4/12/12 Setting Date--Anyone joining me?

[Sphinx]

pudellever, those are gorgeous chicks. Love them.

Uptail, I'm so sorry that nothing hatched. Have you checked to see if any developed?

Woohoo on the 7 chicks, orum!



After a nailbiting hatch, Fred, my final egg, finally hatched at 8:30 this morning. So, for the first time ever, I had 7/7. All seven that I laid hatched. AND it was a school hatch to boot!

 

[Miss Giggles]

Well approaching day 21 for batch 2, Have been wobble watching again and seen at least 6 wobble out of 9. Hope at least 1 makes it to keep my chick company

 

[auntie hattie]

Hi everyone just wanted to let you know I got another chick that hatched yesterday under my broody hen. Yay! Still waiting to see about one more. One died during hatching it was so sad. I wish I would have been there to help it.
Miss Giggles I'm so happy for you I hope you get a great hatch! Keep us updated.

Orum that's great those little chickies made it! Love to see picture!

Uptail sorry about your hatch. give it another try. My second time was so much better.

Sphinx! Way to go! Awesome hatch. Your little chicks are so cute and pudgy! I love them.

 

[Grizzledizzle]

I started with 4 eggs right out of the refrigerated egg section at Trader Joes and had one successfully hatch! Meet Joe! Hatched yesterday!

day 2

 

[orumpoultry]

Okay guys, I will get pics of the survivors tonight. It's starting to look like the eight that made it out, including the one that died in the incubator ( out of the egg, got stuck under the turner ) are going to be it. No movement from the others, and I'd already tossed out a good portion. If nothing else is out by Thursday ( 5 days after initial hatch ) I will toss the rest.

 

[pudellvr]

My hatch rate was horrible as well, Uptail. Not as bad as yours however! I had 2/13 hatch. Ugh! I shouldn't have bought expensive eggs for my first hatch. I am afraid as well that I have a rooster and a hen. Based on feather sexing. Will see in a few months if I am right. I can't have roosters! I live in the city. For now I have taken one light bulb out of the regulator side of my incubator and put a higher wattage bulb in the other. I am brooding them in there for now because these bantams are sooo tiny they will get out of my other brooder.

 

[Miss Giggles]

Well I have 4 pips so far................

 

[uptail]

Thank you all for the condolescences.

This was a terrible way for me to get started with incubating!! Out of 26, only 8 made it to lockdown. I bought two brand new Brinsea Octagons to incubate in. I did lots and lots of research, Bought extra thermometers and hydrometers. I incubated at 99.5 degrees and 25-30% the first 18 days.....which was entirely too low humidity for the forced air incubator. All of my babies were dead and shrink-wrapped except one, and he passed this morning.

7 out of 8 were fully developed, looked beautiful. The inner membranes were shrunk down on all of them. I knew something was horribly wrong. I never heard the first peep or saw the first movement....and it was day #24 yesterday.

This was absolutely awful.

 

[orumpoultry]

Anyone else ready to give up on the rest of the eggs in the incubator?

So, here's final numbers ( again )

Started with about 40 set on day 0.
39 Developed by day 7.
32 Developing by day 14.
Forgot to candle on day 18...
So all into lock down.

ANDDDD
Only 11 made it to hatch.
1 died after cracking the eggshell.
2 died at pip/zip
2 died a few hours after hatch.
6 are alive and well!

Forgot to get pictures, but I SWEAR I will at least get cell phone pictures tomorrow before I settle in for the night.

 

[Miss Giggles]

Egg no 7 has hatched and is working it's way around the bator. Still have 5 pipped and 2 have started to zip. These are the 9/12 that made it to lockdown with staggered hatch 5 days apart so they had high humidity from day 13/14 through to the day before lockdown (I reduced humidity for 24 hours).