26 Button Eggs in the Hatcher....Update w/ pics PG 10...

[UrbanMama]

The only problem...can I hear them over my kids?

They can be so loud! And the dogs...well you ge the idea.

I'm afraid to go to bed...what if they hatch! But then I want them to hatch...I just don't want to miss it...

Yeah..I'm a nut!

 

[shelleyd2008]

Well, the buttons will most likely hatch when you aren't looking, so you will probably wake up with a bator full! But they are just the tiniest things, it is unbelievable how small they are. But you will probably hear them, they have really good lungs for being as tiny as they are!
And I noticed you said 'dogs', did you find a dog for Christmas?

 

[UrbanMama]

I did! Here's Harley..

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=115742

Were you nervous when you started hatching quail?

 

[shelleyd2008]

Quote:
Not really, until I learned just how different it is from chickens! It's not really 'harder' but you pretty much have to go 'by the book' in my opinion. At least it seems to work better that way. Did you get Harley from a rescue? He is gorgeous! I just love goldens! I miss mine, his name was Ben. He was the prettiest, smartest dog I have ever had.

 

[UrbanMama]

I think I'm just nervous 'cuz it's my first time. Not to mention, I've read all these threads where non (or very few) have hatched....and I'm really looking foward to itty, bitty fuzzy butts!

I had really hoped one would pop during the night...but I'm still waiting

(There should be an emoticon of a smily peering into a bator!)

*** ETA*** We adopted Harley from a family that was moving to Oregon. They couldn't take him due to his size (He's over 80lbs) and he's still a puppy....and that's a looooong drive!

 

[shelleyd2008]

Well, I'm sure Harley is glad that you got him! I'm sure you will love him to pieces. He won't get much bigger, they 'grow' until they are 2, but after a year it is pretty much just filling out and getting even more beautiful! I think I need another golden, I miss mine!

I only had one button hatch from 20 eggs my first try. I didn't know what I was doing, and it was too dry for them to get out. Just make sure your humidity is about 70% and if there are baby buttons in the eggs, they should be able to get out!

 

[spookyevilone]

Good luck with your hatch!! I was worried about the button's feet falling through the wire, so I hatched mine in a low, wide tupperware bowl inside the 'bator. The sides were slippery so they couldn't escape, and the bottom was lined with paper towel.

My last hatch was from the Dec. egg swap, 22 eggs, and arrived on the coldest day of the year. 16 hatched. I've noticed that one will hatch about 26 hours before the rest. In all of my hatches, I get one, and then a day later, the rest popcorn their way out.

-Spooky

 

[shelleyd2008]

Quote:
Mine have done the opposite! Most of them hatch all at once, then there is always one or two that hatch a full day after!

 

[LilRalphieRoosmama]

Mine too! They all seem to hatch about the same time. There is always just one at first but then the rest hatch pretty quickly after that. Not like chickens where it drags on.

Good luck!!!!

 

[UrbanMama]

Oh my goodness...the suspense is killing me!

Watch...they'll all pop out all right...in the middle of the night!

I just adopted 5 more buttons from a wonderfull friend...

....So if these guys don't work out I'll just wait until I have some of my own to incubate.

I just got official "permission" from my hubby (in other words, he said he didn't care!

) to try coturnix. So pretty soon I'll have that bator stocked full on a regular basis of coturnix (how cool is that? A constant,self-replenishing food supply...and an excuse to hatch!)