The 4th Annual BYC Easter Hatch-a-long

[Egghead_Jr]

Hello all
First let me give my deepest condolences to the person who lost her son last night. Such a tragedy! So very sorry.

On a brighter side, of the 20 eggs that made it to lockdown, 8 have successfully hatched & the 9th is unzipping as I type. I did not know about this contest, but set me eggs out the evening of Mar 8. Started with 24, but removed 4 clears at LD.

Being as this is my first hatch, I had a few questions: My Egg-O-Matic (as I call it) is a Brinsea ECO 20. It has been running at about 101 since the chicks started hatching. I have a brooder set up & warming up already, but wasn't sure if I should remove the dry fluffies to it yet. I did get in there very briefly to remove some shells, but theft the darlings inside. I figure if nothing else, they are helping crack the slower eggs Should I bring some over to the brooder?

I have a friend who is also trying her first hatch in a homemade incubator. However, she set her eggs 3 days before me & still has not had a pip. She said 2 eggs are rocking since yesterday morning. She had a problem midway with temperature. There was a spike then it ran on the low side for a spell. The eggs were still rocking last I heard. Should she try to assist? This morning would make day 25 for her.

I have plenty of pix, but most on FB right now. I'll see about putting them on Photobucket so I can share them over here.

Go ahead and quickly remove the dried out chicks. Your friends are late due to her lower temperature, if rocking then ready to pip and zip any time now. I wouldn't assist just chalk it up as too low of temps she'll need to correct next time.

My humidity goes out of control if more than one hatches at a time so am opening lid even if I don't take any out to release water vapor and get it back down to 60%.

 

[rarebear]

I have one zipping!

With a little encouragement from pond5.com (search Baby Chicks Chirping).
Just in case anyone is wondering I set on the 9th, so this one chick is a day early. so no need to worry about your eggs yet.

hah! See, it works! If you can stand that woman saying saying poind5 every ten seconds. I wondered of anyone tried this after I posted as I could not find my post. I have a chick and another pip but 30 more to go. Good luck!!!!!

 

[ThaiDye]

Go ahead and quickly remove the dried out chicks. Your friends are late due to her lower temperature, if rocking then ready to pip and zip any time now. I wouldn't assist just chalk it up as too low of temps she'll need to correct next time.

My humidity goes out of control if more than one hatches at a time so am opening lid even if I don't take any out to release water vapor and get it back down to 60%.

Thanks, I will just as soon as this egg hatches, It was the 2nd to pip on Thurs night, but has only just now started unzipping. I can see the membrane turning brown at the original pip point. Don't want to open the Eggo until (s)he is out.

 

[myfivegirls]

The count in the incubator is now 25 chicks! So, there's still 12 eggs left in there - one is trying to come out.
I removed two of the containers holding the eggs, and combined the remaining eggs. Now, the chicks are hanging out in the half of the incubator without having to hop from one container to another.
As of last night, there was no one hatched under the broodies. But when I picked up one of the eggs, it cheeped at me! When I gave the egg back to Daisy, she cocked her head, like she was listening to the chicks inside the shells. Hopefully, I can start moving the chicks to the brooder/broody hen area today. They're very curious and active - I think they're ready for the next stage, as they keep pecking at things in the incubator. Oh, and the chick fuzz is everywhere! The inside of the incubator window is covered with chick fuzz, so it's making it more difficult to take pictures through the window. I will be sharing some photos, but need to get some other stuff done first.

 

[rarebear]

46 hatched 1 to go....... Congrats to all those with fuzzy butts.....Those still waiting I have fingers crossed for ya....sending happy thought out

wow...you did good! Congrats! I only have one out, one pip and 32 more to go. Sigh.

 

[Eggzausted]

I only have a peep hole to look in the cabinet but I see one Red Star bouncing around this A.M.

 

[mlm Mike]

Bad day...bad day... but not with the eggs (atleast I hope...havent checked on them again)
My two boys at home 15 & 17 had a childhood friend (17) get killed tonight in a car accident. He wasn't wearing a seatbelt and was ejected. The driver one of his friends was driving recklessly. The father of Hunter (the one that passed) died several years ago and mom has had a tough time as she is blind. She relied on hunter for everthing...groceries, get to work etc. This has been a devestating evening, but... I post so you go hug your love ones, life is too fragile not to shower your loved ones with affection, and lecture lecture lecture your teenage drivers about reckless driving and wearing their seat belts. Please God take me before I ever lose a child.

Oh, how awful.

 

[angelobutter]

still nothing here for me- and my sister "aoberkotter" is checking in via me as having to toss all but one egg who isn't doing anything yet but she is a day behind us.
there is a local chicken swap today.... dangerous combination- no chicks here, lots of chicks there... we will see what i come back with.

 

[noahsmom]

Here are some chick pics
I did silkies and Rirs separate because I wanted to add the silkie pics to a silkie thread I'm on. The last little silkie pic is of the one I had to pick out of its shell yesterday. He was kept separate from the others last night and most of yesterday because they picked on him so badly. I've given the other chicks small doses of him by putting him in there for a minute or two while watching, when they begin to get to brutal ill take him out. However this morning he had enough and when they pecked he pecked back and hobbled towards them, most are leaving him alone now anyway, so for now he's in the brooder with the others ..

(See his little beak open, it never closes, it chirps over everything and honestly never stops! I went to bed to it chirping and woke up to it chirping lol! S.O. Said well we know that one is a hen ;p lol he/she is a little more settled this morning though but I can see why the others are pecking, they want it to shut up. Lol)

 

[williab]

Yay! The start of something wonderful

.....one rocking peeper!! Now for 33 more to get on the band wagon!!