The 7th Annual BYC Easter Hatch-A-Long!

[Happy Chooks]

Welcome to the 7th Annual BYC Easter Hatch-a-long!​

It's that time again! Every year, hundreds of members come together to set eggs to hatch on the exact same day - the day BEFORE Easter. As a group last year, we had 8,689 eggs set for hatching! If you are new to hatching, this is a great way to get a lot of help, tips and advise. Join in the fun for the largest BYC Hatch-a-long of the year!



Set Chicken eggs on Saturday, March 5th at Noon (whatever time zone you are in)

Other poultry breed setting dates listed below...

We want to hatch on March 26th, (the day BEFORE Easter Sunday)
button quail: 16 days to hatch; set March 10th
coturnix quail: 18 days to hatch; set March 8th
seramas: 19 days to hatch; set March 7th
other bantam and LF chicken: 21 days to hatch; set March 5th
bobwhite quail: 23 days to hatch; set March 3rd
call duck and other bantam ducks: 26 days to hatch; set February 29th
pheasant: 22 to 29 days; set February 26th - March 4th
mallard (derived) duck,goose, turkey, guinea, peafowl: 28 days to hatch; set February 27th
goose: 28 to 32 days to hatch; set February 23rd - February 27th
muscovy duck: 35 days to hatch; set February 20th
emu: approx. 53 days to hatch - set Feb 2nd (for you "serious" hatchers)



TO JOIN the hatchalong simply post in this thread that you wish to enter and we will add you! Set dates for each type of domestic fowl are listed above.
This thread is our main chat thread for the hatchalong where you can find anything from new friends, awesome incubation help to the most detailed educational discussions possible and how could we forget the laughter and fun!
This post of the Hatchalong (1st post) will be updated as we move along with all the important information you will need.
But if you find yourself with a question just post it on the thread, everyone is helpful!


ALL CONTESTS ARE HELD IN SEPARATE THREADS,
TO ENTER each contest YOU MUST VISIT EACH CONTEST THREAD, READ THE RULES AND ENTER THE CONTEST, SIMPLE!


If you end up not setting any eggs, please let us know! It makes it easier for our record keeping and we don't have to try to track you down!

Places to find hatching eggs:
BYC Buy ~ Sell ~ Trade Section: Chicken Hatching Eggs

JUST IN TIME HATCHING EGG AUCTION: https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/754077/just-in-time-hatching-egg-auction-and-bin-thread/2100_50




Contests!

Random Posting Contest: Winner #1 Loc20chick, Winner #2 Chaos18, Winner #3 Razadia, Winner #4 Penny Hen, Winner #5 KDOGG331

Contest #1: Guess How Many Eggs Will Be Set!
Winner: LilChickens2

Contest #2: Photo Caption Contest #1
1st Place: Hurley
2nd Place: Sambi89
3rd Place: shahtir101


Contest #3: Flapper Contest
1st Place: Farmer Viola
2nd Place: Mirajane

Contest #4: Edible Easter Contest
1st Place: Blooie
2nd Place: IHeartPoultry
3rd Place: coopbuilder82

Contest #5: Cutest Baby Fowl
1st Place: Cindy07
2nd Place: anneofalltrades
3rd Place: HaileyBelle

Contest #6: Broodies and their Babies
1st Place: Chicks Galore3
2nd Place: A Fail
3rd Place: HopieGirl4Ever

Contest #7: Most Striking Male Fowl
1st Place: Shay1Bear
2nd Place: HopieGirl4Ever
3rd Place: RattleCan

Contest #8: Natural Egg Photo Contest
1st Place: chicken pickin
2nd Place: abqchicken
3rd Place: Shay1Bear

Contest #9: Other Fowl Contest
1st Place: RattleCan
2nd Place: Scovy Momma
3rd Place: Scovy Momma

Contest #10: Photo Caption #2 Contest
1st Place: Brittsplace
2nd Place: Blooie
3rd Place: Cynthia12

Contest #11: Peeps Art Contest
1st Place: deserteggs22
2nd Place: flocktastic
3rd Place: Sambi89

Contest #12: Wet Poultry
1st Place: BantyChooks
2nd Place: Sueg4332
3rd Place: speney

Contest #13: Guess How Many Eggs Will Hatch
Winner: flocktastic

Best Hatch Participant: Cynthia 12




Thank You to @mlm Mike, @Sally Sunshine and @ronott1 for helping me with this year's Hatch-a-long! I truly could not do it without their fantastic help!

 

[Hurley]

Snapped some shots of my Iowa Blue hens











Still frozen up nort, here, but spring is coming soon!

 

[KYTinpusher]

I have to share another egg photo - these are from one of my Black Ameraucanas

 

[Sally Sunshine]

Made these today to decorate my coop with. Not perfect, but it was fun anyhowI was trying to get antique color styles with the egg sign
this one I've had planned for a while for the coop door

LOVE THEM!! so cute!!
AAAA+++++



kiddos made some for the run and the coop! great project for them to do with old wood or skid boards! We have painted stuff everywhere at the coops!! it adds some interest!!

https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/hinkel-haus-made-of-pallets-recycled-wood-pickets

https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/saloon-coop-with-pallet-porch-roof

 

[aplynn]

ALL CHICKENS ALIVE AND ACCOUNTED FOR THANK YOU GOD!!!!!!

After we lost our last flock we tried very hard to make sure NOTHING could get into the coop at night. Apparently we did good. There were scratch and deep claw marks on the outside of the door and under a window, but we had put chicken wire over all of the windows and around the door frame so nothing could dig the door frame open. We also reinforced the door with a lock at the top bottom and a latch in the middle. I think all that work finally paid off.

I had a prayer answered this morning, THAT WAS SO STRESSFUL

 

[Asever1]

We are here for help and encouragement too! You are the hatch a long. Mike will add you to the list when he is back from a trip. Post lot's of pictures!

Ok, here is my first picture of the gorgeous emu eggs in my Hovabator!

 

[Cynthia12]

A friend of mine took a photo of a silkie that she bought from me..and got this! She made the Valentine's Day quotes for it. Have to share. Note, the heart butt!

 

[Eps32]

So the new brooder I'd almost done. I ran out of hardware cloth to do the sides. So I'm going to lowes today to get some and a few other things to hang lights and waters. I happy with it I guess doing it by myself was annoying. But for not having all the right power tools I needed. I think it came out pretty good. It rained last night the inside is bone dry so happy about that. But I feel like iv done better just getting old I guess. But I think the 3 week olds will love it.

 

[Sally Sunshine]

WHAT YOU CAN DO to save overheated or cold eggs!
What Temperatures Kill In An Incubator?

WHAT If the Power Goes Off?​

BE PREPARED & HAVE A PLAN!​

Hatching Eggs 101 - BackYard Chickens Community


If the electric goes off, you have to do whatever you have to do to keep them warm, if you have to take them to someone that has electric or take them to the car to run them off the car battery. just be careful dont jiggle them too much, the older they are the more tolerant they will be.

ALWAYS have a plan buy an electric power loss alarm!
It will waken you at night, simply plug it into an outlet and it sounds when you loose it! and its cheap!

$6.00

CLICK HERE FOR EBAY SALES


​

This can be done by placing a large cardboard box or blankets over the top of small incubators for additional insulation. To warm the eggs, place candles in jars, light them and place the jars under the box that covers the incubator. Be careful not to put any flammable material closer than a foot from the top of the candles. The heat from the candles can easily keep the eggs above 90°F until the power returns.​

Embryos have survived at temperatures below 90°F for up to 18 hours. You should continue to incubate the eggs after the outage; then candle them 4 to 6 days later to check for further development or signs of life. If, after 6 days, you do not see life or development in any of the eggs, then terminate incubation. Most of the time, a power outage will delay hatching by a few days and decrease the hatchability to 40-50 percent.
​

​

​

To understand more about embryo viability & temperatures
Please refer to the following links….
http://metzerfarms.blogspot.com/2011/08/what-temperatures-kill-in-incubator.html
Brinsea ~ Temperature Guide
Temperature Chart pdf
BYC What to do if the power goes out!
http://www.theeggfarm.com/blog/2013/02/07/chick-resuscitation/​

A full incubator of eggs
always helps maintain a steady temperature
even if it’s not good for your chicken math!​

​

dry rice heated on wood/or gas stove

HOT HANDS HOT WATER BOTTLES




From ronott1

The leads go to the incubator.
The Genesis 1588 runs on 12V DC



HEAT SINKS/ Stones/Pebbles
ADD THEM TO STYROFOAM INCUBATORS
WHEN YOU SET YOUR EGGS!

Rocks/ glass gems are in troughs under the wire.
I think perhaps more stones are in order for heat sinks
a nice full layer on the bottom and just using cups for added humidity on top of wire until lockdown would probably hold amazingly well



FLAT LARGE ROCKS

Bottles of water

Wrapping a bator for steadier temps
post #25454
KEEPING MOLD and BACTERIAL from growing in water WELLS during incubation post #1644
USING a aquarium pump to humidify incubator Begin post #2028 & Flow control valve post #2054
Trick to raising humidity in egg trays by adding small containers to egg slot! post #42512


FOR MORE TIPS ON INCUBATION
FROM THE Incubation with Friends THREAD
Please click below.....
https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/incubating-w-friends-helpful-notes-links-informational-post-links​

 

[Sahwithchicks]

This picture cracks me up. The chicks are giving me the look one would get when they walk up to a group of people having a deep conversation, which may or may not have your name involved.