and has a better experience with her next hatcth.:/

 

[NYRIR]

I am also wondering what is happening with Squackboxand her babies. I know if I were here and got the responses that she got, I probably would not come back.in I know it was all said with the best of intentions but when we make a mistake we don't want to be scolded like we are idiots. We come to these forums to learn and for encouragement especially when we are in a stress filled crisis and emotions are high. So anyways, I just feel bad for her and hope she comes back, and has a better experience with her next hatcth.

True, I hope she does come back and tell us as well. I don't think I was too hard on her?? I was trying to help! I think speckledhen was just being straightforward...she had been trying to help right along but sqwaukbox went against the advice if you read the thread...It is a learning lesson...hopefully she will not help so early again...

 

[B J Hopkins]

Learning experience. That's what I've enjoyed about this. I've had chickens now coming up on my 4th yr. Incubated eggs all along. I've learned alot. No one ever told me, or I never read WHY you need to increase the humidity the last 3 days; never heard of "Shrink Wrap" but understood as soon as I saw it. Explained a lot to me. I've learned alot by being in this thread discussion. Thanks to everyone.

 

[TennesseeChicken]

Day 21 and I have 10 out of 24 that have hatched so far with two more piping!

NYRIR--I don't think you were too hard. This has been a great learning experience, The advice on this forum is invaluable! One of the main things I've learned from being on a farm is you really do need to let nature take its course.

 

[speckledhen]

I was certainly not trying to be harsh with Squawkbox at all, just telling her that the situation made it super hard to tell her exactly how to procede. Seriously, what else could I tell her? There was no good course of action after opening up all those eggs two days early.

I want her to learn from this and change her course of action and think about how a broody hen allows the chicks to hatch in their own time. Nature needs no help from us and most of the time, when we think we know best, we muck it up. I couldn't tell her it was going to be okay when it probably wouldn't. It would not be honest, but I didn't see anyone being especially harsh with her, just being honest and firm. After all, the goal is a brooder full of healthy, strong chicks. Doing it that way is not going to accomplish the goal.

I have a couple or three late hatchers still not out of the eggs, however, my very well-used Hovabator failed me this time. In spite of air temps that were within perfect range all the way through at the point they were checked, most eggs on the outer edges of the turner quit something in the last five days or so, unfortunately.

I do put the blame squarely on the incubator this time and it will be stripped for parts and retired. My DH bought it for me back in 2006 and it's hatched many, many chicks, but time to go, dear old Hova. I have an older model, but rarely used, Hovabator, purchased at a yard sale (owner used it once) and it is coming up to temp right now for the next batch to try to add to the numbers I didn't get this time, though, sadly, I cannot replace any of my EE's eggs, which were fertile by my show quality BR rooster, who lives with my friend now. I do have one of her chicks in the brooder, though.

I lost the rest of hers, all four Delawares and about half of the D'Anvers, which were on the two outer edges of the turner. Because of the way they were double stacked at the beginning, I couldn't easily rotate their positions in the turner.