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

[Peep-Chicken]

Got bantam chicks from TSC to keep my chick company... Ideas on breeds?

1 & 2- gold sebrights?

3 & 4- ?

5 & 6- ?

Thanks!

 

[gevshiba]

Well, this was my worst hatch to date. I've started using egg carton tops to lay the eggs in the hatcher, which has worked well. But I had more eggs this time, so I had to use 2, 18 count egg carton tops, which took up most of the hatcher (LG still air). I've always used the paper cartons, but decided to use Styrofoam this time. I'm wondering if this was why I had such a hard time with temps. I've never had the floor of the hatcher reading so much cooler (95) than the top of the eggs, which fluctuated from 97 to 103. It would run well for hours, then drop or spike. Humidity stayed fairly good. I had about 10 eggs that were late quitters. Some looked like maybe 19 days and some looked ready to hatch. Only one pipped before dying, but it was only a hairline crack and not through the membrane. It was a questionable egg when I put it in. It might have been broken by another egg, who knows? None pipped internally, but I saw most of them moving. The ready to hatch ones looked to have turned.

So, I'm picking up my very important to me turkey eggs this week. I hatched a lot of turkeys last year and wouldn't normally worry, but now I'm worried. I've decided to take a few people's idea and fashion an egg corral out of the craft mesh. It doesn't need to be high, since it's only to keep the eggs from being rolled around. I think I'll make it the size of the hatcher and use the twist ties to adjust it to fit the number of eggs I have at the time. The egg cartons might not have been the problem, but this is a nifty idea anyway, so thanks to those of you who suggested it!

I hatched 9 LO's for a friend in this hatch. I've hatched all her shipped and home flock eggs last year and this. She just gifted me the 9 chicks as a thank you. She knows I'll sell them, since I only keep one breed, but it was so nice of her.

Congratulations to everyone on the chicks. Condolences to those of you who's hatch didn't turn out like you hoped and thank you to those who take the time to put on these fun events.

 

[coop410silkies]

I think this is where people confuse "shrink wrapped" with "glued/sticky chicks" The air drying out the inner membranes and moisture that are (naturally) around the chick causing them to become sticky and glued isn't the same thing as a "true" shrink wrap. Often just the exposed membrane is stuck due to dryness and just needs to be moistend and possibly removed from any stuck areas. I had one that went through this on my hatch. I wet the membrane removed the small area that was literally glued to his head, and put him back and he hatched on his own, but until I did that little bit, he couldn't turn his head. That pic^^^ looks absolutely normal and healthy. Nice white dry outer membrane. The other picture...not so much.

Yes, I had one like this - the first pip yesterday - ended up hatching on its own after a long 12 hour rest, and there was one glued sticky Silkie that probably would not have hatched had I not helped. It was malpositioned and couldn't finish zipping, wet and not shrink wrapped, no blood and ready to pop out. I am not sorry I helped, but he doesn't seem to be able to stand up on his own - moves on his belly as though he were doing a breast stroke. Have got him in a tall coffee mug, to help keep him upright and to keep him from being trompled by the others. Suggestions? will probably isolate him with the other Silkie hatchee who also is in danger of getting smothered.

For those of you who have had shrink wrapped chicks: have you ever tried applying glycerin to help soften the membrane? You can, of course get it in the candle making section in craft stores, or on-line. If you use hand lotion, or Badger's, or balm - you may want to try OKeefe's Working Hands; it is glycerin based and can help with dried membranes - and of course, it is great for your working hands.

Well, I think I might put my little glue-baby into a wine glass so that i can see what and how his little legs are doing. Thank you all for being here. Who else can share all the ups and downs of this business? And I need to update my hatch, to 9.

 

[venymae]

HELP! I candled my remaining "no show" eggs. One looks like an early quitter, maybe two but not sure, one looks normal, and one I cannot find the air cell at all any more, the whole egg seems dark. Should I be worried about this?!? I am scared as the air cell was a bit smaller, it's a dark egg, and one I was REALLY hoping to get a chick from. Today is day 22 for us (we set in the morning). Should I do anything to the dark egg? Leave it be? Give it a tiny hole in the air cell end just in case? I am more of a hand off person, but I really want that dark egg to work!



None of my eggs have peeped unless they are already zipping.


EDIT: broke open the one that looked like it was an early quitter - it was. Phew!

 

[Mama Bay]

My official count is 20 hatched out of 30 set! 5 clear and early quitters, 1 passed unzipping, and 4 mid-late quitters. It was my very first time and I couldn't have done it without all the awesome advice and guidance form you all. Many many thanks!!!

 

[AmyLynn2374]

My official count is 20 hatched out of 30 set! 5 clear and early quitters, 1 passed unzipping, and 4 mid-late quitters. It was my very first time and I couldn't have done it without all the awesome advice and guidance form you all. Many many thanks!!!

That's an awesome first time hatch rate!!!

 

[venymae]

What should I do if I can no longer see the air cell in one of my egg (day 22) and there are no pips? Wait? Help? This is a dark colored egg, but I have been able to see air cell in past candles.

EDIT: As an avid eater of these chicken eggs, I can attest that the dark colored shells are very tough and take quite a wack to crack.

 

[Lemsr2]

I think I had a pretty good hatch. 4 of 8 eggs were not fertile, but all 8 of the fertile eggs hatched!

 

[Junibutt]

One of mine were like rhis for quite some time yesterday. I thought it was shrink wraped, but dropped some water in the pip. Made me feel better but im not sure what te water did. Lol i would wait another 4 hours and than assist if theres no progress.
It ended up hatching this morning

Same here. Mine even had a smaller hole and I dropped some water on it with a syringe, waited half an hr & kept on tapping on the incubator to get its attention and it hatched on its own after 28 hrs of pipping. All the air cells for that hen were smaller than others and they took a long time to hatch.

 

[Ryoohkey]

Got bantam chicks from TSC to keep my chick company... Ideas on breeds?


1 & 2- gold sebrights?


3 & 4- ?


5 & 6- ?



Thanks!

may be a partridge color, they look line my easter eggers and my partridge cochin bantams any furry leggs