12th Annual BYC Easter Hatch-Along

[Rysktal]

Hi everyone, hope your hatches are going well! The following people are people that set eggs. If any of you on this list have your final hatch numbers, will you please let us know how many hatched? We need your final hatch numbers to finalize one of the contests. If you aren't done hatching, don't worry, just let us know the number when you are done.

@AbyssalChooks
@AgnesGray
@AmesHillFarm
@Anne02
@Arkhams Joker
@AusHen
@awesomeayams
@BantyChooks
@BCPFarm
@BesideStillWaters
@beth1004
@BirdsBeesTrees
@BlueBaby
@bonz4bon
@BullChick
@CaramelKittey
@carsenann
@casportpony
@cfremder
@CharlemagneRoost
@cherrynberry
@Chicka_deee
@chicken1234
@ChickenCanoe
@chickenfarmergal
@ChickenLeg
@ChickenShenanigans
@Chickeria
@Chookwagn
@CluckNDoodle
@cmom
@Corbdee
@cppeace
@Croco Rico
@CSolis
@Cynthia12
@dandiducks
@Derangedplanet
@Di's Ladys
@Don 27
@Draconias
@Eggs by Happy Chickens
@EggSighted4Life
@electrycmonk
@elizabethu42
@Enn
@Faraday40
@FarmerKayy
@ForTheLoveOfSilkies
@gimmie birdies
@goldbean
@HappyDuckie
@homeschoolin momma
@Honora
@Janj76
@JCaseyHammond
@JewelBirds
@Josip
@JustAChickenLoverOverHere
@KalahariFerrari
@Katiewshrum
@kelseyk
@Kiki
@Kk Augy
@Knighstar679
@kylansgirl
@LadiesAndJane
@LadyCluck77
@Lilysbackgardenchickens
@Lulu-Dixon
@Lydia Huizenga
@LynnaePB
@MamaSug
@MandaRae
@mandi427
@Misfit_Chick
@Misfits Farm 92
@muddy75
@Northernflame
@Oldhallchicks
@OneMountainAcres
@owlbaby
@Parront
@pipdzipdnreadytogo
@Poultrybonkers
@pozees2
@Pyxis
@Razadia
@RebeccaBoyd
@RedneckAccountant
@Reiki Rooster
@rkadish
@Rysktal
@sayga
@sekeyslaks
@shaila
@shawluvsbirds
@SheaLoner
@smfarman
@spartacus_63
@StackedSfarms
@stormgirl82
@Strange Hatter Farms
@StuckeyFarm
@The Cave
@The Cottages
@The Moonshiner
@Trisseh
@Ugadawgs4
@UThobbyfarmer
@ValerieLovesChickens
@vall
@Vantic
@Verna Y
@Wickedchicken6
@WindyLookout
@WVduckchick

51 hatched but only 47 survived. Not sure which number you want!

 

[Kiki]

I used a Govee sensor for my recent hatch and only one of five hatched. I am convinced the humidity readings were wrong but I was also using a poorly built incubator so I can't say for sure that this was the problem. I just felt like it was always reading way lower that it should have.

Please salt test your humidity gauge.

 

[Kiki]

It's a Little Giant, I forgot the model but it's a still air. (I never bought the fan kit for it). It's weird because it did great for a while then it randomly does this. It did this last year too if I remember right. Caught it in time both times, thankfully. Ended up having to put it at 102.3 to get it to hold at 99.5. Then it started going really hot again so I'm back down to 101.7. It's frustrating. It also looks like there are cool spots in it. If I move the thermometer to different locations, it varies by 2 degrees.

Today it showed the humidity was 80% and then while I was watching the readout, it changed to 44%, and I didn't open the lid... so apparently, that's broken too.

Yeah, I do not recommend it. So far, I have five hatched, so hopefully it will last until the others hatch...

I use a little giant still air and I have excellent hatch rates.

 

[BesideStillWaters]

Sounds like the little one may be malpositioned. I would intervene at this point. You may find these helpful:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/guide-to-assisted-hatching-for-all-poultry.72886/
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/step-by-step-guide-to-assisted-hatching.64660/

Thanks for the article! One of my biggest concerns was being premature and harming the little thing.

 

[Kiki]

Thanks for the article! One of my biggest concerns was being premature and harming the little thing.

Hatch day was just yesterday?
It's not ready yet. I'd wait.

 

[Razadia]

“Someone else”?! Seriously? I know where I stand now.

Sorry! I wasn't paying attention to names and I haven't had a full cup of coffee yet! I thought I quoted your post but apparently I didn't.

 

[Razadia]

Junebug got to watch number 7 hatch before I had to get him to school. His whole class gets to hear him talk about chickens all day now.

 

[BesideStillWaters]

So many adorable babies!!! Congratulations t


This is a good assisting article that should help give some advice to tell when they are ready and how to proceed with an assist.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/guide-to-assisted-hatching-for-all-poultry.72886/

If there are still active blood vessels (sounds like there were) then not much to do but wait a while longer. When a baby is still absorbing yolk and/or blood it'll often make nibbling motions with its beak. Once it stops that and really starts striking out more it's usually ready (still be careful and watch out for active blood vessels if you need to assist at this point). Hopefully your little one is just a little slower and is able to start zipping on his/her own when those blood vessels finish absorbing, good luck!

She's still making those nibbling motions now. I wonder how long it will take to finish that up, all her sisters (and brothers I'm sure ) went from pip to out in under 24 hours. She isn't chirping anymore, but I see rapid breathing and nibbling motions. I thought she was weakening because no chirping, which is why I was getting a little panicked. But this is normal?

Thanks, I hope so too. I haven't slept all night, I don't want to wake up to a shrink wrapped chick! The fact that I can't check humidity is killing me. I opened the incubator three times after this one pipped (twice to make sure it was alive, that's why the last time I opened the shell / membrane a little so I could see the beak through the window of the incubator. Two more eggs pipped and I don't want to jeopardize them). I have a wet sponge in there to increase humidity, and I added more water to the channels while I had it open because it had dried out.

**edited for clarity - repetitiveness is due to staying up all night worrying about this chick

 

[BesideStillWaters]

I use a little giant still air and I have excellent hatch rates.

I'm glad. My hatch rate last year was pretty good. Of 15 eggs with life, 13 hatched, and I blame the two dead on a power outage. But I don't know what my hatch rate would have been if I hadn't caught the fluctuating temperatures with the thermometer inside. You've never had this trouble? I wonder if mine is defective or something...

 

[BesideStillWaters]

Hatch day was just yesterday?
It's not ready yet. I'd wait.

Yes, yesterday. The eggs that went in on the 13th hatched on Saturday, and this one and another that just pipped went in on Sunday the 14th so yesterday was hatch day for them. I'll anxiously be waiting. I need a paper bag...

Thanks for the advice.