The 6th Annual BYC Easter Hatch-a-long!

[SimplyLogan]

Quote: Well at the moment it looks like I will not have a chance for a while. New ones keep starting to zip and I am not gonna open and take a chance. I do have one egg in my other incubator that pipped over 24 hours ago but nothing. I guess I can't do much about it? Still other eggs in there pipping.

 

[calientepocket]

I have a question about upping the humidity. I tried just adding more water to the bottom of the incubator, however, it never seems to get above about 47%. Does anyone have other methods they have used??

I was able to get the humidity up to 52% before I had to leave for work this morning. This was with a soaked towel and an old cream cheese container filled with water. I'm hoping it goes up more, but if it didn't, will the eggs be okay?

 

[SandraBH]

@wornoutmomto3 Way to go Contestant #1! That's the way! Look what woke me up this morning!!! I thought it was DSO getting ready for work! Nope it was my very FIRST hatchling Ever!! (It's a she because I said so too! ) I found her in the 2 egg cups over from her shell in the bator! She's a mover and a shaker already!!! I have a Silkie chickie ! ! ! e Not too eggcited, can you tell?

Pretty little she...

 

[venymae]

Bad new and Good news.

BAD: Our Coolerbator (you know, the ugly one) got bumped by some daddy/son roughhousing. Because we didn't properly affix the wires (we just jerry-rigged them) one knocked lose. I don't know how long exactly (less than 3 hours, but who knows for sure) but I glanced over at the thermometer and freaked. 108.

108!!!!!! Whipped off the lid, pulled out the eggs, and tapped the wire back into place. Light bulb turned off immediately. UGH!!!!

Waited till the bator was back down to 99 to put the eggs back in. It was day 17.

We candled that night and there was movement in several eggs, but it's harder to tell on most since they're so big inside. NERVOUS!

GOOD:
Well since there was movement in some of the eggs last night, this morning we put them all into lock down (day 18). Laid a washcloth across the chickenwire so little legs don't fall through, filled up the water pan (an old lettuce clamshell-lol) and humidity is staying steady at 63%. Now we wait. I really hope we get a good hatch. But again, I am so nervous!

 

[Junibutt]

Why thanks for all the nice comments, but it was an April Fool's joke.

I would put it back in.

Bendy straws and a medicine syringe work great for adding water to hovabators. The straw fits perfectly through the vent hole.

Barnevelders usually hatch right on time.


Welsummer chicks:


Barnevelder chicks:




I haven't hatched in them, but a lot of people struggle with getting good hatches out of little giant incubators. Hatching is learning what works for you and your area. Once you get it right, it will be much more enjoyable. I really suggest you get the Brinsea Spot check thermometer, it's really accurate.

I caught April's Fool joke right away but my posts were deleted and was asked to play along

Thanks for posting the pics, I can definitely differentiate between the two now. However, I have a feeling that it will be hard to differentiate between the Legbars and Welsummers unless the Welsummers have the reddish tone that is depicted in the pics. Oh well! I will keep up all night Friday until they hatch! Lol!

 

[kandkjbm]

When we first went into lockdown (36 ish hours ago). We saw all of our eggs rolling. 3 have hatched, and have moved all the Unhatched eggs to the edges of the incubator. Very active chicks, climbing all over the other eggs. We now see no movement from these eggs. Will they still hath? Is this normal? We are first timers....

 

[Cynthia12]

Our first chick. (Day 19) There's about 8 others pipped, none to active, not expecting them for a while.

aww cute photo...we need more photos of those that are out! Thanks for sharing. Can't wait to see all of the fluffy butts.

 

[Cynthia12]

Congratulations to all the early chicks!

And I hope everyone has a great hatch!

I put mine in LD at 6 am

Good luck to you! Easter Chicks!

 

[Cynthia12]

My problem with the re-posting of photos is my bandwidth, we've got the lowest that DISH offers because of price and will always run out 1-2 weeks ahead of our allotment and they slow us down to near dial-up for the remainder of the month. I thought there was a way to change my preferences to dump photos but I could only find a way to dump signatures and avatars.

I can't remember how to resize a photo, can you remind me?

Are you on fb? I cheat. I got there, post a photo..they automatically do it. Then I save it to my pictures..then post somewhere else if needed. I don't have a problem posting them here..and they also re size it here...hmmm..Dish ey? :/

 

[blackgoat]

I had a dream about finding dead chicks, so I wasn't too keen on checking the broodies today. When I looked in on them, one of the broodies hens hopped off the nest. I noticed a pipped egg and a dead chick that was still partially in the shell.

I removed the dead chick but left the pipped egg. I wonder what happened?
I have to go out and see if she got back on the nest, she was running around growling and screeching at the other chickens. I think she expected a chick this morning. I have the incubator ready if some chicks hatch and the broodies leave, and there are still unhatched eggs.