4th Annual BYC NYD Hatch-a-long

[tadpole98]

I have a question I joined the hatch along or I think I did it right . But I have serama and jumbo brown quail and my button even laid an egg today , my question is do I have to pick one to use for the hatch along or can I add each on there own day so they are all due the same day?. Thank you

you can do both. Just set the chicken eggs on the right date then the other on their date, we are just wanting them to hatch on NYD

 

[JakeBremer]

I've just totally got lost in this thread. Im like almost 700 posts behind.... SMH. So what have yall been talkin about?

 

[RavenWood]

Egg prices vary greatly. I have a neighbor who will sell me fertile eggs for $2/dozen, which is unbelievably cheap. If you doubt the eggs fertility, find another source. The first hatch is unbelievably exciting, you do not want to go through the disappointment of infertile eggs. Having said that, if your egg source has a rooster, chances are...the eggs are fertile.

I am getting Black Copper Maran eggs for pennies over $2/egg guaranteed fertilized, but this other seller wants $3/egg unguaranteed (only because she doesn't do it for a living, just as a hobby). I agree, I don't want to pay/be disappointed for unfertilized eggs; however our source options out here are very limited so it's kind of a 'take what you can get' situation. I offered her $25 for a dozen so I guess we'll see what she thinks of that.

Thanks for your comments I'm getting excited!

 

[Lacy Blues]

Thanks to both of you, these where both very helpful and I'll be saving them. Another question came to mind, what would you consider a deal breaker? I understand to ask questions and completely look over the birds and the coop, but what things would break the deal. Like if I found they had lice, I could easily treat that. I have very little understanding when it comes to chicken disease.

And I would keep them separate from my current chickens for while to watch. I guess I was mainly worried if there was something hidden like Mareks disease or something... Which brings another question, what if his birds are vaccinated and mine are not? Could they spread disease to my non vaccinated birds?

A deal breaker? Respiratory issues. No sneezing or coughing... like someone said not long after you asked, standing alone, hunching... etc.

No no, we're going by your own local time, so you'll be setting earlier than everyone on the west coast if you live on the east. If your egg hatches at midnight on the dot at your local time, that's the winner

I just put my 7 week old leghorn and crevecoeur chicks in with my 14 week old leghorn hens last night. I see the older hens bullying the younger over the yogurt i gave them! For some reason, my one older leghorn has a cut on her upper beak just before the nose, did one of the little ones get her?, kind of funny if they did, and would explain why she's not very pleased with them at the moment... LOL. I really hope nobody gets hurt though. The big leghorns have pecked the bottoms of the others a few times while I was there, but I don't think they really hurt them. They were more shoo'ing em away. I think. This is my first time integrating, so I'm nervous but I've been reading and know things should calm down in a week or so (I hope) and it doesn't seem too bad at the moment... Will keep an eye on them when I can....

With yogurt or other favorite treats, you probably ought to put them in more than one place. That way the babies get some and hopefully don't get beat up for it.

 

[crissycriss]

Ok im destined to win the worst hatch of all. My tempss were steady at 100 but since i added the eggs temp has spiked to 102. Yikes im failing before i get started good.

 

[Lacy Blues]

Ok im destined to win the worst hatch of all.

My tempss were steady at 100 but since i added the eggs temp has spiked to 102. Yikes im failing before i get started good.

That makes me think... I think I'll put some eggs that I don't intend to hatch in for a while and we'll see what the temps do before I add my keepers. By the way, I probably will not be joining the hatch along as the eggs I have are almost two weeks old right now and I won't be able to get any more.

If I was you, I'd take those eggs out and let them cool down some... depending of course on how far along they are?

 

[janelle18]

I am going to start collecting eggs for the hatch tomorrow because the breeds I am hatching out only have a few hens. WOO. The best place I have to store them pre-incubation is in my basement where it is about 60-65 degree's. Do you guys think that will be okay?

 

[cochins1088]

I am going to start collecting eggs for the hatch tomorrow because the breeds I am hatching out only have a few hens. WOO. The best place I have to store them pre-incubation is in my basement where it is about 60-65 degree's. Do you guys think that will be okay?

That will be perfect.

 

[cochins1088]

Ok im destined to win the worst hatch of all.

My tempss were steady at 100 but since i added the eggs temp has spiked to 102. Yikes im failing before i get started good.

That always happens to me with my hova bator 1602N, I'm hoping my new genesis won't do this. I always put in the same number of eggs that I plan on hatching for stabilizing the incubator. I use eggs that are like 2 months old, or unfertile store eggs so there isn't chance for deveopment and then switch them out when it's stabilized. Hopefully everything will still work out.

 

[crissycriss]

That makes me think... I think I'll put some eggs that I don't intend to hatch in for a while and we'll see what the temps do before I add my keepers.  By the way, I probably will not be joining the hatch along as the eggs I have are almost two weeks old right now and I won't be able to get any more.

If I was you, I'd take those eggs out and let them cool down some... depending of course on how far along they are?

I just set them today at 12 noon central time. Good idea i believe i will do that right now. I opened the bator but i think ill take them out. Thanks